Viva el Amor
| ¡Viva el Amor! | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Viva el amor.jpg | ||||
| Studio album by The Pretenders | ||||
| Released | May 16, 1999 (UK) June 22, 1999 (US) |
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| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 45:05 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. WEA Records |
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| Producer | Stephen Hague, Stephen Street | |||
| The Pretenders chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
| BBC | (average)[2] |
| Los Angeles Times | [3] |
| Melody Maker | [4] |
| People | (favorable)[5] |
| Robert Christgau | A−[6] |
| Rolling Stone | [7] |
¡Viva El Amor! (Spanish for Long Live Love) is the seventh studio album by the rock band The Pretenders, released in 1999. The band's lineup for the album is the same as that credited on 1994's Last of the Independents: Chrissie Hynde (vocals, guitar) Martin Chambers (drums), Andy Hobson (bass) and Adam Seymour (guitar). This time, however, the credited line-up actually plays on most of the album, although Hobson is replaced on bass by session musicians on a few cuts.
Viva, featuring a cover photograph of Hynde taken by friend Linda McCartney, saw moderate success in the United States and the United Kingdom. Its two lead singles were "Popstar" and "Human", the latter a Divinyls cover. The "Class Mix" of "Human" was used as the theme music to the short-lived American TV series Cupid as well as featuring in the soundtrack to Brenda Blethyn movie "Saving Grace." The album charted in the UK, US and Sweden.
Track listing
- "Popstar" (Chrissie Hynde, Adam Seymour) – 3:34
- "Human" (Shelly Peiken, Mark McEntee) – 3:55
- "From the Heart Down" (Hynde, Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly) – 3:31
- "Nails in the Road" (Hynde, Steinberg, Kelly) – 3:25
- "Who's Who" (Hynde) – 4:11
- "Dragway 42" (Hynde) – 5:19
- "Baby's Breath" (Hynde, Steinberg, Kelly) – 3:15
- "One More Time" (Hynde) – 3:15
- "Legalise Me" (Hynde) – 3:51
- "Samurai" (Hynde) – 4:43
- "Rabo de Nube" (Silvio Rodríguez) – 1:26
- "Biker" (Hynde) – 4:40
Personnel
- Chrissie Hynde – rhythm guitar, vocals, harmonica
- Adam Seymour – lead guitar, bass
- Andy Hobson – bass
- Martin Chambers – drums
Additional personnel
David Johansen vocals on " Popstar".
- Andy Duncan – percussion, programming
- Stephen Hague – keyboards
- Chuck Norman – percussion
- Jules Shear – backing vocals
Jeff Beck appears courtesy of Epic Records
String arrangements: John Metcalfe
The Duke Quartet are:
- John Metcalfe - viola
- Louisa Fuller - violin
- Richard Koster - violin
- Ivan McCready - cello
Production
Recorded and mixed at:
- The Townhouse Studio - London
- Sarm West Studio - London, RAK Studio - London
- Bearsville Sound Studio - Bearsville NY
- Innovation Studios - London
Mastered by Ian Cooper at Metropolis Studio - London
Engineered by Julie Gardner, Richard Norris, David Boucher, Doug Wynne
Produced by:
- Stephen Hague (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11)
- Stephen Street (Tracks 3, 6, 7, 10, 12)
Track 2 remix and additional production by Tin Tin Out for Empire Management, executive producer Rob Dickins
Mixed by:
- Bob Clearmountain (Tracks 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- Stephen Hague and Richard Norris (Tracks 1 and 5)
Cover photo: Linda McCartney. Inner sleeve photos: Mary McCartney. Artwork: Michael Nash Associates.
