El DeBarge (album)
El DeBarge is the debut album by El DeBarge. It was released in 1986 on Gordy Records (a sub-label of Motown) and featured the three hit singles, "Who's Johnny," which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Love Always," which reached #43, and "Someone," which was a Top 20 Billboard A/C hit and made it to #70 on the Hot 100.[1] Singer/actress Vanity featured on backing vocals on the track, "Secrets Of The Night". This album was certified by RIAA as gold in September, 1986, selling over 500,000 copies.[2]
El DeBarge | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 14, 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Studio | Garden Rake Studio (Sherman Oaks, CA); Image Recording Studios, Studio 55 and Lion Share Recording Studio (Los Angeles, CA); Bill Schnee Studios (North Hollywood, CA); Conway Studios (Hollywood, CA) | |||
Genre | R&B, soul | |||
Label | Gordy | |||
Producer | Peter Wolf, Jay Graydon | |||
El DeBarge chronology | ||||
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Track listing
- "Who's Johnny" (Peter Wolf, Ina Wolf) – 4:11
- "Secrets Of The Night" (Albert Hammond, Diane Warren) – 4:20
- "I Wanna Hear It From My Heart" (Warren) – 4:25
- "Someone" (Jay Graydon, Mark Mueller, Robbie Nevil) – 4:45
- "When Love Has Gone Away" (Jack Conrad, Larry Henley) – 3:08
- "Private Line" (Diane Warren) – 3:48
- "Love Always" (Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts, Carole Bayer-Sager) – 5:32
- "Lost Without Her Love" (Randy Goodrum, Graydon) – 4:35
- "Thrill Of The Chase" (Alan Roy Scott, Roy Freeland, Gary Pickus) – 3:47
- "Don't Say It's Over" (Diane Warren) – 4:32
Reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ()[5] |
Jason Elias of AllMusic stated: "While the setup and idea are still exciting on paper, [the album] is a disappointment." He also stated that "the majority of the [...] tracks just don't do anything to enliven the product or accentuate his voice," and concluded by writing that "the fact that DeBarge didn't have a hand in producing or writing the songs all but made this ho-hum from the start."
Personnel
- El DeBarge – lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (1, 3, 5–8, 10)
- Peter Wolf – various instruments (1, 3, 10), arrangements (1, 3, 10)
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (2), arrangements (2, 6), select instruments (6, 9), Fender Rhodes (7), Yamaha DX7 (7)
- Laythan Armor – additional synthesizer programming (2)
- David Boruff – additional synthesizer programming (2), saxophone (2, 6)
- Jay Graydon – all instruments (4), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 9), select instruments [synthesizers, guitar] (5, 8, 9)
- David Foster – select instruments (5), additional synthesizer (7)
- Randy Goodrum – select instruments (5, 8)
- Burt Bacharach – additional synthesizer (7), arrangements (7)
- Michael Boddicker – select instruments (9)
- Dann Huff – guitar (1–3, 6, 7, 10)
- Marty Walsh – guitar (7)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass (7)
- Mike Baird – select instruments [presumably drums] (5, 9)
- John Robinson – drums (7)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (7)
- Ernie Watts – alto sax solo (10)
- Robbie Nevil – arrangements (4)
- Carole Bayer Sager – arrangements (7)
- Siedah Garrett – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Dennis Lambert – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Michael McDonald – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Phil Perry – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Julia Waters – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Oren Waters – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Ina Wolf – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
- Vanity – backing vocals (2)
- Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals (6)
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (6)
- Bunny Hull – backing vocals (6)
- Tom Kelly – backing vocals (6)
- Richard Page – backing vocals (8)
Production
- Peter Wolf – producer (1, 3, 10)
- Robbie Buchanan – producer (2, 6)
- Jay Graydon – producer (4, 5, 8, 9), recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Burt Bacharach – producer (7)
- Carole Bayer Sager – producer (7)
- Toby Jones – executive producer
- Brian Malouf – recording (1, 3, 10), mixing (1, 3, 10)
- Barney Perkins – recording (2, 6), remixing (2, 6)
- Ian Eales – recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
- Dennis Mackay – mixing (4, 5, 8, 9), additional engineer (6)
- Michael Bowman – assistant engineer (1, 3, 10)
- Dan Garcia – assistant engineer (1, 3, 10)
- Stephen Krause – assistant engineer (1, 3, 10)
- Glen Holquin – assistant engineer (2)
- Craig Miller – assistant engineer (2)
- Mike Ross – additional engineer (6)
- Gail Pierson – album coordinator
- Johnny Lee – art direction
- Janet Levinson – design
- Greg Gorman – photography
Studios
- Recorded at Garden Rake Studio (Sherman Oaks, CA); Image Recording Studios, Studio 55 and Lion Share Recording Studio (Los Angeles, CA); Bill Schnee Studios (North Hollywood, CA); Conway Studios (Hollywood, CA).
- Mixed at Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, CA); Conway Studios, Studio 55 and Lion Share Recording Studio.
- Tracks 2 & 6 remixed at Yamaha International Recording (Glendale, CA).
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[9] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- "El DeBarge - Chart history | Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
- "Gold & Platinum". RIAA.
- Elias, Jason. El DeBarge - El DeBarge at AllMusic
- The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 186.
- Hull, Tom (April 19, 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- "El DeBarge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
- "El DeBarge Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
- "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
- "American album certifications – El DeBarge – El DeBarge". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 18, 2021.