The desert is the new black. Whether it’s Rihanna’s “Hard” or Sade’s “Soldier of Love,” the desert is the go-to place for any self-respecting artist who ties in a combat theme to his or her video. (Okay, it’s not that new: Sting’s “Desert Rose” takes place in a desert as do a number of other videos).

More remarkable than the gorgeous photography here which creates a completely ethereal, otherworldly setting, is the fact that Sade has not aged one day.  It would seem impossible, but she must have been cryogenically frozen while she’s been away for almost 10 years.

But we digress, the clip for “Soldier of Love,” is really two videos in one. There’s the Sade who joins her fellow soldiers in the desert with her hair typically pulled back in a tight pony tail showing about as much emotion as a cardboard box. Then there’s the Sade who rides in on a white horse, literally, like something out of a Harlequin romance, in a shiny, glittery chaps, hair down and flowing, swinging -- we kid you not -- a lariat. The song does mention the wild, wild west, after all.

Like the song, the video is spare (although it looks like it costs high six figures), but no shot is wasted. We like it when the dancers do calisthenics, all to the perfect beat; especially when they do push up. Drop and give us 20, boys!

"Soldier of Love" was one of our top 20 favorite singles from 2009. Check out the others.

Sade's new album, "Soldier of Love," is due Feb. 9.