Live Your Life Be Free
Encyclopedia
Live Your Life Be Free is the fourth studio album
by American singer Belinda Carlisle
, released in the United States
in 1991 by MCA Records
and in the UK by Virgin Records
. This was the first of Carlisle's albums not to chart in the United States and the last album of hers to produce a U.S. Billboard Hot 100
single ("Do You Feel Like I Feel?", number 73). The album fared better in the UK, where it peaked at number seven.
Carlisle co-wrote two of the tracks on the album: "Loneliness Game" and "Little Black Book" (which went to number 28 in the UK Singles Chart
).
The song "You Came Out of Nowhere" begins with a sample from the opening of "Nobody Told Me
", a song by John Lennon
that was released in 1984.
wrote "Carlisle merely stirs up a nostalgia for carefree girl groups singing gooey love songs – giving Live Your Life a certain giddy, pointless coherence" while for Allmusic "Live Your Life Be Free shows the singer to be capable in a variety of musical contexts, and is a pleasing listen throughout".
The album sold better outside the U.S. and managed to enter the top 10 in the U.K. where it was certified gold. Outside the U.K. the album charted No. 21 in Sweden
for 10 weeks and No. 27 in Australia
.
The first single release outside the U.S. was the album title track that peaked at No. 12 in the U.K, No. 16 in Sweden and No. 13 in Australia. In the U.S. the first single to be released was "Do You Feel Like I Feel?
" which was the last Carlisle's single to enter the U.S. top 100.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American singer Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments...
, released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1991 by MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and in the UK by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. This was the first of Carlisle's albums not to chart in the United States and the last album of hers to produce a U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
single ("Do You Feel Like I Feel?", number 73). The album fared better in the UK, where it peaked at number seven.
Carlisle co-wrote two of the tracks on the album: "Loneliness Game" and "Little Black Book" (which went to number 28 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
).
The song "You Came Out of Nowhere" begins with a sample from the opening of "Nobody Told Me
Nobody Told Me
"Nobody Told Me" is a song by the British musician John Lennon. Recorded shortly before his death in 1980, the song was later completed by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono in 1983 and released as the first single from Lennon and Ono's album Milk and Honey in 1984. The song was later released in the UK in...
", a song by John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
that was released in 1984.
Reception and chart performance
The reception of the Live Your Life Be Free album was not as good as her previous albums. Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
wrote "Carlisle merely stirs up a nostalgia for carefree girl groups singing gooey love songs – giving Live Your Life a certain giddy, pointless coherence" while for Allmusic "Live Your Life Be Free shows the singer to be capable in a variety of musical contexts, and is a pleasing listen throughout".
The album sold better outside the U.S. and managed to enter the top 10 in the U.K. where it was certified gold. Outside the U.K. the album charted No. 21 in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
for 10 weeks and No. 27 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The first single release outside the U.S. was the album title track that peaked at No. 12 in the U.K, No. 16 in Sweden and No. 13 in Australia. In the U.S. the first single to be released was "Do You Feel Like I Feel?
Do You Feel Like I Feel?
"Do You Feel Like I Feel?" is the second single from Belinda Carlisle's Live Your Life Be Free album, released in 1991 . To date it is the last of Carlisle's singles to chart on the U.S...
" which was the last Carlisle's single to enter the U.S. top 100.
Track listing
Peak Positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | 27 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 80 |
| Japanese Oricon Albums Chart | 32 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 21 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 32 |
| UK Albums Chart | 7 |
Certifications
Production
- Rick Nowels - producer
- Richard Feldman - producer
- Eric Pressly - producer
- David Munday - producer