It's My Life (Talk Talk song): Difference between revisions

| released = {{start date|1984|1|63|df=y}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=10|date=7 January 1984}}</ref>

"'''It's My Life'''" is a song by the English [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Talk Talk]]. Written by [[Mark Hollis]] and [[Tim Friese-Greene]], it was the title track on the band's second album, ''[[It's My Life (album)|It's My Life]]'' (1984), and released as its first single in January 1984. It reached number 46 on the [[UK Singles Chart]], but did better in several other countries, reaching number 33 in [[GfK Entertainment charts|Germany]], number 32 in [[Official New Zealand Music Chart|New Zealand]], number 25 in [[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|France]] and number 9 in [[Italy]]. InIt Northwas America,their it[[one-hit enteredwonder|only thehit]] Top 40 in bothon the [[Billboard Hot 100|United''Billboard'' StatesHot 100]], peaking (at number 31); and it peaked at number 30 in [[RPM (magazine)|Canada]]. (atThe numbersong 30). Italso peaked at number 1 on the US ''[[DanceBillboard Club Songs(magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Dance Club Songs chart]] chart.

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Talk Talk|title=It's My Life|award=GoldPlatinum|relyear=2004|certyear=20222024|id=3425-1381-1|access-date=2726 MayJuly 20222024}}

The American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[No Doubt]] recorded a [[cover version]] of the song to promote their first [[greatest hits album]] ''[[The Singles 1992–2003]]'' (2003). Because the band was on hiatus while lead singer [[Gwen Stefani]] recorded her solo debut album, ''[[Love. Angel. Music. Baby.]]'' (2004), they decided to record a cover to avoid having to write a new song.<ref name="MTV">{{cite web|url= http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1478221/no-doubt-tell-fans-its-my-life.jhtml |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120619230705/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1478221/no-doubt-tell-fans-its-my-life.jhtml |url-status= dead |archive-date= 19 June 2012 |title= No Doubt To Tell Fans 'It's My Life' |author= Jennifer Vineyard and SuChin Pak |work= [[MTV News]] |publisher= MTV.com |date= 15 September 2003 |access-date= 23 July 2013}}</ref> Eventually, after considering hundreds of songs, they narrowed it down to two contenders – "It's My Life" by Talk Talk and "[[Don't Change]]" by Australian [[Rock music|rock]] band [[INXS]]. "[[A Question of Lust]]" by English [[Electronic music|electronic]] band [[Depeche Mode]] was another close contender.<ref name="92-03">Paris Montoya and Tom Lanham "It's My Life". ''[[The Singles 1992-2003]]''. [[Interscope Records]]. 25 November 2003.</ref> No Doubt later had second thoughts about recording a cover and contemplated writing new material.<ref name="MTV"/> However, they became more comfortable after rehearsing the song with producer [[Nellee Hooper]],<ref name="92-03"/> referring to it as a "feel-good" song.<ref name="MTV"/> No Doubt's version of "It's My Life" was nominated for [[Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal]] at the [[47th Grammy Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4262875.stm |title= Grammy Awards 2005: Key winners |work= BBC News |publisher= News.bbc.co.uk |date= 14 February 2005 |access-date= 23 July 2013}}</ref> [[Jacques Lu Cont]], the song's [[Programming (music)|programmer]], created the Thin White Duke mix of "It's My Life", which won the award for [[Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/grammys/2005/index.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050219234521/http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/grammys/2005/index.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 19 February 2005 |title= ASCAP Members Winning Multiple Awards include Beyoncé, OutKast, Justin |work= ASCAP |publisher= Ascap.com |access-date= 23 July 2013}}</ref>

On the [[UK Singles chart]], "It's My Life" debuted at number 20. but was unable toIt reachreached a higher position untilwhen it was released as a [[A-side and B-side|double A-side]] single with a remix of the No Doubt song "[[Bathwater (song)|Bathwater]]" which boostedcharted the single up toat number 17. The single dropped off the chart after seven weeks. It was more of a success across Europe, reaching the top-ten in Italy, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, and the top 20 in Austria, Belgium, France and Switzerland.<ref name="acharts"/> The single reached number seven on the [[ARIA Charts]] in Australia, lasting 17 weeks on the chart,<ref name="acharts"/> and was listed at number 81 on the 2004 year-end chart.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-singles-2004.htm |title= ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2004 |work= ARIA Charts |publisher= Aria.com.au |access-date= 23 July 2013}}</ref> The [[Australian Recording Industry Association]] certified the single Platinum in 2004 for shipping 70,000 copies.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-singles-2004.htm |title= ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2004 Singles |work= ARIA Charts |publisher= Aria.com.au |access-date= 23 July 2013}}</ref>

The 1930s-style [[music video]] for the song was directed by [[David LaChapelle]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1479979/no-doubts-murderous-new-video.jhtml |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110625003714/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1479979/no-doubts-murderous-new-video.jhtml |url-status= dead |archive-date= 25 June 2011 |title= Gwen Stefani Bumps Off Bandmates In 'It's My Life' |author= Jennifer Vineyard, Corey Moss |work= [[MTV]]

|publisher= Viacom International Inc. |date= 27 October 2003 |access-date= 23 July 2013}}</ref> In the video, Stefani portrays a [[Black widow (murder)|black widow]] whose look closely resembles that of actress [[Jean Harlow]], whom Stefani portrayed in the [[Martin Scorsese]] film ''[[The Aviator (2004 film)|The Aviator]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1485069/stefani-feeling-hella-good-about-film-role.jhtml |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110623061050/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1485069/stefani-feeling-hella-good-about-film-role.jhtml |url-status= dead |archive-date= 23 June 2011 |title= Gwen Stefani Feeling Hella Good About Role in Scorsese Flick |author= Jennifer Vineyard |work= [[MTV]] |publisher= Viacom International Inc. |date= 27 October 2003 |access-date= 23 July 2013}}</ref> She is put on trial and sentenced to death for the murders of three men she knew, who are portrayed by the other members of the band. She kills the first man (guitarist [[Tom Dumont]]) with rat poison mixed into his dinner, the second (bassist [[Tony Kanal]]) by running him over with his car, and the third (drummer [[Adrian Young]]) by throwing her hair dryer into the bathtub to electrocute him. These scenes are intercut with moments of Stefani in court and being dragged to the [[gas chamber]], wearing a [[prison uniform]], where she is executed. The video ends with the three murder victims together, presumably in the afterlife, laughing at her televised execution.

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=No Doubt|title=It'sIt’s My Life|award=Platinum|relyear=2003|certyear=2021|access-date=15 March 2021}}