El DeBarge (album)
El DeBarge is the self-titled 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] [2]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. [3]
El DeBarge | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 14, 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Genre | R&B, soul | |||
Label | Gordy | |||
Producer | Peter Wolf, Jay Graydon | |||
El DeBarge chronology | ||||
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Track listing
- "Who's Johnny" (Peter Wolf, Ina Wolf) – 4:11
- "Secrets Of The Night" (Albert Hammond, Diane Warren) – 4:20
- "I Wanna Hear It From My Heart" (Warren) – 4:25
- "Someone" (Jay Graydon, Mark Mueller, Robbie Nevil) – 4:45
- "When Love Has Gone Away" (Jack Conrad, Larry Henley) – 3:08
- "Private Line" (Diane Warren) – 3:48
- "Love Always" (Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts, Carole Bayer-Sager) – 5:32
- "Lost Without Her Love" (Randy Goodrum, Graydon) – 4:35
- "Thrill Of The Chase" (Alan Roy Scott, Roy Freeland, Gary Pickus) – 3:47
- "Don't Say It's Over" (Diane Warren) – 4:32
Reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic |
Jason Elias of Allmusic rated El DeBarge two-and-a-half out of five stars. He 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 saying: "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
- El DeBarge – vocals
- Vanity - background vocals ("Secrets Of The Night")
- Jay Graydon – synthesizer, guitar, songwriter, arranger, producer, engineer
- Peter Wolf – keyboards, producer
Michael McDonald - Background Vocals (I wanna hear it from my heart/Don't say it's over)
Charts
Chart (1986) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200[5] | 24 |
US Billboard Top R&B Albums[6] | 8 |
References
- http://www.billboard.com/artist/301529/el-debarge/chart
- http://www.billboard.com/artist/301529/el-debarge/chart?f=341
- https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=el+debarge#search_section
- Elias, Jason. El DeBarge - El DeBarge at AllMusic
- "allmusic ((( El DeBarge > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
- El DeBarge Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved on 2011-02-26.