Diamonds (Amanda Lear song)

"Diamonds" is a song by the French singer Amanda Lear, released in 1979 by Ariola Records as the second single from her album Diamonds for Breakfast.

"Diamonds"
Single by Amanda Lear
from the album Diamonds for Breakfast
B-side"It's a Better Life"
Released1979
Recorded1979
GenrePop
Length4:55 (album version)
3:40 (single edit)
LabelAriola Records
Songwriter(s)Amanda Lear
Producer(s)Anthony Monn
Amanda Lear singles chronology
"Fabulous (Lover, Love Me)"
(1979)
"Diamonds"
(1979)
"Japan"
(1980)

Song information

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The song was composed and produced by Anthony Monn, Lear's long-time collaborator in the disco era, and is an uptempo pop track. Lear's lyrics are a praise for diamonds, which she says for her are "just the best" and "better than pearls", adding, "I eat diamonds for my breakfast."

"Diamonds" was released as the second single preceding Lear's fourth album, Diamonds for Breakfast, at the end of 1979. The B-side was "It's a Better Life", a track about a so-called "couch potato" spending her days in front of TV, which was later also included on the album. The single was a moderate chart success across Europe, especially in Scandinavia, where it was a top 10 hit in Norway and remains Lear's only charting single in that country.

In the 2017 book Europe's Stars of '80s Dance Pop, the song is mentioned as one of Lear's "noteworthy tracks" from the 1980s.[1]

Music video

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Place Vendôme, Paris, where the video was filmed

The music video for "Diamonds" was filmed in Paris. It primarily consists of footage of Lear dancing and performing the song in front of the Van Cleef & Arpels boutique in Place Vendôme. The video also includes scenes of the singer in a bath and eating breakfast in bed.

Track listing

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A. "Diamonds" – 3:40
B. "It's a Better Life" – 4:40

Chart performance

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Chart (1980) Peak
position
Germany[3] 30
Norway[4] 7
Sweden[5] 18

Cover versions

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References

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  1. ^ Arena, James (2017). Europe's Stars of '80s Dance Pop. McFarland. p. 225. ISBN 9781476630144. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
  2. ^ "Amanda Lear - Diamonds at Discogs". Discogs. www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
    - "DIAMONDS 1979 Germany". amandalear_singoli.tripod.com. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  3. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  4. ^ "Discography Amanda Lear". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
  5. ^ "Discography Amanda Lear". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
  6. ^ "Pedro Marín* - Diamonds (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-12-25.