This Is the Life (Ricky Ross album)
Encyclopedia
This Is the Life is a solo album from Scottish rock
musician Ricky Ross
and member of Deacon Blue
.
Ricky Ross produced the album with Kenny MacDonald, who has produced for Deacon Blue in the past. Perhaps as a result, this solo album is less divergent from the typical Deacon Blue style than are Ricky's previous two solo albums, New Recording
and What You Are
. The sound is not a carbon copy of Deacon Blue, however. The album has more touches of folk and country music and the general mood of the album is more placid than most of the Deacon Blue catalog.
Deacon Blue colleague James Prime
plays piano on "The Way to Work", and Ross' wife and Deacon Blue colleague Lorraine McIntosh
contributes vocals to a single song (as she did on each of Ross' three prior solo albums), "Nothing Cures That".
This is the first Ricky Ross solo album to receive a US release, albeit on a minor label.
Hip-hop artist, Rick Ross
(Who shares a similar name), has a song title "This Is The Life" on his album Trilla
.
, except where noted:
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
musician Ricky Ross
Ricky Ross (musician)
Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
and member of Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop band formed in Glasgow during 1985. Their name was taken from the title of the Steely Dan song "Deacon Blues". The band consists of vocalist Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime and drummer Dougie Vipond....
.
Ricky Ross produced the album with Kenny MacDonald, who has produced for Deacon Blue in the past. Perhaps as a result, this solo album is less divergent from the typical Deacon Blue style than are Ricky's previous two solo albums, New Recording
New Recording (album)
New Recording is a solo album from Scottish rock musician Ricky Ross and member of Deacon Blue. It was produced by Ross and former Love and Money keyboardist Paul McGeechan....
and What You Are
What You Are (album)
What You Are is a solo album from Scottish rock musician Ricky Ross. It was the first solo album Ross released after the breakup of the band he fronted, Deacon Blue....
. The sound is not a carbon copy of Deacon Blue, however. The album has more touches of folk and country music and the general mood of the album is more placid than most of the Deacon Blue catalog.
Deacon Blue colleague James Prime
James Prime
James "Optimus" Prime is best known as the keyboard player for Deacon Blue. He also lectures at the University of the West of Scotland. Known as a Hammond/piano player, his talents have been sought after by John Martyn, Johnny Hallyday, Phil Cunningham, Eddi Reader and Little Richard...
plays piano on "The Way to Work", and Ross' wife and Deacon Blue colleague Lorraine McIntosh
Lorraine McIntosh
Lorraine McIntosh is the female vocalist, with the Scottish pop band, Deacon Blue, and is married to lead singer Ricky Ross. They have three children...
contributes vocals to a single song (as she did on each of Ross' three prior solo albums), "Nothing Cures That".
This is the first Ricky Ross solo album to receive a US release, albeit on a minor label.
Hip-hop artist, Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
(Who shares a similar name), has a song title "This Is The Life" on his album Trilla
Trilla
Notes*"All I Have in this World" excepts from the film Scarface and contains a samples of "Scarface" by Geto Boys*"The Boss" contains a samples of "Broken Wings" by Mr...
.
Track listing
All songs written by Ricky RossRicky Ross (musician)
Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
, except where noted:
- "Northern Soul" (RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
, DoreCharlie DoreCharlie Dore is an English singer-songwriter and actress.-Career:Although best known as one of the UK's most respected singer-songwriters, Dore has a multi-faceted career that includes acting in film, TV and radio, comedy-improvisation and composition for film and TV...
) – 6:34 - "London Comes Alive" (RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
, SlavenMick SlavenMichael Slaven is a session guitarist and record producer from Glasgow, Scotland.A former gardener at the University of Glasgow, Slaven became the guitarist for Bourgie Bourgie in the 1980s, and was briefly a member of Del Amitri...
) – 3:33 - "Rodeo Boy" (RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
, Davie Scott)– 4:32 - "Angel & Mercedes" (RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
, SlavenMick SlavenMichael Slaven is a session guitarist and record producer from Glasgow, Scotland.A former gardener at the University of Glasgow, Slaven became the guitarist for Bourgie Bourgie in the 1980s, and was briefly a member of Del Amitri...
) – 5:05 - "I Sing About You" (RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
, SlavenMick SlavenMichael Slaven is a session guitarist and record producer from Glasgow, Scotland.A former gardener at the University of Glasgow, Slaven became the guitarist for Bourgie Bourgie in the 1980s, and was briefly a member of Del Amitri...
) – 4:28 - "Nothing Cures That" – 4:26
- "This Is the Life" – 6:01
- "Threatening Rain" – 3:05
- "Starring Love" – 3:56
- "Hippy Girl" – 3:48
- "My Girl Going to Town" (RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
, Davie Scott) – 5:13 - "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger"(DoreCharlie DoreCharlie Dore is an English singer-songwriter and actress.-Career:Although best known as one of the UK's most respected singer-songwriters, Dore has a multi-faceted career that includes acting in film, TV and radio, comedy-improvisation and composition for film and TV...
, RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
) – 2:29 - "The Way to Work" – 4:54
Personnel
- Ricky RossRicky Ross (musician)Ricky Ross, born Richard Alexander Ross is a Scottish singer-songwriter and broadcaster, most famously for his work with the rock band, Deacon Blue.-Biography:...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, wurlitzerWurlitzerThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Davie Scott - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Mick SlavenMick SlavenMichael Slaven is a session guitarist and record producer from Glasgow, Scotland.A former gardener at the University of Glasgow, Slaven became the guitarist for Bourgie Bourgie in the 1980s, and was briefly a member of Del Amitri...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Jim Gash - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Scott Fraser - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Simon Clarke - baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
on "Nothing Cures That" - Tim SandersTim SandersTim Sanders is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, and former Yahoo! executive. He joined Yahoo! through the acquisition of Mark Cuban's Broadcast.com in 1999. After arriving at Yahoo!, Sanders created and led the "ValueLab," an internal group dedicated to providing insight into...
- tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
on "Nothing Cures That" - Roddy LorimerRoddy LorimerRoddy Lorimer is a Scottish musician who has performed with a number of bands, including Blur, Gene, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Eric Clapton, Suede and The Waterboys. He is currently a member of the horn section Kick Horns....
- trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
on "Nothing Cures That" - Annie WhiteheadAnnie WhiteheadAnnie Whitehead is an English jazz trombone player.-Career:Annie learned trombone at school; at 14 she was already busy playing with brass bands, local dance groups and the Manchester Youth Jazz Orchestra and began her professional career at sixteen. Among her initial influences were Miles Davis,...
- tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
on "Nothing Cures That" - Jacqui Penfold - violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger" - Jo Sutherland - violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger" - Alastair Savage - violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger" - Amanda Shearman - celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger" - James PrimeJames PrimeJames "Optimus" Prime is best known as the keyboard player for Deacon Blue. He also lectures at the University of the West of Scotland. Known as a Hammond/piano player, his talents have been sought after by John Martyn, Johnny Hallyday, Phil Cunningham, Eddi Reader and Little Richard...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on "The Way to Work" - Lorraine McIntoshLorraine McIntoshLorraine McIntosh is the female vocalist, with the Scottish pop band, Deacon Blue, and is married to lead singer Ricky Ross. They have three children...
- backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on "Nothing Cures That"