Funky Divas
Encyclopedia
Funky Divas is the second album by the U.S.
female vocal group En Vogue
. Released in 1992, it became their highest selling album to date and one of the top selling albums of the year, shifting over 5 million copies worldwide.
", became an instant hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard's Hot 100 and No.4 in the UK. The accompanying video for "My Lovin'" won two MTV Video Music Awards.
The second single, "Giving Him Something He Can Feel
" (a cover of the Aretha Franklin
hit from the film Sparkle
), also became a Top 10 hit on the US Hot 100 (and also their fifth No.1 single in the US R&B chart). Another Franklin song from Sparkle, "Hooked on Your Love", is also on the album, as is a rendition of The Beatles
' hit "Yesterday
".
The third single, the rock-infused "Free Your Mind", became another Top 10 hit. In the UK, the single made the Top 20 and was backed with "Giving Him Something He Can Feel", which had failed to make the UK Top 40 by itself earlier that year. The video for "Free Your Mind" won three MTV Video Music Awards in 1993.
By the time the fourth single, "Give It Up, Turn It Loose
", was released in early 1993, the Funky Divas album was already certified triple platinum in the US by the RIAA. The single gave the group another UK Top 40 hit (#22).
The fifth and final single released from Funky Divas was "Love Don't Love You
", which was remixed for its release. The video for the single consists of clips from previous En Vogue videos "Giving Him Something He Can Feel", "Free Your Mind", as well as two of their 1990 videos "Lies
" and "You Don't Have To Worry".
A second edition of the album containing the later hits "Runaway Love" and "Whatta Man" (with Salt-N-Pepa
) was released in the UK in 1994. This edition of Funky Divas also includes remixed versions of "Hip Hop Lover", "It Ain't over Till the Fat Lady Sings", and "Love Don't Love You" (a different remix from the U.S. single release in 1993), along with slightly altered artwork inside the CD booklet.
As with En Vogue's first album, Born to Sing
, Funky Divas includes lead vocals by each member of the group on different songs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
female vocal group En Vogue
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
. Released in 1992, it became their highest selling album to date and one of the top selling albums of the year, shifting over 5 million copies worldwide.
Background
The lead single, "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
"My Lovin' " is the first single from musical group En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. It has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500,000 units. The song features Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson on lead vocals...
", became an instant hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard's Hot 100 and No.4 in the UK. The accompanying video for "My Lovin'" won two MTV Video Music Awards.
The second single, "Giving Him Something He Can Feel
Giving Him Something He Can Feel
"Something He Can Feel" is a song composed by Curtis Mayfield for the soundtrack to the 1976 motion picture Sparkle. The song, a love ballad in a Supremes/Motown-esque style, became a number-one hit on the Billboard's R&B singles chart in the United States twice with two separate recordings: a 1976...
" (a cover of the Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
hit from the film Sparkle
Sparkle (1976 film)
Sparkle is a 1976 American film directed by Sam O'Steen and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. Inspired by The Supremes, Sparkle is a period film set in Harlem, New York during the late 1950s and early 1960s which follows the rough lives and careers of singer Sparkle Williams and her family and...
), also became a Top 10 hit on the US Hot 100 (and also their fifth No.1 single in the US R&B chart). Another Franklin song from Sparkle, "Hooked on Your Love", is also on the album, as is a rendition of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' hit "Yesterday
Yesterday (song)
"Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded...
".
The third single, the rock-infused "Free Your Mind", became another Top 10 hit. In the UK, the single made the Top 20 and was backed with "Giving Him Something He Can Feel", which had failed to make the UK Top 40 by itself earlier that year. The video for "Free Your Mind" won three MTV Video Music Awards in 1993.
By the time the fourth single, "Give It Up, Turn It Loose
Give It Up, Turn It Loose
"Give It Up, Turn It Loose" was the fourth single from En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. The song earned a Grammy nomination and reached #15 on the US pop chart, and #16 on the R&B chart. The song's title is a reference to the 1969 James Brown song "Give It Up or Turnit a Loose"...
", was released in early 1993, the Funky Divas album was already certified triple platinum in the US by the RIAA. The single gave the group another UK Top 40 hit (#22).
The fifth and final single released from Funky Divas was "Love Don't Love You
Love Don't Love You
"Love Don't Love You" was the final single from En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. It was the bands 5th consecutive top 40 single in the US from that album. This song is led by Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron.-Charts:...
