Kiss of Life (Sade song)
"Kiss of Life" is a song by English band Sade from their fourth studio album, "Love Deluxe" (1992). It was written by Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale and Paul S. Denman, and produced by the band and Mike Pela. The song was released as the album's third single on 26 April 1993. It reached number 44 on the UK Singles Chart and number 78 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100, while becoming Sade's seventh top-10 single on "Billboard"s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 10. It also received significant  airplay on smooth jazz radio stations. Composition. "Kiss of Life" was originally published in the key of A Major in common time with a tempo of 97 beats per minute. Adu's vocals span from G# to C#. Critical reception. Justin Chadwick from Albumism called the song "wonderful", stating that it is one of "their most evocative and enduring love songs to date". Randy Clark from "Cashbox" described it as a "compelling love song in the same, easily identifiable soul-groove niche she carved out for herself" in 1985 with "Smooth Operator". The Daily Vault's Mark Millan said that  it "however, leaves nothing to chance as it is the kind of simple but heartfelt love song that Sade is so good at producing." Dave Sholin from the "Gavin Report" noted that it "sounds like a natural follow-up" to "No Ordinary Love". Alan Jones from "Music Week" deemed it "one of her most expressive pieces, with fluted notes and the odd wail all melding nicely in a warm, summery setting." He added, "If she were a new artist, she'd attract immediate and overwhelming attention." James Hamilton from the magazine's "RM" Dance Update described it as "Suzanne Vega -ish". Leesa Daniels from "Smash Hits" gave it three out of five, writing, "You know exactly what you're going to get; the slow beat, saxophone solo, bongo drums and her husky vocals. Even so, this is perfect background music for watching the sun go down with the person you really want to snog!" Frank Guan of Vulture commented, "Her love songs typically split between the ones where love is flawless and the ones where love is threatened, and this falls clearly in the former category. A rich funk bassline laced with jazz piano provides the perfect backdrop for this  ode to the best of feelings." Music video. The music video for "Kiss of Life" was directed by Albert Watson. It was filmed in and around Miami, Florida. Included in the video are shots of the Washington Park Hotel in South Beach.