Night and Day II is the 15th studio album by Joe Jackson, released in 2000. It is a sequel to his 1982 album, Night and Day. It is also a revisit to the style that album, featuring songs about the New York City lifestyle, seen through different characters.
While the original Night and Day took a satirical look at the downfalls of city life through songs such as "TV Age", "Cancer" and "Real Men", Night and Day II focuses primarily on the dark side of inner city living (the song "Happyland", for instance, is about the 1990 arson fire at Happy Land Social Club in the Bronx that killed 87 people) as seen through the eyes of a cynical New Yorker, as Jackson lived in New York at the time.
The cover artwork is a dark nighttime shot taken from within a New York City cab, with the World Trade Center in the background, taken a year prior to 9/11.
The music is built with contributions from Graham Maby (bass), and Sue Hadjopoulos (percussion). Also featured are the string quartet Ethel, and three guest vocalists: Iranian diva Sussan Deyhim, drag performer Dale De Vere and Marianne Faithfull, who sings vocals on "Love Got Lost".
Track listing All songs written, arranged and produced by Joe Jackson.
Personnel Musicians Joe Jackson – piano, keyboards, synth basses Mary Rowell, Todd Reynolds – violin Ralph Farris – viola Dorothy Lawson – cello Graham Maby – bass guitar on "Glamour and Pain", "Love Got Lost" and "Just Because..." Sue Hadjopoulos – percussion on "Prelude", "Hell of a Town", "Stranger Than You" and "Happyland" Gary Burke – drum kit on "Love Got Lost" Sussan Deyhim, Dale De Vere, Marianne Faithfull, Alexandra Montano – vocals
Production Joe Jackson – arrangements, producer, sequencing Dan Gellert – associate producer, recording engineer Charlie Post, Ross Petersen – assistant recording engineer Ted Jensen – mastering engineer Nitin Vadukul, Alex Vandoros – photography
Charts Chart (2000) Peakposition
References
External links Night and Day II album information at The Joe Jackson Archive