Characters (Stevie Wonder album)

Characters is the twenty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released in late 1987. The album features six singles including the Grammy-nominated "Skeletons" (#19) and "You Will Know" (#77), which both reached number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart (the former being the most-recent American top 40 hit of Wonder's career). The album also contained a duet with Michael Jackson, "Get It" (#80), that was a minor hit.

For other albums by the same name, see Character (disambiguation) § Music.
Characters
Studio album by
Stevie Wonder
ReleasedNovember 6, 1987
Recorded1986–1987
StudioWonderland Recording Studios, Los Angeles, 1 Der 1 Mobile Unit, Westside Studios, London[1]
GenreR&B, Synth-pop
Length48:34 (LP)
60:59 (CD)
LabelTamla
ProducerStevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder chronology
In Square Circle
(1985)		 Characters
(1987)		 Jungle Fever
(1991)
Singles from Characters
  1. "Skeletons"
    Released: September 1987
  2. "You Will Know"
    Released: March 1988
  3. "Get It"
    Released: May 5, 1988[2]
  4. "My Eyes Don't Cry"
    Released: August 1988
  5. "With Each Beat of My Heart"
    Released: November 1988
  6. "Free"
    Released: February 1989
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Chicago Tribune(favorable)[4]
Robert ChristgauA−[5]
Los Angeles Times[6]
MusicHound[7]
New Musical Express9/10[8]
Q[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[10]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[11]
The New York Times(favorable)[12]

Overview

Although highly anticipated like his last album, 1985's In Square Circle, upon its release, the album received mixed reviews from critics, and debuted at number 17 on the US Billboard 200. It became Wonder's first album since Music of My Mind not to reach the top ten of the charts. In the UK, it also fared less well, reaching only #33, the first album to miss the top 20 since Music of My Mind, which failed to chart in 1972.

It also debuted at number one on the Top R&B Albums chart for seven weeks, and spawned six singles including three that hit the Billboard Hot 100 – "Get It" (#80) (duet with Michael Jackson), "Skeletons" (#19) and the ballad "You Will Know" (#77) that had attained Billboard R&B chart success. Two other singles hit the R&B chart – "My Eyes Don't Cry" (#6, R&B) and "With Each Beat of My Heart" (#28, R&B). The final single, "Free", hit #49 on the UK chart.

Cash Box said that "My Eyes Don't Cry" is "not [Wonder's] greatest song, but is definitely an exciting track with a powerful delivery by Wonder on vocals."[13]

Awards and nominations

The album earned Wonder three Grammy Award nominations in 1988–89. The album's first single, "Skeletons" received two nominations for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 30th Grammy Awards, losing to Bill Wither's "Lean On Me" and Smokey Robinson's "Just to See Her" respectively. Characters received a nomination at the 31st Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, losing to Terence Trent D'Arby's debut Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby.

To promote the album, Wonder performed a one-hour Characters special on MTV, in which he also performed unreleased material as well as a duet with Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Track listing

All songs written by Stevie Wonder, except where noted.

Side one
  1. "You Will Know" – 5:00
  2. "Dark 'n' Lovely" (Gary Byrd, Stevie Wonder) – 4:39
  3. "In Your Corner" – 4:30
  4. "With Each Beat of My Heart" – 5:28
  5. "One of a Kind" – 5:10
Side two
  1. "Skeletons" – 5:24
  2. "Get It" (duet with Michael Jackson) – 4:33
  3. "Galaxy Paradise" – 3:51
  4. "Cryin' Through the Night" – 5:48
  5. "Free" – 4:12
CD bonus tracks
  1. "Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down" (featuring B.B. King & Stevie Ray Vaughan) – 5:20
  2. "My Eyes Don't Cry" – 7:05

Personnel
  • Stevie Wonder – synthesizers (tracks 1–4, 6–7, 9, 11), bass synth (1, 9), synth horns (12), piano (9–10), keyboards (including harpsichord – 10), lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1–2, 4, 7), bass (tracks 2, 7–8, 11–12), drums (1–2, 4–9), percussion (1–2, 4, 6–7), strings (1), bells (1), drum machine (3), harmonica (5)
  • Michael Jackson – lead vocals (track 7)
  • Stevie Ray Vaughan – guitar (track 11)
  • B.B. King – guitar (track 11)
  • Mary Lee Evans – backing vocals (7, 9)
  • Ben Bridges – electric guitar (track 7)
  • Gary Olazabal – engineer, associate producer, mixing, keyboard programming (all tracks)

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1987–88) Peak
position
Australian Kent Music Report[14] 23
Austrian Albums Chart[15] 21
Canadian RPM Albums Chart[16] 31
Dutch Albums Chart[17] 53
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[18] 13
Swedish Albums Chart[19] 16
Swiss Albums Chart[20] 23
UK Albums Chart[21] 33
U.S. Billboard 200[22] 17
West German Media Control Albums Chart[23] 55

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
France (SNEP)[24] Gold 100,000*
Japan (Oricon Charts) — 73,000[18]
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[26] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. "Stevie Wonder – Characters (1987, Cassette)". Discogs. 6 November 1987.
  2. Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Bad". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 9781788400572.
  3. Ruhlmann, William. Characters at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  4. Van Matre, Lynn (November 15, 1987). "Wonder's Upbeat 'Characters'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  5. Christgau, Robert. Consumer Guide Reviews: Characters. The Village Voice. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
  6. Grein, Paul (November 15, 1987). "Record Rack: Good-Time Wonder". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  7. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 1243. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  8. Hewitt, Paolo (14 November 1987). "Golden Wonder". New Musical Express. p. 34.
  9. Bradley, Lloyd (January 1988). "Chunky: Stevie Wonder Characters". Q. p. 81.
  10. "Stevie Wonder: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2013-04-06. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  11. David Wild (1988-01-28). "Characters | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
  12. Pareles, Jon (November 22, 1987). "RECORDINGS; A Pair of Pop Albums Hit a Political Groove". The New York Times.
  13. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. September 17, 1988. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  14. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. "austriancharts.at Stevie Wonder – Characters" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  16. Library and Archives Canada. Archived 2012-12-28 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved February 20, 2013
  17. "dutchcharts.nl Stevie Wonder – Characters" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  18. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  19. "swedishcharts.com Stevie Wonder – Characters" (ASP) (in Swedish). Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  20. "Stevie Wonder – Characters – hitparade.ch" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  21. "The Official Charts Company – Stevie Wonder – Characters" (PHP). Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  22. "Characters". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  23. "Album – Stevie Wonder, Characters". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). Media Control. 1987. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014.
  24. "French album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Characters" (in French). InfoDisc. Select STEVIE WONDER and click OK. 
  25. "British album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Characters". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  26. "American album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Characters". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
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