Lips Unsealed

A Memoir

By: Belinda Carlisle

Narrated by: Belinda Carlisle

The women of the iconic '80s band the Go-Go’s will always be remembered as they appeared on the back of their debut record: sunny, smiling, each soaking in her own private bubble bath with chocolates and champagne. The photo is a perfect tribute to the fun, irreverent brand of pop music that the Go-Go’s created, but it also conceals the trials and secret demons that the group—and, in particular, Belinda Carlisle—struggled with.

Leaving her unstable childhood home at the age of 18, Belinda battled serious weight issues and grappled with her confusion about being deserted by her biological father. This talented but misguided teen found solace in the punk rock world that so openly welcomed misfits—even though acceptance had its price.

Not long after forming, the Go-Go’s became queens of the L.A. punk scene. With a chart-topping debut album, Belinda found herself launched to international superstardom—and with that fame came more access to A-list parties, and even more alcohol and drugs to fuel Go-Go’s mania. Inevitably, Belinda began to self-destruct.

This spellbinding and shocking look at her rise, fall, and eventual rebirth as a wife, mother, and sober artist will leave you wistfully fantasizing about the '80s decadence she epitomized, but also cringing at the dark despair hidden behind her charming smile. Lips Unsealed is ultimately a love letter to music and the story of a life that, though deeply flawed, was, and is still, fully lived.

©2010 Belinda Carlisle (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

"Generously confessional enough to give a compelling edge to her battle with substance abuse and her quest for spiritual balance...a harrowing cautionary tale.” ( Kirkus Reviews)

“A remarkable early Cinderella story...Carlisle writes candidly…heartfelt and winning.” ( Publishers Weekly)

Loved it!

I read the reviews and wasn't sure if I'd like it but decided to make my own decision. Glad I did. I loved her story!

Informative, Inspiring and fun to listen to

First let me say I have been a Go-Go’s and Belinda Carlisle fan since I was in the 8 th grade. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Belinda’s take on the band and her solo career and life. It allows the reader to get to know Belinda a bit. Through many ups and downs the book shows that Belinda is a fighter and pushes to get through rough moments. Learning much along the way. Something that I too was able to relate to. Life is such a journey and I was inspired to hear about how this woman continues to try to grow and be her best. Thank you Belinda for sharing the things that were hidden in the past and for sharing your inspiring story. I definitely recommend this book especially if you are a fan of Belinda and the Go-Go’s it sheds a lot of light on subtle energies that you could feel in the past while watching the girls play. The band and inspiring women have certainly changed my life and I hold many cherished memories with Go-Go’s, Belinda and Jane Wiedlin’s music close to my heart as the soundtrack of my own life. So hopeful that they all continue to create and give us their talent and voices!

Proud of Belinda for the truth

I feel I came away a more educated person after reading about Belinda’s plight. Her stark truths and personal touch were what effected us most. Revealing one’s soul is not easy, yet she did just that. This autobiography was a rebirthing experience for her.

What gets lost in the shuffle? Awful narcissistic behavior and glossing over the hurt caused by someone who truly and brutally only cared about herself. Hey, she explained what happened and didn’t hold back on anything, for this Belinda must be very highly commended. I mean that. About 1% of all public figures go into such honest and accurate details with their “this is who I am/was” books. She had the balls to do it.

She may have “kinda” lost site of the fact that jet setting toward sobriety (3 week trips to India, Cartier jewelry on 50th bday and “met friends in Belgium”) are not how most have achieved theirs. Her experiences were not relatable to 98% of those struggling with alcohol, drug or depression issues.

Belinda speaks of her husband and child as cast characters in her life. Leaving them for days/weeks/months to imbibe everything her “glamorous” life could and would feed her. Only dealing with them when it was convenient or when she “needed” them. This stuff is tough to swallow. It left me feeling that there were deeper and more troubling transgressions which most likely have/had occurred, but were not revealed.

