"Do or Die" is a single by
Grace Jones
Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...
, released in 1978, promoting her album ''
Fame''.
Background
"Do or Die" was the first and in most parts of the world the only single release from Jones' ''
Fame'', her second disco album. On ''Fame'' it made up the first part of the A-side non-stop medley "Do or Die"/"Pride"/"Fame". The 7" single featured a heavily edited version (3:22) with the French-language non-album track "Comme un oiseau qui s'envole" as the B-side, included as a bonus track on the Canadian edition of the ''Fame'' album. The 12" single featured a slightly shorter mix of the album version with a cold end, and the B-side an extended mix of "Comme un oiseau qui s'envole". "Do or Die" reached number 3 on the
US ''Billboard'' dance chart.
In 1985 the 7" edit of "Do or Die" was included as one of three disco tracks on the career retrospective ''
Island Life
''Island Life'' is a compilation album by Grace Jones, released in December 1985, summing up the first nine years of her musical career. The album sits among Jones' best-selling works.
Production and release
After the major commercial success ...
'', the other being the album versions of "
I Need a Man" and "
La Vie en rose
"La Vie en rose" (; ) is the signature song of popular French singer Édith Piaf, written in 1945, popularized in 1946, and released as a single in 1947. The song became very popular in the US in 1950, when seven versions reached the ''Billboard ...
" (1977).
Music video
A music video was shot as a part of an Italian TV show ''
Stryx
{{Infobox television
, image =
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, writer = Ennio di Majo
, director = ...
'', for which Jones made several more clips. It uses the ''Stryx'' studio set and sees Jones dancing with a
surreal
Surreal may refer to:
*Anything related to or characteristic of Surrealism, a movement in philosophy and art
* "Surreal" (song), a 2000 song by Ayumi Hamasaki
* ''Surreal'' (album), an album by Man Raze
*Surreal humour, a common aspect of humor
...
scenography in the background.
Track listing
*7" single
:A. "Do or Die" – 3:22
:B. "Comme un oiseau qui s'envole" – 3:10
*12" single
:A. "Do or Die" – 6:15
:B. "Comme un oiseau qui s'envole" – 4:30
Chart performance
Cover versions
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Ba ...
recorded a
cover
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
of the song for her 1989 album ''
I'm Still Here''.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Do or Die
1978 singles
Eartha Kitt songs
Grace Jones songs
Songs written by Jack Robinson (songwriter)
1978 songs
Island Records singles