The Comfort Zone (album)
The Comfort Zone is the second studio album by American R&B singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released by Mercury's Wing Records Label on August 20, 1991.
The Comfort Zone | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 20, 1991 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 66:27 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Vanessa Williams chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Comfort Zone | ||||
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Single releases
The first single off the album was "Running Back to You", an uptempo song that peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number eighteen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "The Comfort Zone", the second single, peaked at sixty two on the Hot 100, but number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Save the Best for Last" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks straight. "Just for Tonight", was the fourth single from the album reaching number twenty-six on the Hot 100, followed by "Work to Do" which achieved moderate success.
Commercial success
The album peaked at #17 on the US Billboard 200 and reached number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In the UK, it peaked at number twenty-four upon its release in April 1992 before quickly falling out of the top fifty.
The album sold 2.8 million copies worldwide at its time of release, with 1.8 million of those sold in the US. It has since been certified three times platinum in the US and gold in Canada by the CRIA.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Chicago Tribune |
The album was nominated for five Grammy Awards: Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "Runnin' Back to You" in 1992; and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Record of the Year and "Song of the Year" for "Save the Best for Last", and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "The Comfort Zone" in 1993.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "The Comfort Zone" | Kipper Jones, Reggie Stewart | Gerry Brown, Jones | 3:59 |
2. | "Running Back to You" | Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston | Bob Rosa, Hairston, DJ L.A. Jay, Rob Von Arx, Gale | 4:39 |
3. | "Work to Do" (featuring Dres) | O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley | Dr. Jam, Brown, Phase 5, Vanessa Williams | 4:36 |
4. | "You Gotta Go" (featuring Brian McKnight) | Dr. Jam, McKnight, Mark Stevens | McKnight, Dr. Jam, Brown | 6:21 |
5. | "Still in Love" | Derek Bramble | Bramble | 5:22 |
6. | "Save the Best for Last" | Phil Galdston, Jon Lind, Wendy Waldman | Keith Thomas | 3:38 |
7. | "What Will I Tell My Heart?" | Irving Gordon, Jack Lawrence, Peter Tinturin | Brown, Williams | 4:17 |
8. | "Strangers Eyes" | Dr. Jam, Brown, Stevens | Dr. Jam, Brown, Stevens | 6:16 |
9. | "2 of a Kind" | Dr. Jam, Williams | Dr. Jam, Brown, Williams | 5:16 |
10. | "Freedom Dance (Get Free!)" | Jones, Stewart | Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, Brown, Jones | 4:14 |
11. | "Just for Tonight" | Thomas, Cynthia Weil | Thomas | 4:28 |
12. | "One Reason" | Thomas, Weil | Thomas | 4:52 |
13. | "Better off Now" | Thomas, Bryndle | Thomas | 4:14 |
14. | "Goodbye" | Gary Chapman, Thomas | Thomas | 4:21 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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15. | "The Right Stuff (Norman Cook 12" Remix)" | Rex Salas, Kipper Jones | Rex Salas | 6:18 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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16. | "Running Back to You (DNA 7" mix)" | Gale, Kenni Hairston | Bob Rosa, Hairston, Jay, Von Arx, Gale | 3:25 |
The tracks "Work to Do" and "What Will I Tell My Heart?" both appeared in the film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man; the latter also appeared on the film's soundtrack album.
Production
- Produced by Vanessa Williams (exec.), Ed Eckstine (also executive), Keith Thomas, Brian McKnight, Kenni Hairston, Derek Bramble, Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Kipper Jones, Phase 5, Mark Stevens and Reggie Stewart
- Engineers – Derek Bramble, Claude Demers, Joe Schiff, Will Schillinger, Allen Sides, Kieran Walsh, Matt Wells, Gerry Brown
- Assistant engineers – Steve Charles, Foley, Roy Gamble, Marty Lester, Todd Moore, Gary Paczosa, Mike Piersante, Brian Soucey
- Mixing – Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, Humberto Gatica, Bill Whittington, Vanessa L. Williams
- Mix assistants – Jeff Gledt, John Kunz, John David Parker, Brian Soucey
- Mastering – Herb Powers
Personnel
- Drums – DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, Mark Hammond, Harvey Mason Sr.
- Drum programming – Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Mark Hammond, Reggie Stewart, Keith Thomas
- "Beats" – D.J. LA Jay, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx
- Samples – Phase 5, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx
- Keyboards – Greg Arnold, Derek Bramble, Merv DePyere, DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, David Frank, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Fred McFarlane, Monty Seward, Keith Thomas
- Piano – Jorgen Kaufma, Brian McKnight, Randy Waldman
- Bass – Stanley Clarke, Fred McFarlane, Cornelius Mims, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Keith Thomas
- Synthesized bass – David Frank
- Guitars – Dann Huff, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jerry McPherson, Wah Wah Watson
- Mandolin – Jerry McPherson
- Saxophone – Gerald Albright, Pete Christlieb, Mark Douthit, Thomas Haas, Scott Mayo
- Trumpet – Fernando Pullum
- Trombone – Duane Benjamin
- Flute – Hubert Laws
- Strings – The Nashville String Machine
- Horns arranged by Scott Mayo
- Strings arranged by Keith Thomas
- Backing vocals – Debbie Cole, Dres, Lori Fulton, Vicki Hampton, Kipper Jones, Valerie Mayo, Donna McElroy, Rick Nelson, Tata Vega
- Vocals arranged by Gerry Brown, Kipper Jones, Brian McKnight, Mark Stevens, Keith Thomas and Vanessa Williams
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1991-1992) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (ARIA)[5] | 29 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6] | 24 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[7] | 52 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] | 28 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] | 29 |
UK Albums (OCC)[10] | 24 |
US Billboard 200[11] | 17 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[12] | 1 |
Certifications
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[13] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Japan (RIAJ)[14] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[15] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000^ |
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
See also
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1992 (U.S.)
References
- https://www.allmusic.com/album/r21917
- May, Mitchell (November 7, 1991). "Vanessa Williams The Comfort Zone". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
- "The Comfort Zone: Vanessa Williams: Music". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2011-12-26.
- "The Comfort Zone: Vanessa Williams: Music". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-11-10.
- "Australiancharts.com – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2129". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
- "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
- "Swisscharts.com – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
- "Vanessa Williams | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- "Vanessa Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- "Vanessa Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- "Canadian album certifications – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Music Canada. May 29, 1992.
- "Japanese album certifications – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 23, 2020. Select 1994年2月 on the drop-down menu
- "American album certifications – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Recording Industry Association of America. October 30, 1996. Retrieved October 22, 2018. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.