The Sweetest Taboo

"The Sweetest Taboo"
Single by Sade
from the album Promise
B-side	"You're Not the Man"
Released	12 October 1985 (UK) 23 November 1985 (U.S.)
Format	7" single, 12" single
Genre	Soul, jazz, R&B
Length	4:36
Label	Epic, Portrait
Writer(s)	Sade Adu, Martin Ditcham
Producer	Robin Millar
Sade singles chronology
"Smooth Operator" (1984) "The Sweetest Taboo" (1985) "Never as Good as the First Time" (1986)

"The Sweetest Taboo" is the lead single from the English group Sade's second studio album, Promise (1985). While the song peaked at number thirty-one on the UK Singles Chart, it fared considerably better in the U.S., where it reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1986, remaining in the top forty for thirteen weeks. It also became the band's second consecutive number-one hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, following "Smooth Operator".

"The Sweetest Taboo" is mentioned in the lyrics of Prince's 2005 charity single "S.S.T.", as well as in Mos Def's 1999 song "Ms. Fat Booty".

The French duo Les Nubians recorded a song called "Tabou" on their 1998 album Princesses Nubiennes, credited as a French adaptation of "The Sweetest Taboo", although the lyrics are significantly different.

This song, along with "Smooth Operator", was included on VH1's programme 80 Hours of the 80's in 2008.

Track listings and formats

UK 7" single

• Side A:

1. "The Sweetest Taboo" – 4:25

• Side B:

1. "You're Not the Man" – 5:20

UK 12" single

• Side A:

1. "The Sweetest Taboo" (Extended Version) – 5:30

• Side B:

1. "You're Not the Man" – 5:20

U.S., Dutch, and New Zealand 7" single

• Side A:

1. "The Sweetest Taboo" – 4:24

• Side B:

1. "You're Not the Man" – 5:09

Dutch 12" single

• Side A:

1. "The Sweetest Taboo" (Extended Version) – 5:27

• Side B:

1. "You're Not the Man" – 5:09

U.S. 12" promo single

• Side A:

1. "The Sweetest Taboo" (Long Version) – 5:27

• Side B:

1. "The Sweetest Taboo" (Short Version) – 4:24

Charts

References