# Sleep It Off > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sleep_It_Off > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sleep_It_Off.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_It_Off > Source revision: 1292305003 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) ***Sleep It Off*** is the second album from [no wave](/source/No_wave) pop singer [Cristina](/source/Cristina_(singer)). ## Music *Sleep It Off* was produced by [Don Was](/source/Don_Was). The songs were written by Cristina (all lyrics, except for the covers) collaborating with Was and her backing musicians, [Barry Reynolds](/source/Barry_Reynolds) and Ben Brierley (from [Marianne Faithfull](/source/Marianne_Faithfull)'s band), and Doug Fieger (from [The Knack](/source/The_Knack)). The music is beat-laden, sophisticated synth-pop, setting Was's detailed production against Cristina's expressive but sometimes less-than-perfect, cynical No Wave vocal style. At times the music is reminiscent of [Blondie](/source/Blondie_(band)), or [Madonna](/source/Madonna_(entertainer)), and it does not forget the decadent disco of Cristina's eponymous debut. [(opinion)][1] [Chris Connelly](/source/Chris_Connelly_(journalist)) describes a record that is a "grimly hilarious gavotte through the upscale decadence of the titled apocalypso" with an effect "somewhere between Marianne Faithfull and the [Flying Lizards](/source/Flying_Lizards) [but with] music more enjoyable than either".[2] The three cover songs on the record span a wide range: the [R&B](/source/R%26B) of Van Morrison's "Blue Money", Brecht and Weill's "Ballad of Immoral Earnings" from the [Threepenny Opera](/source/The_Threepenny_Opera), and [John Conlee](/source/John_Conlee)'s country hit "She Can't Say that Anymore". (The bonus tracks on the CD release also include covers of [Prince](/source/Prince_(musician)) and [Was (Not Was)](/source/Was_(Not_Was)).) ## Sleeve The sleeve design is by [Jean-Paul Goude](/source/Jean-Paul_Goude), who later used a similar idea for [Grace Jones](/source/Grace_Jones)'s *[Slave to the Rhythm](/source/Slave_to_the_Rhythm_(album))*. ## Themes and reception Although featuring shorter, more hook-laden songs than her previous album, *Cristina*, *Sleep It Off* is a dark album.[1] Cristina describes it as an album about "coping with sex and money and power plays in the 1980's", - In the sixties people survived on political idealism. In the seventies there was this obsession with 'lifestyle' – women's lib or a new religion, sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll, or a macrobiotic diet. Something was always THE ANSWER. In the eighties people are into [power](/source/Power_(social_and_political)) and money and [narcissism](/source/Narcissism) because they don't know what else to believe in. I don't think the album has a cynical take on this. I guess I just believe that whatever's going on, trying to exist is a pretty trying business. Life knocks you down, all you can do is get back up, brush yourself off, cry a little, laugh a little and keep going.[3] The album has been consistently lauded by critics. On its release in 1984, *Rolling Stone* said that - *Sleep It Off* is not for the MTV crowd, but so what? 'My life is in a turmoil/My thighs are black and blue/My sheets are stained, so is my brain/What's a girl to do?' Buy this record, I'd advise. Class is in session.[2] *[The Face](/source/The_Face_(magazine))* placed *Sleep It Off* in its Top 20 records of 1984.[4] When the album was re-issued on CD in 2004, *Pitchfork* awarded it a grade of 8.5,[1] remarking that Cristina's music gives - a glimpse of how complex and fun popular culture could've been if Harvard girl Cristina's intelligent kitsch had lodged itself in the popular conscious instead of the new-age pabulum of a desperately seeking diva with a goddess complex. *Pitchfork* also particularly praises the bonus tracks on the re-release. [Ladytron](/source/Ladytron) included "What's a Girl To Do" on their *[Softcore Jukebox](/source/Softcore_Jukebox)*. Unfortunately, the record was a commercial flop and Cristina consequently retired.[3] ## Track listing ### Original Release (1984) The original album release of *Sleep It Off* featured ten tracks.[5] *Side A* 1. "Don't Mutilate My Mink" ([Cristina Monet-Palaci](/source/Cristina_(singer)), [Don Was](/source/Don_Was)) 1. "Ticket to the Tropics" (Monet-Palaci, [Doug Fieger](/source/Doug_Fieger)) 1. "[She Can't Say That Anymore](/source/She_Can't_Say_That_Anymore)" ([Sonny Throckmorton](/source/Sonny_Throckmorton)) 1. "Quicksand Lovers" (Monet-Palaci, Don Was, [Bruce Nazarian](/source/Bruce_Nazarian)) 1. "Rage and Fascination" (Monet-Palaci, Ben Brierley, Joe Mavety) *Side B* 1. "[Ballad of Immoral Earnings](/source/The_Threepenny_Opera)" ("*Zuhälter Ballade*", also translated as "Tango Ballad" or "Pimp's Ballad"; [Bertolt Brecht](/source/Bertolt_Brecht), [Kurt Weill](/source/Kurt_Weill)) 1. "What's a Girl To Do" (Monet-Palaci, Don Was, [Barry Reynolds](/source/Barry_Reynolds)) 1. "The Lie of Love" (Monet-Palaci, Reynolds) 1. "[Blue Money](/source/Blue_Money)" ([Van Morrison](/source/Van_Morrison)) 1. "He Dines Out on Death" (Monet-Palaci, Brierley) - All lyrics by Cristina except A3 and B1. - Produced by Don Was. ### CD Release (2004) The CD release of *Sleep It Off* reordered the original ten tracks and added six bonus tracks.