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 (1984). It was released (in both the U.S. and the UK) as a 7" single with "Spirit" as its B-side and as a 12" maxi single with "Smooth Operator" and "Red Eye" on side A and "Spirit" on side B. In the U.S. it was the follow-up to "Hang on to Your Love". 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 had co-written the song in 1982 while still members of Pride, but 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. The song is about a fashionable man who lives a jet-set lifestyle. He is very popular with the ladies, and breaks a lot of hearts in his travels. With the lyrics, "Across the north and south, to Key Largo, love for sale", it is implied that the women he uses also supply his wealth. It is also clear that he does not return the affections of these women, as Adu sings near the end, "His heart is cold."

[Intro] He's laughing with another girl And playing with another heart Placing high stakes, making hearts ache He's loved in seven languages Diamond nights and ruby lights High in the sky Heaven help him when he falls [Verse 1] Diamond life lover boy He moves in space with minimum waste and maximum joy City lights and business nights When you require streetcar desire for higher heights [Pre-Chorus] No place for beginners or sensitive hearts The sentiment is left to chance No place to be ending but somewhere to start [Chorus] No need to ask He's a smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator [Post-Chorus] Coast-to-coast, L.A. to Chicago: Western male Across the North and South, to Key Largo: love for sale [Verse 2] Face-to-face, each classic case We shadow box and double-cross Yet need the chase [Pre-Chorus] A license to love, insurance to hold Melts all your memories and change into gold His eyes are like angels'; his heart is cold [Chorus] No need to ask He's a smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator [Post-Chorus] Coast-to-coast, L.A. to Chicago: Western male Across the North and South, to Key Largo: love for sale [Outro] Smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator Smooth operator