It's My Life (album)

Template:For Template:Redirect-distinguish Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: 13 February 1984 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=The Party's Over1982The Colour of Spring1986studioIt's My LifeIt's My Life (Talk Talk album) coverart.jpgyesTalk Talk13 February 19841983Synth-pop<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>43:13EMI (UK)
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It's My Life is the second studio album by English band Talk Talk, released on 13 February 1984.

Recording

Mike Oldfield's bass player, Phil Spalding made an uncredited appearance on the album, substituting for Paul Webb on "The Last Time". Spalding admits to having played the whole session while disastrously hung-over, and that – foreshadowing the approach Talk Talk would take on subsequent recordings - Tim Friese-Greene and Mark Hollis insisted that he record a whole afternoon and evening of multiple takes, despite the simplicity of the part. Ian Curnow adds "we always had to go all around the houses to get next door, just in case there was anything that turned up on the other side."<ref name=spalding>'Talk Talk - It's My Life' story on Phil Spalding homepage</ref>

Cover

The cover to the album was produced by James Marsh, incorporating elements of The Boyhood of Raleigh by John Everett Millais.

Release

It's My Life was released in February 1984 by record label EMI.

It's My Life was a top 5 hit album in several European countries, thanks to the big international success of its singles (notably "Such a Shame"), and was particularly successful in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany where the album peak-charted at numbers 2, 3 and 4, respectively.<ref name="dutchcharts"/> In the Netherlands, the album stayed in the charts for 64 weeks between 1984 and 1986.<ref name="dutchcharts"/> It also reached number 35 in the UK albums chart.<ref name="uk"/> In the United States, the album just missed the top 40, reaching number 42.<ref name="us"/>

In 2000, it was voted number 872 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.<ref name="Larkin">Template:Cite book</ref>

In 2021, Rhino Entertainment re-released the album on limited edition purple vinyl.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personnel

Talk Talk

• Mark Hollis – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar
• Paul Webb – fretless bass (except on "The Last Time"), backing vocals
• Lee Harris – electronic and acoustic drums

Additional personnel

• Tim Friese-Greene – synthesizers, piano, programming, drum machine
• Ian Curnow – keyboards
• Phil Ramocon – piano
• Robbie McIntosh – guitars
• Morris Pert – percussion
• Henry Lowther – trumpet on "Renée" and "Tomorrow Started"
• Phil Spalding – bass guitar on "The Last Time" (uncredited)

Charts

Weekly charts

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Chart (1984–1986)	Peak position

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Chart (2020)	Peak position

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Chart (2024)	Peak position
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	22

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)	Position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	10
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	18
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	22

Chart (1985)	Position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	74
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	70