Jody Watley (album)
Encyclopedia
Jody Watley is the self-titled debut album
by American
pop
singer Jody Watley
, released in 1987 (see 1987 in music
). Although very successful as part of the R&B trio Shalamar
, the impact of this solo debut made Watley a cultural style icon in R&B, pop, and dance music. Its success culminated in Watley winning a Grammy award
for Best New Artist in 1988 against fellow artists Breakfast Club, Cutting Crew
, Terence Trent D'Arby, and Swing Out Sister
.
* bonus track on CD
Singles
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Jody Watley
Jody Watley
Jody Vanessa Watley is an American, singer, songwriter, record producer, and founder of Avitone Records whose music crosses genres from Pop, R&B, Jazz, Dance and Electronic Soul....
, released in 1987 (see 1987 in music
1987 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
). Although very successful as part of the R&B trio Shalamar
Shalamar
Shalamar was an American music group, primarily of the 1970s and 1980s, that was originally a disco-driven vehicle created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Soul Train producer Don Cornelius...
, the impact of this solo debut made Watley a cultural style icon in R&B, pop, and dance music. Its success culminated in Watley winning a Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best New Artist in 1988 against fellow artists Breakfast Club, Cutting Crew
Cutting Crew
The Cutting Crew is a pop rock band formed in England in 1985, best known for their #1 hit, " Died in Your Arms".-Career:Vocalist Nick Van Eede founded the group along with Canadian guitarist Kevin MacMichael in 1985, and the two made demos that led to a recording contract, before bassist Colin...
, Terence Trent D'Arby, and Swing Out Sister
Swing Out Sister
Swing Out Sister are a British "sophisti-pop" group best known worldwide for their 1986 song "Breakout". Other hits include "Surrender", "Twilight World", "Waiting Game" and a remake of "Am I the Same Girl?" Though album sales in the U.S. and Europe have levelled off since the early 1990s, the...
.
Track listing
- "Looking for a New LoveLooking for a New Love"Looking for a New Love" is the first single from Jody Watley's eponymous debut album. "Looking for a New Love" became one of the biggest pop and R&B singles of 1987...
" (André CymoneAndré CymoneAndré Cymone is an American bassist, songwriter and record producer. Cymone was a bass guitarist for recording artist Prince's touring band, pre-Revolution. Cymone began a solo career in 1981. His song, "The Dance Electric" , reached number ten on the R&B charts...
, Watley) - 5:07 - "Still a Thrill" (Cymone, Watley) - 4:41
- "Some Kind of Lover" (Cymone, Watley) - 4:09
- "For the Girls" - 3:50
- "Love Injection" - 3:46
- "Don't You Want MeDon't You Want Me (Jody Watley song)"Don't You Want Me" is the third single from singer Jody Watley's eponymous debut album. The song was produced by Bernard Edwards of Chic-fame....
" (Franne Golde, D.P. Byrant, Watley) - 4:13 - "Do It to the Beat" - 4:47
- "Most of All" (Gardner Cole, Pat Leonard) - 4:28
- "Learn to Say No" (Watley, George MichaelGeorge MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
) - 3:36 - "Looking for a New Love" [Extended Club Version][*] (Cymone, Watley) - 7:31
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
Personnel
- Jody Watley - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, background vocals - Jeff BovaJeff BovaJeff Bova is an American Grammy Award winning keyboardist, composer, arranger and record producer. He has been active in music industry since the mid-1970s, contributing to dozens of recordings by significant mainstream artists like Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Blondie, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker,...
- 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... - Gardner Cole - background vocals
- Bernard EdwardsBernard EdwardsBernard Edwards born in Greenville, North Carolina, was a bass player and record producer, both as a member of the Funk/Disco band Chic and on his own. He died of pneumonia while touring in Japan.-History:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Terrence Elliot - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Bruce Gaitsch - guitar
- Roy Galloway - background vocals
- Tampa Lann - background vocals
- Patrick LeonardPatrick LeonardPatrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
- synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Eddie MartinezEddie MartinezEddie Martinez is an American guitarist, born and raised in New York City, who mainly functions as a session musician. He has worked with David Lee Roth , Run-D.M.C. , Robert Palmer , Meat Loaf , several Jim Steinman projects, and many others...
- guitar - George MichaelGeorge MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
- vocals - Larry Schneider - 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...
, vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family.... - John "LBJ" Staehely - guitar
- Tony ThompsonTony ThompsonAnthony T. "Tony" Thompson was a session drummer best known as a member of Chic. He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, NY.-Chic:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Fonzi ThorntonFonzi ThorntonFonzi Thornton, is an American singer, song writer/producer, stage performer and radio personality.Thornton has provided background vocals on albums by artists which include Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Chic, Sheena Easton, Mariah Carey, David Bowie, Michael Jackson,...
- background vocals
Production
- Producers: André Cymone, Bernard Edwards, Patrick Leonard, David Z.
- Engineers: Josh Abbey, Darren Chadwick, Bridget Daly, Jon Ingoldsby, Glenn Kurtz, Csaba Petocz, Chris Porter, Erik Zobler
- Assistant engineer: Scott Church
- Mixing: André Cymone, Coke Johnson, Michael Verdick, David Z.
- Remixing: Taavi Mote, Louis Silas, Jr.
- Drum programming: Patrick Leonard
- Assistant: Michael Blum
- Art direction: Lynn Robb
- Design: Lynn Robb
- Cover art concept: Jody Watley
- Photography: Victoria Pearson
- Make-up: Beth Katz
- Hair stylist: Jody Watley
Awards
- 1987 - American Music Award Nomination for R&B Single of the Year [Looking For A New Love]
- 1988 - Grammy Award for Best New Artist
- 1988 - Soul Train Award Nomination for Album of the Year
- 1988 - Soul Train Award Nomination for Single of the Year [Looking For A New Love]
- 1988 - Soul Train Award Nomination for Best Music Video [Looking For A New Love]
- 1988 - MTV Video Music Award Nomination for Female Video of the Year [Some Kind Of Lover]
- 1988 - MTV Video Music Award Nomination for Best New Artist Video of the Year [Some Kind Of Lover]
- 1988 - Billboard Music Award for Top Dance / Club Play Artist of the Year
Charts
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
10 |
| U.S. Top R&B Albums | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Looking for a New Love" | Dance/Club Play Songs | 1 |
| Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 1 | ||
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
1 | ||
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
2 | ||
| "Still a Thrill" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 8 | |
| Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 14 | ||
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 3 | ||
| Billboard Hot 100 | 56 | ||
| "Don't You Want Me" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 3 | |
| Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 3 | ||
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 3 | ||
| Billboard Hot 100 | 6 | ||
| "Some Kind of Lover" | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 3 | |
| 1988 | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 1 | |
| Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 1 | ||
| Billboard Hot 100 | 10 | ||
| "Most of All" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 8 | |
| Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 17 | ||
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 11 | ||
| Billboard Hot 100 | 60 | ||