When a Woman Loves
Encyclopedia
When a Woman Loves is the fourteenth solo album released by singer Patti LaBelle
, her sixth ever on the MCA Records label.
, a company she had been an artist with since 1985. With the guidance of the label and with her husband, Armstead Edwards, LaBelle had finally achieved the solo success that had mostly eluded her since leaving the flashy pop group, Labelle
, in 1976. It had been three years since her last album, the gold-certified Flame, which yielded the modestly popular hit, "When You Talk About Love
".
After winning a second Grammy Award
for her live album, Live! One Night Only, LaBelle laid low. The marriage of LaBelle and Edwards seemed to be solid but in early 2000, the couple made news by announcing a trial separation
after 31 years of marriage. The news shocked fans of the singer, who had told the media that the couple's relationship was built on their opposite differences. Following news of the separation, LaBelle returned to the recording studio
to work on her next studio album for MCA Records. Noting the modest success they had with LaBelle's original 1989 version of "If You Asked Me To
", LaBelle and the song's writer, Diane Warren
agreed to work together on LaBelle's new album.
, producers of LaBelle's last two hits, "The Right Kinda Lover
" and "When You Talk About Love". Upon its release, when critics heard the new tracks, they thought that LaBelle's impending divorce from her husband Edwards was the cause of the sound from the tracks and from the singer's voice, though LaBelle would later deny such stories. Because Edwards had also served as LaBelle's manager for nearly 30 years, Edwards also left his position as manager leaving that position to the couple's son Zuri.
, to not be certified.
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, her sixth ever on the MCA Records label.
Background
By 2000, Patti LaBelle had achieved solo success with at least one platinum album and four gold albums. Four of the certified successes were with MCA RecordsMCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, a company she had been an artist with since 1985. With the guidance of the label and with her husband, Armstead Edwards, LaBelle had finally achieved the solo success that had mostly eluded her since leaving the flashy pop group, Labelle
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
, in 1976. It had been three years since her last album, the gold-certified Flame, which yielded the modestly popular hit, "When You Talk About Love
When You Talk About Love
"When You Talk About Love" is a song recorded by Patti LaBelle. It was released from her 1997 album, Flame.-Song information:The song was written by Ann Nesby and musically composed and produced by the team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and James "Big Jim" Wright...
".
After winning a second 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 her live album, Live! One Night Only, LaBelle laid low. The marriage of LaBelle and Edwards seemed to be solid but in early 2000, the couple made news by announcing a trial separation
Trial separation
A trial separation is an informal splitting of a couple. Unlike legal separation, this is purely a personal arrangement and does not require legal proceedings...
after 31 years of marriage. The news shocked fans of the singer, who had told the media that the couple's relationship was built on their opposite differences. Following news of the separation, LaBelle returned to the recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
to work on her next studio album for MCA Records. Noting the modest success they had with LaBelle's original 1989 version of "If You Asked Me To
If You Asked Me To
"If You Asked Me To" is the title of a song written and originally released as the lead single for Patti LaBelle's seventh solo studio album, entitled Be Yourself, and for the Licence to Kill soundtrack. The song is a ballad written by critically acclaimed songwriter Diane Warren...
", LaBelle and the song's writer, Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
agreed to work together on LaBelle's new album.
Recording
When A Woman Loves featured production from not only Warren and friend Denise Rich, who co-wrote several tracks, but also longtime producers Jimmy Jam and Terry LewisJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
, producers of LaBelle's last two hits, "The Right Kinda Lover
The Right Kinda Lover
"The Right Kinda Lover" is a song recorded by singer Patti LaBelle. It was released as a single from her 1994 album, Gems.-Song information:...
" and "When You Talk About Love". Upon its release, when critics heard the new tracks, they thought that LaBelle's impending divorce from her husband Edwards was the cause of the sound from the tracks and from the singer's voice, though LaBelle would later deny such stories. Because Edwards had also served as LaBelle's manager for nearly 30 years, Edwards also left his position as manager leaving that position to the couple's son Zuri.
Commercial reception
Upon its release, When a Woman Loves tanked on the pop and R&B charts after its release in October 2000. The album's sole single, "Call Me Gone", failed to chart and was given poor radio airplay. Though the title track did get airplay and LaBelle sometimes sung the song during the record's promotion, it was never released as a single and the album dropped out of the charts after only ten weeks, becoming the first LaBelle studio album since This ChristmasThis Christmas (Patti LaBelle album)
This Christmas is the first holiday album released by singer Patti LaBelle on the MCA label. The album included original compositions such as "Twas Love", which LaBelle shot a video for, and "Nothing Could Be Better", which was sung live by LaBelle during an appearance on the show, A Different...
, to not be certified.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Diane WarrenDiane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
- "The Kitchen" (0:57)
- "When a Woman Loves" (4:47)
- "Make Tonight Beautiful" (4:42)
- "If I Was a River" (4:27)
- "Why Do We Hurt Each Other" (5:59)
- "Too Many Tears, Too Many Times" (5:30)
- "Call Me Gone" (4:46)
- "Time Will" (5:47)
- "Tell Where It Hurts" (4:01)
- "I'll Still Love You More" (4:41)
- "Love Will Lead You Back" (5:03)
- "When a Woman Loves" (reprise) (2:53)