Sade - Smooth Operator

'Smooth Operator' is a song by the English group Sade, released as the fourth and final single from their debut album Diamond Life.

This was Sade's first Top Ten hit in the U.S., peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in May 1985. The song spent thirteen weeks in the Top Forty, and also topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for two weeks. Although 'Your Love Is King' remains Sade's biggest hit in the UK to date, 'Smooth Operator' is the band's breakthrough hit on the U.S. charts, and their most successful single internationally.

Ray St. John, who co-wrote 'Smooth Operator' with Sade Adu, was previously a member of Adu's former band Pride, although he was not a member of the band Sade. The pair co-wrote the song in 1982 while still members of Pride, yet did not get around to recording it because St. John left Pride shortly after Sade joined. St. John later went on to play guitar with the band Halo James, which scored a UK Top Ten hit with 'Could Have Told You So' in February 1990.

'Smooth Operator' is about a fashionable man who lives a jet-set lifestyle. He is popular with women and breaks many hearts. The lyrics "Coast to Coast, LA to Chicago, Western Male, Across the north and south, to Key Largo, love for sale" imply that he uses women to sustain himself. It is also clear that he does not return the affections of these women, as Adu sings near the end, "His heart is cold."

This song is noted for Sade's spoken recitation in the song's introduction. Some radio edits have omitted the spoken Introduction, and proceeded with the opening sung line of the title of the album, 'Diamond Life'. Some radio edits have shortened the instrumental saxophone solo, as well as the first repeat of the lines that come after the Chorus portions.

The video for 'Smooth Operator', directed by Julien Temple, was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards in 1985, Best Female Video and Best New Artist. The full-length version runs around eight and a half minutes, and shows the entire story of the song (The video features a then-unknown pre-Max Headroom Amanda Pays portraying a hostess/moll.)

In the UK the single made it to number 19 on the Singles Chart.

Click the link below to download the following:
Video
Single Version
Extended Version
Sprit - B-Side

http://www.mediafire.com/?qpafgqp3zqje5