", which was remixed for its release. The video for the single consists of clips from previous En Vogue videos "Giving Him Something He Can Feel", "Free Your Mind", as well as two of their 1990 videos "Lies
Lies (En Vogue song)
"Lies" is the second single from Born to Sing, the debut album from R&B/pop quartet En Vogue. Written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, it became the group's second single to top the Billboard R&B singles chart...
" and "You Don't Have To Worry".
A second edition of the album containing the later hits "Runaway Love" and "Whatta Man" (with Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews....
) was released in the UK in 1994. This edition of Funky Divas also includes remixed versions of "Hip Hop Lover", "It Ain't over Till the Fat Lady Sings", and "Love Don't Love You" (a different remix from the U.S. single release in 1993), along with slightly altered artwork inside the CD booklet.
As with En Vogue's first album, Born to Sing
Born to Sing
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*arranging – Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy*art direction – Bob Defrin...
, Funky Divas includes lead vocals by each member of the group on different songs.
Track listing
| # | Title | Length | Lead | Writer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This Is Your Life" | 5:05 | Terry (spoken intro by En Vogue) | Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy |
| 2. | "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) "My Lovin' " is the first single from musical group En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. It has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500,000 units. The song features Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson on lead vocals... " |
4:42 | Maxine/Dawn | Foster, McElroy |
| 3. | "Hip Hop Lover" | 5:13 | Maxine/Terry (background leads by Dawn) | Foster, McElroy |
| 4. | "Free Your Mind Free Your Mind "Free Your Mind" is the name of a Grammy Award-nominated hit single released by the American all-female R&B group En Vogue. Released on September 24, 1992 "Free Your Mind" is the third single released from En Vogue's critically acclaimed album Funky Divas... " |
4:52 | Cindy/Dawn/Terry/Maxine (spoken intro by Terry) | Foster, McElroy |
| 5. | "Desire" | 4:01 | Cindy | Foster, McElroy |
| 6. | "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" | 3:56 | Dawn | Curtis Mayfield Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly... |
| 7. | "It Ain't over Till the Fat Lady Sings" | 4:13 | Dawn (background leads by Maxine) | Foster, McElroy |
| 8. | "Give It Up, Turn It Loose Give It Up, Turn It Loose "Give It Up, Turn It Loose" was the fourth single from En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. The song earned a Grammy nomination and reached #15 on the US pop chart, and #16 on the R&B chart. The song's title is a reference to the 1969 James Brown song "Give It Up or Turnit a Loose"... " |
5:13 | Maxine (spoken intro by En Vogue) | Foster, McElroy |
| 9. | "Yesterday Yesterday (song) "Yesterday" is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded... " |
2:30 | Cindy | Lennon John Lennon John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music... , McCartney Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100... |
| 10. | "Hooked on Your Love" | 3:35 | Terry | Mayfield |
| 11. | "Love Don't Love You Love Don't Love You "Love Don't Love You" was the final single from En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. It was the bands 5th consecutive top 40 single in the US from that album. This song is led by Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron.-Charts:... " |
3:56 | Terry/Cindy (spoken words by Cindy) | Foster, McElroy |
| 12. | "What Is Love What Is Love (En Vogue song) "What Is Love" was the final single from En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. The song was not released commercially, but was instead shipped to dance clubs across the US. "What Is Love" reached the Top 10 of the US dance charts... " |
4:19 | Maxine/Cindy (spoken words by Terry) | Foster, McElroy |
| 13. | "Thanks (Prayer)" | 0:43 | Cindy (backgrounds by Maxine, Terry & Dawn) | Foster, McElroy |
En Vogue
-
- Adapted from allmusic
- Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, Dawn Robertson: Lead, Backing & Harmony Vocals
Additional Musicians
- Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy: KeyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s & Drum Programming, Talking & Spoken WordSpoken wordSpoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events.... - Jinx Jones: Electric, Acoustic & Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s - Michael Fellows: Drums
- Jon Bendich, Juan Escovedo, Peter Michael: Percussion
- Chuckii BookerChuckii BookerChuckii Booker is an African American award-winning producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader.-Biography:...
: Talking, Spoken Word - Wayne Jackson: RapRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
- Tony George: TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Les Harris: SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Chris Mondt: TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
Charts
Album| Chart | Position | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 8 | 3 x Platinum |
| UK Album Chart | 4 | Gold |