Forever My Lady
| Forever My Lady | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Jodeci | ||||
| Released | May 28, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1990–1991 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 53:23 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| Jodeci chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Forever My Lady | ||||
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Forever My Lady is the debut studio album by American R&B quartet Jodeci, released May 28, 1991, by Uptown Records and MCA Records. The album's production and composition was largely attributed to DeVante Swing, who worked alongside Grammy-nominated producer Al B. Sure! to craft the album's sound. Recording sessions took place at various recording studios during 1990 to 1991, and was relentlessly worked upon in order to shift the consensus with R&B music. The duo worked to add more of a hip-hop sound to the album, incorporating synthesizer-heavy rhythm tracks to compliment with the alternating themes discussed throughout the album, ranging from passionate and elegant songs about love, to energetic and swaggering songs centered around sex and partying. The group's emotionally transparent, self-absorbing lyrics are delivered in both rapped and sung verses, help to explore the feelings of love and seduction.
The album received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, who complimented the group's innovative nature when approaching the album, as well as its thematic choices and the production from Swing. Its stark change in genre drew musical comparisons to the works of hip hop group N.W.A., and alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Following an anticipated release, it debuted at number one on the Top R&B Albums on its first week, and peaked at eighteen on the U.S. Billboard 200. Three of the album's singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including the top-20 hit "Come and Talk to Me". Forever My Lady was soon certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and, as of August 1995, has sold over three million copies in the US.[1]
Release and reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
| Los Angeles Times |   [4] |
Arion Berger of Entertainment Weekly gave the effort a good review, calling the work "sophisticated beyond the band members' years" and noting that "if they can keep up the momentum of this commercially successful debut (which has already gone Top 40 on the Billboard pop album chart), Jodeci will be a force to be reckoned with."[3] Los Angeles Times critic Dennis Hunt was less impressed, writing that "the singing is so-so but the production is outstanding."[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Stay" | Donald Earle DeGrate, Jr. | 5:11 |
| 2. | "Come and Talk to Me" | DeGrate | 4:36 |
| 3. | "Forever My Lady" |
|
5:20 |
| 4. | "I'm Still Waiting" | DeGrate | 4:21 |
| 5. | "U&I" | DeGrate | 4:04 |
| 6. | "Interlude (553-Nasty)" | DeGrate | 1:47 |
| 7. | "My Phone" | DeGrate | 5:49 |
| 8. | "Gotta Love" |
|
4:43 |
| 9. | "Play Thang" | DeGrate | 4:45 |
| 10. | "It's Alright" | DeGrate | 4:36 |
| 11. | "Treat U" | DeGrate | 3:42 |
| 12. | "Xs We Share" | DeGrate | 4:29 |
| 13. | "Cherish" (bonus track, originally from the Fried Green Tomatoes soundtrack) | Terry Kirkman | 3:59 |
Chart history
Album
| Chart (1991)[1] | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 18 |
| U.S. Heatseekers | 1 |
| U.S. R&B Albums | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions[5] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | U.S. Rhythmic Top 40 | ||||
| 1991 | "Gotta Love" | — | — | 79 | — | ||
| "Forever My Lady" | 25 | — | 1 | — | |||
| "Stay" | 41 | 8 | 1 | — | |||
| 1992 | "Come and Talk to Me" | 11 | 18 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 1992 | "I'm Still Waiting" | 85 | — | 10 | — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Personnel
Information taken from Allmusic.[6]
- Art Direction – Reiner Design Consultants
- Assistant Engineering – Ellen Fitton, Michael Gilbert, Marnie Riley, Jay A. Ryan
- Engineering – Paul Logus, Dennis Mitchell, Mark Partis
- Mastering – Herb Powers
- Mixing – Al B. Sure, Mick Guzauski
- Multi-Instruments – DeVante Swing
- Production Coordination – Eloise Bryan
- Programming – Al B. Sure!, Dalvin DeGrate, DeVante Swing
Notes
- 1 2 "allmusic - Forever My Lady > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ↑ "allmusic ((( Forever My Lady > Review )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
- 1 2 Berger, Arion (1991-11-15). "MUSIC REVIEW: Forever My Lady - Jodeci". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
- 1 2 Hunt, Dennis (December 8, 1991). "POP MUSIC : What Albums to Buy . . . and to Avoid". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ "allmusic ((( Forever My Lady > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ↑ "allmusic ((( Forever My Lady > Credits )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-24.