Word Up! (album)

Word Up! is the 13th studio album by American funk group Cameo, released in 1986.[3] The album reached number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, number 8 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 1 million copies. It took Cameo to their highest level of popularity, and solidified them as one of the most successful bands of the 1980s.[4] The album includes three of their biggest hit singles, "Word Up!", "Candy", and "Back and Forth".

Word Up!
Studio album by
Cameo
ReleasedSeptember 9, 1986
Recorded1985–1986
Quad Recording Studio
Counter Point Studio
Power Station Studio
Sound Ideas Studio
(all in New York City)
GenreFunk[1]
Length34:46
LabelAtlanta Artists
ProducerLarry Blackmon
Cameo chronology
Single Life
(1985)		 Word Up!
(1986)		 Machismo
(1988)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Village VoiceB[2]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Word Up"Larry Blackmon, Tomi Jenkins4:21
2."Candy"Blackmon, Jenkins5:39
3."Back and Forth"Kevin Kendrick, Nathan Leftenant, Blackmon, Jenkins6:33
4."Don't Be Lonely"Blackmon, Jenkins, Kendrick, Willlie Morris5:19
5."She's Mine"Blackmon, Leftenant, Antonio Matthews, Ray Malloy4:37
6."Fast, Fierce & Funny"Blackmon, Jenkins, Leftenant4:09
7."You Can Have the World"Blackmon, Jenkins, Leftenant4:38
  • Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6 & 7 published by All Seeing Eye Music-Better Days Music.
  • Tracks 4 & 5 published by All Seeing Eye Music-Better Days Music-Better Nights Music.

Personnel
Cameo
Other players
  • Kevin Kendrick - Keyboards
  • Charlie Singleton – guitar, backing vocals
  • Stanley Clarke, Aaron Mills – bass guitar
  • Michael Burnett – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Bernard Wright, Eric Rehl, Kenni Hairston, Kevin Kendrick, Merv de Peyer – keyboards
  • Duduka Fonseca, Giovanni Hidalgo, Steve Thornton – percussion
  • Melvin Wells – saxophone, backing vocals
  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone (solo on "Candy", "Don't Be Lonely" and "She's Mine")
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Arno Hecht – tenor saxophone
  • Crispin Cioe – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
  • Robert Funk – trombone
  • Paul Litteral – trumpet
  • Sammy Merendino – drum programming
  • Pat Buchanan – guitars
  • Peter Scherer – Synclavier programming
  • Willie Morris – backing vocals

Critical reception

Accolades

Word Up! was ranked number 5 among the "Albums of the Year" by NME.[5]

Charts and certifications

Singles
  • "Word Up" – released July 1986
  • "Candy" – released November 1986
  • "Back and Forth" – released March 1987
  • "She's Mine" - released June 1987

References
  1. AllMusic review
  2. Christgau, Robert (December 30, 1986). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  3. Henderson, Alex. "Cameo: Word Up! > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  4. O'Donnell, David (11 December 2008). "One of the most successful bands of the 80s". BBC. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  5. "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Discografie Cameo - dutchcharts.nl".
  8. "charts.nz - Discography Cameo". charts.nz. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  9. "Cameo - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  10. "CAMEO - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  11. "Word Up! - Cameo". Billboard. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  12. "British album certifications – Cameo – Word Up". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
  13. "American album certifications – Cameo – Word Up". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2018-12-26.


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