[6] 1. "What's a Girl to Do" 1. "Ticket to the Tropics" 1. "The Lie of Love" 1. "Quicksand Lovers" 1. "Rage & Fascination" 1. "Ballad of Immoral Earnings" 1. "She Can't Say that Anymore" 1. "Blue Money" 1. "Don't Mutilate My Mink" 1. "He Dines Out on Death" 1. "[Smile](/source/Born_to_Laugh_at_Tornadoes)" (Don Was, [David Was](/source/David_Was)) (bonus track) 1. "Deb Behind Bars" (Monet-Palaci, Brierley) (bonus) 1. "Things Fall Apart" (Monet-Palaci, Don Was, David Was) (bonus) 1. "[When U Were Mine](/source/When_You_Were_Mine_(Prince_song))" ([Prince](/source/Prince_(musician))) (bonus) 1. "Deb Behind Bars [alternate version]" (Monet-Palaci, Brierley) (bonus) 1. "You Rented a Space" (Monet-Palaci, [Robert Palmer](/source/Robert_Palmer_(singer))) (bonus) - "'Things Fall Apart' is dedicated to the late [Lizzy Mercier Descloux](/source/Lizzy_Mercier_Descloux), ma chère copine in adversity ... In loving memory of her talent, her courage, and her kindness. Cristina" (Dedication in 2004 CD notes; Descloux had died that year.) - Tracks 11–12 and 15 are from the *Sleep It Off* album sessions. - Track 13 was originally released 1981 with [Material's](/source/Material_(band)) (with [Nona Hendryx](/source/Nona_Hendryx)) song "It's a Holiday" on a split 12" taken from the ZE album *[A Christmas Record](/source/A_Christmas_Record)*.[7] - Tracks 14, 16: are from demo sessions with Robert Palmer at the [Compass Point Studios](/source/Compass_Point_Studios). - Production by Don Was, except tracks 14 and 16: produced by Robert Palmer. ### Rubellan Remasters CD Release (2023) The 2023 Rubellan Remasters release of *Sleep It Off* featured the original ten tracks in their original running order plus two bonus tracks.[8] 1. "Don't Mutilate My Mink" 1. "Ticket to the Tropics" 1. "She Can't Say That Anymore" 1. "Quicksand Lovers" 1. "Rage and Fascination" 1. "Ballad of Immoral Earnings" 1. "What's a Girl to Do" 1. "The Lie of Love" 1. "Blue Money" 1. "He Dines Out on Death" 1. "Things Fall Apart" (bonus) 1. "[Disco Clone](/source/Disco_Clone)" (7" Mix) (bonus) - The version of "Things Fall Apart" on this reissue is taken from the 1982 version of [A Christmas Record](/source/A_Christmas_Record#Revised_1982_"Special_Edition"_LP). - The version of "Disco Clone" on this reissue is a 1981 7" remix as opposed to the original 1978 single. - Production by Don Was; Reissue production by Scott Davies. ## Personnel - Cristina – vocals - [Barry Reynolds](/source/Barry_Reynolds) – guitar - Ben Brierley – guitar, harmony vocals - [Bruce Nazarian](/source/Bruce_Nazarian) – guitar, slide guitar - [Don Was](/source/Don_Was) – Oberheim Obsx, Casio organ, guitar, bass guitar, drum machine, percussion - [Howard Wyeth](/source/Howard_Wyeth) – drums - Kevin Tschirhart – percussion - David McMurray – saxophone - Kathy Kosins, Susan Schmidt – harmony vocals with: - ["Sugar-coated" Andy Hernandez](/source/Coati_Mundi_(musician)) – marimba on "Ticket to the Tropics" - [Marcus Belgrave](/source/Marcus_Belgrave) – trumpet on "Ticket to the Tropics" - Christopher Ewen – synthesizer on "Rage and Fascination" - [Doug Fieger](/source/Doug_Fieger) – lead guitar, bass on "Blue Money" - [David Was](/source/David_Was), [James Chance](/source/James_Chance) – saxophone on "Blue Money" **Technical** - [Michael Zilkha](/source/Michael_Zilkha) – executive producer - Don Was, Pete Thea – engineer - Don Was, Michael Frondelli – mixing - [Jean-Paul Goude](/source/Jean-Paul_Goude) – cover, design concept ## References 1. Stosuy, Brandon (13 December 2004). ["Pitchfork review of "Cristina" and "Sleep It Off""](http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11707-doll-in-the-box-sleep-it-off/). Pitchfork. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 1. Connelly, Chris (1984). "Review of Sleep It Off". *Rolling Stone* 1. ["ZE Records artist page for Cristina"](http://www.zerecords.com/2010/artists_biography.php?id=12). ZE Records. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 1. ["The Face Recordings of the Year, 1984: Top 20 Albums"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060216032048/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/theface.htm#1984). *The Face*. Archived from [the original](http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/theface.htm#1984) on February 16, 2006. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 1. ["Discogs listing for Sleep It Off, original album"](http://www.discogs.com/Cristina-Sleep-It-Off/release/112269). *[Discogs](/source/Discogs)*. 1984. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 1. ["Discogs listing for Sleep It Off, CD release"](http://www.discogs.com/Cristina-Sleep-It-Off/release/554612). *[Discogs](/source/Discogs)*. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 1. ["Discogs listing for Things Fall Apart/It's a Holiday"](http://www.discogs.com/Material-With-Nona-Hendryx--Cristina-Its-A-Holiday-Things-Fall-Apart/release/768806). *[Discogs](/source/Discogs)*. 1981. Retrieved 2011-09-26. 1. ["Cristina – Sleep It Off (2023, CD)"](https://www.discogs.com/release/26313302-Cristina-Sleep-It-Off). *[Discogs.com](/source/Discogs)*. 10 March 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sleep It Off](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_It_Off) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_It_Off?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.