I give Belinda a “10” for telling her story, and fully admire her guts and pretty straight up honesty. However, I WOULD like to ask her one question: “How did you hope people would react?”

Enjoyed hearing Belinda's story

Belinda reads the audiobook. I enjoy it when the writer reads their autobiography. However, Belinda reads it as if she isn't part of the story. She's just reading the words on the page. There's no emotion. Reading the story of her son's premature birth and his subsequent NICU stay in such a flat manner was a bit shocking. It's a short one and there's nothing super deep or shocking, but fun to hear how she wasn't a singer and some of the other members of the Go-Go's learned their instruments as they joined the band.

Pretty Good with Some Surprises

I got interested in this memoir after hearing Kathy Valentine's audiobook, All I Ever Wanted, which was absolutely fantastic. Belinda Carlisle has an equally interesting story, but she isn't nearly the writer that Valentine is, and so, while it was pretty good, it didn't keep me riveted in the same way. But All I Ever Wanted is a pretty high bar to reach, and one of my favorite music memoirs of all time. Still, Belinda reveals much about how she grew up, what was going on in her mind before, during, and after the Go-Gos, and I was floored that such a squeaky-clean looking girl could have had such addiction problems. Kudos to her for finally beating them, and for her real-life Prince Charming, who stuck it out long after anyone else would have bailed. Lips Unsealed is a good book for a long drive, but it probably won't change your life. Look to Kathy Valentine's book to do that heavy work.

Heaven Is Truly A Place On Earth!

So thrilled to know that Belinda has finally found her own heaven within & is now able to really treasure what she has! Parts made me wonder if she suffered from Anxiety also without realizing that this could be a major factor in her self-medicating habits?

also fun to hear all the background that was going on as all "The Girls " along with myself, were growing up & discovering who we wanted to be beside NOT OUR PARENTS!! All of which was of course while becoming the soundtrack of our lives!! Heaven Is a Place On Earth will always hold a special place in my heart for being the CD & concert in SLC that I was daily dancing to when I met my husband almost 35yrs ago!! 😍💋😍 I was in awe of her voice then, & continue even now as a GMa to dance & sing along at the top of my lungs-very badly I'm afraid, to her smooth tones & punk chick lyrics!! Thank you for giving me personally so very much! 🤗

Just ok

Lover Belinda but her voice was hard to listen to. I wanted a little more storyline

Well Worth The Time

I started listening to this, as I ran a mini marathon (13.1 miles) and finished it, the day after. This story reaffirms that, how you see yourself will determine where you go, how you get there and how fast you get there. I've always found the Go-Go's story to be rock & roll's most fascinating because it was the most unlikely. So, to have Belinda fill in all the details of her odyssey makes me eager to see what the story of the other "girls" are.

insightful, candid, relative and thought-provoking

as an avid and somewhat obsessed Belinda Carlisle fan since 1982's Beauty and the Beat (which change my life more profoundly than perhaps any other album). So the thought of becoming closer to both her as a person and her her extraordinary life was only a dream of mine- until this book. Knowing that I never read a book from start to finish I often imagined how I would get through it....
Audible. That's how.
My first entire book even if narrated. Especially narrated by Miss Carlisle herself. I laughed, I experienced Goosebumps from head to toe and at the very end of the prologue the biggest teardrop fell from my eye. I knew many things about her before hearing the book, many things I imagine were true and so much so much unimaginable was clearly, also true.
Her grace and dignity and honesty and wherewithal to write this book was definitely accomplished. Outstanding woman, outstanding book, outstanding artist, outstanding mother and wife. I love and have loved her beyond measure. I feel even closer as I dive deep into the deep, deep ocean otherwise known as Belinda Carlisle. Once again I'm In Too Deep and I unabashedly love it!

A great and inspirational testimony of a life.

loved it.I highly recommend this .I'm glad It wS narrated by Belinda herself.more moving and inspirational.