If that matches, I will proceed. If you meant something else (e.g., metadata/tagging, creating an audio file, a review, or a tracklist entry for a music library), tell me which.
The 1987 hit "Wonderful Life" by the British musician (the stage name for Colin Vearncombe) is a cornerstone of late-80s Sophisti-pop and New Wave. While your query includes technical audio specifications like "320kbps CBR MP," those typically refer to high-quality digital audio files used for personal listening. Key Facts About the Song & Album Artist: Black (Colin Vearncombe).
Release Year: Originally released in 1986, it became a global hit upon its re-release in August 1987 via A&M Records.
Genre: Commonly categorized as Pop Rock, New Wave, and Sophisti-pop.
Meaning: Vearncombe wrote the track during a period of extreme personal hardship (homelessness, divorce, and car crashes). The "wonderful life" refrain was intended to be deeply sarcastic and ironic, though many listeners took it as a sincere, uplifting anthem.
Musical Style: Known for its lush synthesizers, distinctive saxophone solo, and Vearncombe’s rich baritone vocals. Where to Listen & Buy
If you are looking for high-quality versions of the track, it is available across major digital and physical platforms: Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Black - Wonderful Life (Vinyl)
Media: exzellent (EX) / Cover: exzellent (EX); 1987 A&M Records 395 165-1 Germany Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Black Wonderful Life - EX 1987 UK Vinyl LP AMA5165
The 1987 album Wonderful Life by (the artistic moniker for English singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe) is a landmark release of the late 1980s. While often categorized under the broad "Rock" or "Pop Rock" labels, the record is actually a sophisticated blend of Synth-Pop, New Wave, and Jazz-tinged Pop. Technical and Release Overview Release Date: September 18, 1987, via A&M Records.
Format Specs: Audio files encoded at 320kbps CBR (Constant Bit Rate) represent the highest standard quality for the MP3 format, ensuring a full frequency response suitable for the album's rich, atmospheric production.
Album Length: Approximately 44 minutes and 40 seconds (original 10-track version). Musical Profile Genre: A mix of Pop Rock, New Wave, and Synth-pop. black wonderful life 1987 rock 320kbps cbr mp
Vocal Style: Vearncombe’s distinctive baritone has been compared by critics at AllMusic and Pop Rescue to a blend of Bryan Ferry and Morrissey.
Atmosphere: Known for its "nocturnal" and "contemplative" mood, the album balances melancholic ballads with upbeat, electric guitar-driven tracks like "Everything's Coming Up Roses". Key Tracks and Commercial Performance
The "Wonderful Life" album and its titular single, released in 1987 by the English singer-songwriter
(the stage name of Colin Vearncombe), is a seminal work of 80s pop-rock and new wave. The Artist: Black (Colin Vearncombe)
Background: Colin Vearncombe (1962–2016) emerged from the Liverpool punk rock scene before achieving mainstream success.
Musical Style: Often compared to Bryan Ferry or Morrissey, his music blended sophisticated jazz-pop with dramatic, "smoky-voiced" baritone delivery.
The Irony of "Wonderful Life": Vearncombe wrote the song during a period of extreme personal hardship—homelessness, a failed marriage, and multiple car crashes—stating that the lyrics were intended to be deeply sarcastic. The Album: Wonderful Life (1987)
The 1987 debut album Wonderful Life by Black (the stage name for Liverpool singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe) is a defining artifact of late-80s sophisticated pop-rock. Despite its breezy, atmospheric production, the album—and its iconic title track—was born from a period of profound personal despair, lending it a "bittersweet" quality that has allowed it to endure for decades. The Making of an "Ironic" Classic
The title track, "Wonderful Life," was written in 1985 while Vearncombe was experiencing a "downward spiral". Having just been dropped by his label, undergoing a divorce, and facing homelessness, he wrote the lyrics as a sarcastic reflection on his circumstances.
