Portfolio

Portfolio is the debut album by Grace Jones. It was released in 1977 and the first of three albums made with the legendary disco record producer Tom Moulton. It also includes three singles previously issued on label Orfeus in France and Beam Junction in the U.S. in 1975 and 1976, "I Need A Man", "Sorry" and "That's the Trouble". Side one of the original vinyl album is a continuous disco medley covering three songs from Broadway musicals, "Send In The Clowns" by Stephen Sondheim from 1973's A Little Night Music, "What I Did For Love" from A Chorus Line and "Tomorrow" from Annie. Side two opens with Jones' very personal re-interpretation of Edith Piaf's "La Vie en rose" which remains one of her best known recordings, it was the only song from her disco trilogy Portfolio/Fame/Muse to be performed in her Grammy nominated A One Man Show in 1981/1982. An edited version of the track was released as a single in both 1977, 1983 and 1985 and the album version was also included on the 1985 career retrospective Island Life. Portfolio reached number #52 on the Black Album Chart in the U.S., while climbing to number #109 on Billboards Album Chart, considerably more successful on the dance chart entering the Top Ten. "I Need a Man" reached the coveted number #1 spot on the U.S. Dance Charts, and the double A-side "That's the Trouble"/"Sorry" reached number #7 on the same chart. "La Vie en rose" went gold in Europe and sold very well, plus climbing to the top of the charts in many European countries such as Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.