Is There More to Life Than Dancing?
| Is There More to Life Than Dancing? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1979[1] | |||
| Studio | Larrabee Sound, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Disco[2] | |||
| Length | 35:16 | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Noël chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Is There More to Life Than Dancing? | ||||
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Is There More to Life Than Dancing? is the first album by the American singer Noël. The album was released in 1979[1] by Virgin Records.
Background and release
[edit]In 1979, Ron and Russell Mael as Sparks released their eighth album No. 1 in Heaven. Later, their label Virgin released an album attributed to a singer known monomonously as Noël, written and produced by the Mael brothers. Their first album as producers, Is There More to Life Than Dancing? shared stylistic similarities with the disco elements of No. 1 in Heaven.[4]
While promoting the single "Dancing Is Dangerous" in an interview for Cash Box, Noël revealed that the Maels discovered her while she was playing keyboards in a band in Los Angeles.[a] The song charted on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart on no. 91.[6]
Re-release and music video
[edit]In 2024 on Record Store Day, Sparks released both No. 1 in Heaven and Is There More to Life Than Dancing? as a double LP package.[7] On May 17 of the same year, both were also released on CD containing various bonus tracks, where the latter's liner notes were written by Noël.[8]
Long considered to be lost was a music video for "Dancing Is Dangerous". According to an interview conducted by Ambar Navarro, who would later direct music videos for Sparks such "Drowned in a Sea of Tears",[9] after the documentary The Sparks Brothers created a renewed interest in the band (and by extension Noël), the Mael brothers sought to re-release both the album and the video, but the director, Micky Dolenz, did not possess the master tape. In actuality, Noël owned the tape.[5] Coinciding with the album's release on streaming services, Sparks released the video, which was the first time it was shown to the public.[1]
Notably, although the album did not chart upon its original release, the re-release charted on the UK Independent and Scottish albums charts at no. 32 and 74, respectively.[10]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Classic Pop |    [11] |
A contemporary review of the album in the Canadian magazine RPM said "the tracks might seem tedious at first and take some time to develop, but what lies within is curiously captivating and warrants a good objective listen."[2]
Upon the album's re-release in 2024, Ian Wade of Classic Pop magazine called the album "A genuine curio – and one that you dance to", singling out "The Night They Invented Love" and "Au Revoir" as songs that could fit onto Sparks' No. 1 in Heaven.[11]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Ron and Russell Mael.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dancing Is Dangerous" | 9:45 |
| 2. | "Is There More to Life Than Dancing?" | 8:09 |
| 3. | "The Night They Invented Love" | 9:16 |
| 4. | "Au Revoir" | 3:10 |
| 5. | "I Want a Man" | 4:56 |
| Total length: | 35:16 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Just Want to Be Seen with You" | 4:53 |
| 2. | "My Night" | 3:56 |
| 3. | "I Never Want to Be a Mother" | 4:39 |
| 4. | "Dancing Is Dangerous" (part one) | 3:42 |
| 5. | "Dancing Is Dangerous" (part two) | 3:22 |
| 6. | "The Night They Invented Love" (single version) | 3:45 |
| 7. | "I Want a Man" (single version) | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Dancing Is Dangerous" (instrumental) | 3:49 |
| 9. | "I Just Want to Be Seen with You" (vocal guide version) | 4:21 |
| 10. | "I Never Want to Be a Mother / Au Revoir" (vocal guide version) | 8:07 |
| 11. | "Dancing Is Dangerous / Is There More to Life Than Dancing?" (vocal guide version) | 14:35 |
| Total length: | 1:33:58 | |
Personnel
[edit]Credits are adapted from the CD liner notes.[12]
- Noël – vocals
- Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters – backing vocals
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Michael Brecker – saxophone
- Ron Mael – synthesizers
Technical and design
- Ron Mael, Russell Mael – production
- Bob Stone – engineering
- Gary Chang – synthesizer programming
- Jack Lorenz – photography
- Malcolm Garrett – commercial art
Charts
[edit]Album
[edit]| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[10] | 74 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[10] | 32 |
Singles
[edit]| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[6] | 91 |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Although an initial interview from Cash Box yielded that she was discovered while playing in a new wave group at Madame Wong's,[3] Noël has since maintained that it was for a punk band called Mick Smiley at the Troubadour.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Deville, Chris (June 14, 2024). "Sparks Unearth Lost Music Video For Their Mysterious Protégé Noël's 1979 Jam 'Dancing Is Dangerous'". Stereogum. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ a b Grealis, Walt, ed. (September 8, 1979). "Disco Albums" (PDF). RPM. Toronto, Ontario. p. 32. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ a b Sanello, Frank (November 17, 1979). "Disco Breaks" (PDF). Cash Box. New York City, NY. p. 13. ISSN 0008-7289. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ Mitchell, Matt (May 12, 2024). "Loud As a Crowd, Soft As a Doubt: Sparks on No. 1 in Heaven". Paste. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ^ a b Navarro, Ambar (June 19, 2024). "Noël's Long Lost 'Dancing is Dangerous' Music Video + A Couple Q's w/ Noël + Sparks". Synth History. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ a b "Noel Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ Willman, Chris (February 19, 2024). "Record Store Day's 2024 List, Genre by Genre: Vinyl Exclusives From Noah Kahan, the Weeknd, Paramore, Talking Heads, the Beatles, Bowie and More". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ^ Rowland-Dixon, Taye (February 20, 2024). "SPARKS – No.1 In Heaven & Noël – Is There More To Life Than Dancing? – 45th Anniversary Release!". Verge. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ^ Redfern, Mark (April 2, 2025). "Sparks Share Video for New Song 'Drowned in a Sea of Tears' and Announce New Tour Dates". Under the Radar. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Noel | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ a b Wade, Ian (June 2024). "Sparks/Noël: No. 1 in Heaven / Is There More to Life Than Dancing?". Classic Pop. No. 87. p. 97.
- ^ Noël (2024). Is There More to Life Than Dancing? (CD liner notes). Lil' Beethoven Records.
External links
[edit]- Is There More to Life Than Dancing? at Discogs (list of releases)