Let's Hear It for the Boy (album)
Let's Hear It for the Boy is the eighth studio album by American recording artist Deniece Williams, released on April 16, 1984, by Columbia Records.[1] The album reached No. 26 on the US Billboard 200 Albums chart and No. 10 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hop-Hop Albums chart.
| Let's Hear It for the Boy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 16, 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1983–1984 | |||
| Studio | The Complex (Los Angeles, California); LeGonks West (West Hollywood, California); Soundcastle (Los Angeles, California). | |||
| Genre | R&B, soul, funk, dance, post-disco | |||
| Length | 40:53 | |||
| Label | Columbia, CBS | |||
| Producer | Deniece Williams, George Duke | |||
| Deniece Williams chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Let's Hear It for the Boy | ||||
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Production edit
Deniece Williams produced six of the album's tracks while George Duke produced the remaining four.[2] The production of the album was completed in early May 1984 before the album was released a few weeks later.[3]
Singles edit
The album's title track reached No. 1 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Soul Singles, and Dance Club Play charts.[4][5][6] On the UK Pop Singles chart, it peaked at No. 2.[7] The song was written for the 1984 feature film Footloose and appears on its soundtrack. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Other tracks from the album released as singles include, "Next Love", which reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart,[8] and "Black Butterfly", which reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.[9]
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Baltimore Sun | [10] |
| Boston Globe | unrated[11] |
| Los Angeles Times | unrated[12] |
| New York Daily News | unrated[13] |
| Stereo Review | unrated[14] |
Chris Albertson of Stereo Review noted "Williams not only has a fine voice, she also knows exactly how to use it-when to let it loose and when not to. There is no screaming here, just fine vocalizing and first-rate arrangements".[14] Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times scribed "Williams' sound may be light, but it always has a proficient and artful base."[12]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Let's Hear It for the Boy" | George Duke | 4:20 | |
| 2. | "I Want You" |
| Williams | 2:50 |
| 3. | "Picking Up the Pieces" |
| Williams | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Black Butterfly" | Duke | 4:25 | |
| 5. | "Next Love" |
| Duke | 4:23 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Haunting Me" |
| Duke | 4:57 |
| 2. | "Don't Tell Me We Have Nothing" |
| Williams | 4:00 |
| 3. | "Blind Dating" |
| Williams | 3:39 |
| 4. | "Wrapped Up" |
| Williams | 3:39 |
| 5. | "Whiter Than Snow" | Traditional | Williams | 3:44 |
Personnel edit
Vocals
- Deniece Williams – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 6–10), arrangements (2)
- George Merrill – backing vocals (1, 3, 5–9)
- Shannon Rubicam – backing vocals (1, 3, 5–9)
- Oren Waters – backing vocals (3, 9)
- Roosevelt Christmas III – backing vocals (5, 6)
Musicians
- George Duke – Memorymoog (1, 5), Prophet-5 (1, 4), Moog bass (1), LinnDrum programming (1, 6), keyboards (2), Rhodes (5), synthesizers (6), vocoder (6), special effects (6)
- Leon Pendarvis – synthesizers (3, 8, 9), arrangements (3, 7–9)
- Kevin Grady – synthesizers (3, 8, 9)
- Russell Ferrante – acoustic piano (3, 4, 8, 9), Rhodes (4)
- George Merrill – Roland Jupiter 8 (6), LinnDrum programming (6), arrangements (6)
- Jerry Peters – organ (10), arrangements (10)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (1, 3, 5, 7–9)
- Jeff Baxter – guitars (3, 7–9)
- Michael Sembello – guitars (4, 6)
- Nathan East – bass (3, 4, 7–9)
- Freddie Washington – bass (5)
- Ricky Lawson – drums (3–5, 7, 8)
- Ricky Nelson – drums (9)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3)
- Sheila E. – percussion (5)
- John Robinson – tom toms (6)
- Ronnie Laws – tenor saxophone (2)
- Richard Elliot – lyricon (4)
- Hubert Laws – flute (5)
- George Del Barrio – string arrangements (2)
Production
- Larkin Arnold – executive producer
- George Duke – producer (1, 4–6)
- Deniece Williams – producer (2, 3, 7–10)
- Tommy Vicari – remix engineer (1), recording engineer (4–6)
- Tom Perry – engineer (2, 3, 7–10)
- Mick Guzauski – recording engineer (4–6)
- Nick Spigel – second engineer (4–6)
- Mitch Gibson – second string engineer (4)
- Bernie Grundman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
- Constance Guzman – production assistant
- Tony Lane – art direction
- Nancy Donald – art direction
- Margaret MacFarlane – photography
- Bridget Bergman – make-up
- D.W. Enterprises – management
Chart performance edit
| Year | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | US Billboard Top 200 Albums[15] | 26 |
| US Billboard Top Black Albums[16] | 10 | |
| Dutch Albums[17] | 17 | |
| German Albums | 59 |
References edit
- ^ Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It For The Boy. Columbia Records. 1984.
- ^ Matthews, Carl (June 2, 1984). "Sounds: Deniece Williams". The Afro-American. Baltimore. p. 11. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ "Rolling Stones plan to do video, concert in L.A. during Olympics". The Ledger. May 3, 1984. p. 2A. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Hot Soul Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy". Official Charts.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Next Love (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Black Butterfly (Hot Soul Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ Considine, J.D. (June 10, 1984). Soundtracks show how well hip-hop music will prosper in the mainstream. Baltimore Sun. p. 121.
- ^ Morse, Steve (May 28, 1984). Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It For The Boy. Boston Globe. p. 100.
- ^ a b Johnson, Connie (June 10, 1984). "THE RECORD RACK: STYLISH FLUFF FROM DENIECE". Los Angeles Times. p. 74.
- ^ Wyatt, Hugh (June 22, 1984). Tracing the origins of black music. New York Daily News. p. 140.
- ^ a b Albertson, Chris (September 1984). "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It For The Boy" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Vol. 49, no. 9. Stereo Review. p. 97.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Top R&B Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy". dutchcharts.nl. Dutch Charts.