"Hell in Paradise" is a song by

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

from the 1985 album ''

Starpeace ''Starpeace'' is a 1985 concept album by Yoko Ono, designed to spread a message of peace around the world as an opposition to Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" missile defense system. As with most Ono albums, it did not chart extensively but the sin ...

''. The lyrics are about mankind's perceived idea of

hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...

, despite living in the

paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...

that Ono considers to be planet

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

. After "

Walking on Thin Ice "Walking on Thin Ice" is a song by Yoko Ono, released in 1981. She and John Lennon concluded the recording of the song on December 8, 1980. It was upon their return from the recording studio to The Dakota (their home in New York City) that Lenno ...

", it was her biggest hit of the 1980s, charting at number 16 on the US dance chart. Ono went on hiatus after ''Starpeace''; this would be her last proper single until 2001's remix of "

Open Your Box "Open Your Box" is a The Plastic Ono Band song by Yoko Ono, released on 12 March 1971 as the B-side of John Lennon's single " Power to the People". Lennon played guitar and produced the song. In 1971, Ono's risqué lyrics were received in con ...

". ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' critic Michael Gallucci rated it as Ono's 4th best song, calling it the "highlight" of ''Starpeace''. In 2004, the track was revived as part of the ONO

remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...

project, and reached number 4 on the same chart twenty years on. In 2016, the song was re-released by the ONO project again, featuring remixes by Dave Audé and others. It reached number 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart.

Music video

The video was directed by Polish filmmaker

Zbigniew Rybczyński Zbigniew Rybczyński (; born 27 January 1949) is a Polish filmmaker, director, cinematographer, screenwriter, creator of experimental animated films, and multimedia artist who has won numerous prestigious industry awards both in the United Sta ...

. It stars Ono alongside

Michael J. Anderson Michael J. Anderson (born October 31, 1953) is a retired American actor known for his roles as The Man from Another Place in David Lynch's television series ''Twin Peaks'', the prequel film for the series, ''Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me'', and a ...

, Peter Risch, Daniel Richards, and

Christopher Greener Christopher Paul Greener (21 November 1943 – 11 February 2015) was a British actor and basketball player who went on to represent the United Kingdom. Greener was born in New Brighton, Wallasey, Cheshire. He was at one point the tallest ...

. The music video won the award "Most Innovative Video" at ''Billboard'' Music Video Awards in 1986.

Track listing

;US 7" single #"Hell in Paradise" #"Hell in Paradise" (Instrumental) ;US 12" single :A1. "Hell in Paradise" (Club Version) – 6:52 :B1. "Hell in Paradise" (Dub Version) – 8:52 :B2. "Hell in Paradise" (Single Version) - 3:34 ;12" single (2004) :A1. "Hell in Paradise" (Murk Miami Mix) :A2. "Hell in Paradise" (Orange Factory "Hot As..." Mix) :B1. "Hell in Paradise" (Chus & Ceballos Iberican Mix) :B2. "Hell in Paradise" (Minge Binge Club Mix) ;Digital Download (2004) #"Hell in Paradise" (Murk Miami Mix) - 8:11 #"Hell in Paradise" (Orange Factory "Hot As..." Mix) - 7:45 #"Hell in Paradise" (Chus & Ceballos Iberican Mix) - 10:07 #"Hell in Paradise" (Minge Binge Club Mix) - 7:18 #"Hell in Paradise" (Chris the Greek Club Mix) - 6:55 #"Hell in Paradise" (Chris the Greek Radio Edit) - 3:53

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hell In Paradise Yoko Ono songs 1985 singles 2004 singles Song recordings produced by Yoko Ono Songs written by Yoko Ono 1985 songs Polydor Records singles