Vivid (Living Colour album)

Vivid
Studio album by Living Colour
Released	May 3, 1988[1]
Recorded	1987–88 at Skyline, Sound On Sound and Right Track Studios in New York
Genre	Heavy metal, funk metal, hard rock, neo-psychedelia
Length	49:13
Label	Epic
Producer	Ed Stasium, Mick Jagger
Living Colour chronology
Vivid (1988) Time's Up (1990)
Singles from Vivid
"Cult of Personality" Released: July 14, 1988 "Middle Man" Released: 1988 "Glamour Boys" Released: 1988 "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" Released: 1988 "Funny Vibe" Released: 1988

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Sputnikmusic	5/5[3]
The Village Voice	B[4]

Vivid is the debut studio album by the American rock band Living Colour, released on May 3, 1988 through Epic Records. It was one of the most popular albums of 1988, reaching No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and certified double platinum by the RIAA.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Vernon Reid, except where noted. 

Original
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Cult of Personality"	Reid, Muzz Skillings, Corey Glover, Will Calhoun	4:54
2.	"I Want to Know"		4:24
3.	"Middle Man"	Glover, Reid	3:47
4.	"Desperate People"	Calhoun, Reid, Glover, Skillings	5:36
5.	"Open Letter (To a Landlord)"	Reid, Tracie Morris	5:32
6.	"Funny Vibe"		4:20
7.	"Memories Can't Wait"	David Byrne, Jerry Harrison	4:30
8.	"Broken Hearts"		4:50
9.	"Glamour Boys"		3:39
10.	"What's Your Favorite Color? (Theme Song)"	Reid, Glover	3:56
11.	"Which Way to America?"		3:41
Total length:			49:13

2002 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
12.	"Funny Vibe" (Funky Vibe Mix)	3:43
13.	"Should I Stay or Should I Go" (Mick Jones)	2:27
14.	"What's Your Favorite Color? (Theme Song)" (Leblanc Remix)	5:39
15.	"Middle Man" (Recorded live at Cabaret Metro, Chicago; November 9, 1990)	3:49
16.	"Cult of Personality" (Recorded live at the Ritz, New York City; 1988)	4:59

Personnel

Living Colour

• Corey Glover – vocals
• Vernon Reid – guitar
• Muzz Skillings – bass
• Will Calhoun – drums

Additional personnel

• Mick Jagger – harmonica (8), backing vocals
• Chuck D – rapping (6)
• Flavor Flav – social commentary (6)
• The Fowler Family – additional backing vocals (2 and 5)
• Dennis Diamond – carnival barker (8)

Production

• Tracks 1-8 & 10 Produced by Ed Stasium. Recorded by Ed Stasium & Paul Hamingson. Mixed by Paul Hamingson.
• Tracks 9 & 11 Produced by Mick Jagger. Recorded by Ron St. Germain. Mixed by Ed Stasium & Paul Hamingson.
• Assistant Recording & Mix Engineers: Danny Mormando, Debi Cornish, Stephen Immerwahr, Mike McMackin, Tom Durack, U.E. Natasi
• Mastered by Greg Calbi
• All Songs Published by Dare To Dream Music, except "Memories Can't Wait" (WB Music Corp./Bleu Disque Music Inc./Index Music).^[5]

Chart performance

Chart	Peak
Australia (ARIA Chart)	52	[6]
New Zealand Chart	2	[7]
U.S. Billboard 200	6	[8]
Norwegian Charts	7	[9]

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	"Cult of Personality"	Billboard Hot 100	13
		Mainstream Rock Tracks	9
	"Middle Man"	Denmark Singles Chart	55
	"Glamour Boys"	Billboard Hot 100	31
		Mainstream Rock Tracks	11
	"Open Letter (To a Landlord)"	Billboard Hot 100	82
		Mainstream Rock Tracks	11
	"Funny Vibe"

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year	Winner	Category
1990	"Cult of Personality"	Best Hard Rock Performance

References

1. "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database". RIAA. Retrieved 2015-03-21.
2. Prato, Greg. "Vivid - Living Colour". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2014-11-30.
3. Davey Boy (2009-01-24). "Review: Living Colour - Vivid". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2014-11-30.
4. The Village Voice review
5. Discogs.com
6. "Chartifacts". The ARIA Report: ARIA Chart. The Australian Record Industry Association Ltd. 23 September 1990.
7. "Living Colour - Vivid". Charts.org.nz. hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
8. "Living Colour - Vivid [albums]". Billboard. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
9. "Living Colour - Vivid". Charts.org.nor. NorwegianCharts.com. Retrieved 2007-12-20.

External links

• Vivid (Adobe Flash) at Radio3Net (streamed copy where licensed)
• "Vivid" at discogs Retrieved 7/09/10