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
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 14, 1986
Recorded1985
StudioGarden 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)
GenreR&B, soul
LabelGordy
ProducerPeter Wolf, Jay Graydon
El DeBarge chronology
El DeBarge
(1986)
Gemini
(1989)

Track listing

  1. "Who's Johnny" (Peter Wolf, Ina Wolf) – 4:11
  2. "Secrets Of The Night" (Albert Hammond, Diane Warren) – 4:20
  3. "I Wanna Hear It From My Heart" (Warren) – 4:25
  4. "Someone" (Jay Graydon, Mark Mueller, Robbie Nevil) – 4:45
  5. "When Love Has Gone Away" (Jack Conrad, Larry Henley) – 3:08
  6. "Private Line" (Diane Warren) – 3:48
  7. "Love Always" (Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts, Carole Bayer-Sager) – 5:32
  8. "Lost Without Her Love" (Randy Goodrum, Graydon) – 4:35
  9. "Thrill Of The Chase" (Alan Roy Scott, Roy Freeland, Gary Pickus) – 3:47
  10. "Don't Say It's Over" (Diane Warren) – 4:32

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]
Tom Hull – on the WebB+ ((1-star Honorable Mention))[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

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

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[9] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. "El DeBarge - Chart history | Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  2. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA.
  3. Elias, Jason. El DeBarge - El DeBarge at AllMusic
  4. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 186.
  5. Hull, Tom (April 19, 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  6. "El DeBarge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  7. "El DeBarge Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  8. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  9. "American album certifications – El DeBarge – El DeBarge". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
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