The Contrast: Critics from AllMusic and The Daily Telegraph have noted the stark juxtaposition between the melancholy "croon" of Vearncombe’s baritone and the seemingly uplifting refrain of "no need to run and hide, it's a wonderful life". If that matches, I will proceed
The Sound: Produced by Dave Dix, the album blends lush synthesizers, soulful saxophone solos, and the then-trendy fretless bass into a sound often compared to a "male version of Sade" or a midpoint between Bryan Ferry and Morrissey. Album Highlights & Musical Style
While the title track and the moody "Sweetest Smile" (another UK Top 10 hit) are the album’s emotional anchors, the record explores several sonic directions: Black - A Wonderful life (1987) • TopPop
The text refers to the debut studio album Wonderful Life by the British artist (the stage name of singer-songwriter Colin Vearncombe
), released on September 18, 1987. While your text notes "rock," the album's sound is more specifically categorized as The mention of " 320kbps CBR MP3
" specifies a high-quality digital audio format with a Constant Bit Rate, often used in digital archiving. Album Overview Black (Colin Vearncombe) Release Date: September 1987 Chart Performance: Peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart Notable Hits:
The title track "Wonderful Life" and the single "Sweetest Smile". Standard CD Tracklist Wonderful Life Everything's Coming Up Roses Sometimes For The Asking I'm Not Afraid I Just Grew Tired Just Making Memories Sweetest Smile Ravel In The Rain (Bonus) Leave Yourself Alone (Bonus) Sixteens (Bonus) It's Not You Lady Jane (Bonus) Hardly Star-Crossed Lovers (Bonus) Detailed credits and format history can be found on the Discogs release page Rate Your Music summarized review of the album's musical style or more information on a specific song
Black – Wonderful Life – CD (Album), 1987 [r2452935] | Discogs
Wonderful Life: Everything's Coming Up Roses. Wonderful Life: Sometimes For The Asking. Wonderful Life: Finder 5 | Wonderful Life:
BLACK "Wonderful Life" (1987) Life isn't always ... - Facebook
In 1987, the musical landscape was dominated by high-energy synth-pop and stadium rock, but English singer-songwriter Black (the stage name of Colin Vearncombe) carved out a unique space with the release of his debut studio album, Wonderful Life. This record is often remembered for its hauntingly melodic title track, which became a global anthem of melancholic hope. The Story Behind the Song Part 3: The Holy Trinity – 320kbps, CBR,
Despite its seemingly uplifting title, "Wonderful Life" was born from a period of personal and professional turmoil for Vearncombe. In 1985, he had been dropped by his record company, survived two car crashes, was homeless, and his first marriage was ending. He wrote the song with heavy sarcasm, intending for the "wonderful life" refrain to be a bitter irony.
The song was first released independently in 1986 on Ugly Man Records, where it peaked at No. 72 in the UK. However, after the success of his follow-up single "Sweetest Smile," A&M Records signed him and re-released "Wonderful Life" in August 1987. This second release propelled the song into the Top 10 across several European countries, including reaching No. 8 in the UK and No. 1 in Austria. Genre and Musical Style
Musically, the 1987 album Wonderful Life is categorized as pop rock, new wave, and synth-pop. Reviewers often describe Black’s sound as "sophisticated jazz-pop" or "atmospheric," with Vearncombe’s rich baritone drawing comparisons to Bryan Ferry or a male version of Sade.
Now we enter the technical heart of the search. Why insist on 320kbps CBR MP3 in an age of lossless FLAC and streaming?
Misremembered title
320kbps CBR MP3
Bootleg or compilation confusion
320kbps CBR MP3 — that’s a high-quality lossy encoding, good for archival listening.So I’ll assume you meant:
Black – "Wonderful Life" (1987 version, 320kbps CBR MP3 review)
Identifying the exact song or album you're referring to requires more specific details. If you can provide the artist's name or more context about the genre, it might help narrow down the search. Additionally, always consider legal and ethical implications when searching for and downloading music files.
| Parameter | Value | |-----------|-------| | Bitrate | 320 kbps | | Encoding | CBR | | Container | MP3 | | Source era | Likely CD rip or high-quality digital transfer |
Note: 320kbps CBR MP3 is considered transparent for most listeners, near the maximum for MP3 (highest standard CBR is 320 kbps).