A Private Heaven


A Private Heaven, released in 1984, is the sixth album release by Scottish singer Sheena Easton. Released by EMI America, the album featured two US top 10 hit singles: the lead single "Strut" and the controversial "Sugar Walls". "Swear", a third single, reached number 80.
The album is Easton's most successful album in the United States to date, reaching number 15 in the US and selling over one million copies, earning a gold and platinum certification from the RIAA. In Canada, the album also went platinum.

Background

The album marked a conscious effort by Easton to change her image to that of a sexy pop singer after cultivating a "sweet and innocent" image since the launch of her career five years earlier. The sexually-charged "Strut" - co-written by Charlie Dore - became Easton's biggest solo hit in the US since 1981's "For Your Eyes Only". Easton collaborated with Prince on the controversial track "Sugar Walls", written by Prince under the pseudonym Alexander Nevermind. The track and its accompanying video were banned in some regions due to its sexually risque lyrics and was one of several songs cited by Tipper Gore on her Filthy Fifteen list in her efforts to introduce mandatory warning labeling of explicit musical albums. Easton's association with Prince continued for the next few years.
The album also includes cover versions of Tim Scott's new wave track "Swear" and Joan Armatrading's 1976 classic "Love and Affection", Converse to the album's success in America, in the UK it was her first album not to chart, and none of the singles released made the official top 75.
In 2000, One Way Records released a remastered version of A Private Heaven with bonus tracks and b-sides.
On February 23, 2013, Edsel Records reissued Easton's A Private Heaven and Do You in two CDs remastered with bonus tracks.
On November 24, 2014, the album was included in a box set in the UK with all of her first five albums with EMI through Warner Music Group.

Critical reception

Cashbox magazine reviewed the album in October 1984, writing that with "Virtually unlimited talent, Sheena Easton is at her absolute best", describing the album as "dazzling" and featuring "solid, punchy, techno-pop production with dramatic ballads".

Track listing

Side one
  1. "Strut" – 4:05
  2. "Sugar Walls" – 4:01
  3. "Hungry Eyes" – 3:42
  4. "Hard to Say It's Over" – 4:24
  5. "Swear" – 3:43
Side two
  1. "Love and Affection" – 4:06
  2. "Back in the City" – 3:46
  3. "You Make Me Nervous" – 3:53
  4. "All by Myself" – 4:24
  5. "Double Standard" – 3:50
The CD re-issue featured the following bonus tracks:
  1. "Sugar Walls"
  2. "Letters from the Road"
  3. "Straight Talking"
  4. "Fallen Angels"
  5. "Strut"
  6. "Swear"
  7. "Sugar Walls"

    Personnel

The album spent 35 weeks on the US Billboard album charts and reached its peak position of number 15 in early February 1985.

Certifications

CountryCertificationSales
CanadaGold50,000
United StatesGold500,000
United StatesPlatinum1 million