Grace Jones - Muse (1979)

“Muse” is the third studio album by Grace Jones, released in September 4, 1979 by Island Records.
“Muse” was the last album of Jones's disco trilogy recorded with producer Tom Moulton, which began in 1977 with debut “Portfolio”. As in the case of two previous records, the first side of the album is a continuous medley of four songs, joined by a narrative about someone who has sinned. The second side, however, consists of disco songs with no lyrical relation to one another.
The album features a re-recorded version "I'll Find My Way to You", which Jones released three years prior to “Muse”. It was originally featured in a 1976 Italian movie Quelli della calibro 38 (international title: Colt 38 Special Squad) in which she played a club singer. The original version along with a song called "Again and Again" were included on a single produced by composer Stelvio Cipriani. Icelandic keyboardist Thor Baldursson who arranged most of the album and also sang duet with Grace on the track "Suffer" had previously worked in Munich, Germany with disco stars such as Silver Convention, Boney M., Donna Summer, Amanda Lear, and Giorgio Moroder.
“Muse” was released in the year of the "anti-disco backlash" and both the album and its double A-side single, "On Your Knees"/"Don't Mess with the Messer", and "Saved" were largely overlooked by the record buying public at the time and is generally believed to be Grace Jones' "lost album". “Muse” remains her lowest-charting studio album in the USA and the only studio album not to produce any charting single.
All album art, including the cover image, is by Richard Bernstein.

Track listing

Side A
1. "Sinning"  (Grace Jones, Pierre Papadiamandis)   - 5:06
2. "Suffer"  (Tom Moulton, Thor Baldursson)   - 4:17
3. "Repentance (Forgive Me)"  (Grace Jones, Pierre Papadiamandis)   - 3:50
4. "Saved"  (Jack Robinson, James Bolden, Vivienne Savoie Robinson)   - 7:13

Side B
1. "Atlantic City Gambler"  (Tom Moulton, Duke Williams)   - 5:46
2. "I'll Find My Way to You"  (Stelvio Cipriani, Hal Shaper)   - 5:14
3. "Don't Mess with the Messer"  (Grace Jones, Pierre Papadiamandis)   - 4:50
4. "On Your Knees"  (D.C. LaRue, Jerry Corbetta)   - 6:20

Credits
Grace Jones - lead vocals
Sweethearts of Sigma - background vocals
Ron Tyson - background vocals
Thor Baldursson - guest vocals, keyboards, arrangements
Carla Benson - background vocals
Evette Benton - background vocals
Carl Helm - background vocals
Phil Hurt - background vocals
Barbara Ingram - background vocals
Don Renaldo - strings, horns
Keith Benson - drums
Craig Snyder - guitar
Jim Walker - percussion
Larry Washington - percussion
Jimmy Williams - bass guitar
Francis Jug - artwork design
Arthur Stoppe - mixing
José Rodriguez - mastering
Richard Bernstein - artwork design
Eve Boman - photography
Carl Davis - arrangements
Neil Terk - art direction
Producer - Tom Moulton

Notes
Tracks from side A are a non-stop medley, with the total playing time 20:26.
Genre:  Disco
Length:  42:36
Label:  Island Records

© 1979