Burnin' (Patti LaBelle album)

Last updated
Burnin'
Burnin'1991.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1, 1991
RecordedMarch–July 1991
Genre R&B
Length59:11
Label MCA
Producer
Patti LaBelle chronology
This Christmas
(1990)
Burnin'
(1991)
Live!
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Calgary Herald B [2]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [4]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [6]

Burnin' is a studio album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on October 1, 1991, in the United States to mixed reviews. The album features several collaborations, including duets with Gladys Knight and Michael Bolton, and a reunion track with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash from Labelle. It yielded three Billboard R&B chart hits: "Feels Like Another One", "Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)" and "When You've Been Blessed (Feels Like Heaven)".

Contents

The album, released on CD, LP, and cassette, was certified Gold in April 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales in excess of 500,000 copies. It reached number 71 on the Billboard 200 and number 13 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The title track Burnin' won the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1992 ceremony, jointly with a single by Lisa Fischer. In 1992, LaBelle released her first solo live album, simply titled Live!, featuring several songs from Burnin' as it was recorded during this album's promotional tour.

Under the pseudonym "Paisley Park", Prince co-wrote the song "I Hear Your Voice" along with his vocalist collaborator Rosie Gaines and her husband Francis Jules. Prince helped produce the track. [7] The album track "Temptation", B-side of the fourth single released from the album, "When You Love Somebody (I'm Saving My Love for You)", was written by Cuban-American singer Martika, who originally released it on her album Martika's Kitchen .

Critical reception

Critical reviews were mixed: Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+, [4] while the Los Angeles Times ranked it 2.5 stars out of 5, noting a reduction of LaBelle's usual intensity. [5]

Dave Obee from Calgary Herald wrote, "Not only is she on fire, she`s lighting matches and tossing them in all directions. Many hit gravel and quickly burn out. Look out, though, for the ones that touch anything flammable. Consider the song "I Don't Do Duets", a duet - huh? - with Gladys Knight. Listen as two of the strongest, most soulful and experienced voices turn a fair-to-average song into a R&B masterpiece. It's no surprise that La Belle couldn't keep the heat turned up at that level for the entire disc, but the best stuff here - the Knight song and a duet with Michael Bolton - more than makes up for its weak moments." [2]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Feels Like Another One"
  • Patti LaBelle
  • Sharon Barnes
  • James R. "Budd" Ellison
  • Michael Stokes
Stokes, Ellison5:08
2."Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)"
  • Sigler
  • Curry [A]
4:53
3."When You Love Somebody (I'm Saving My Love for You)"Ellison4:22
4."I Don't Do Duets" (duet with Gladys Knight) Michael J. Powell 5:53
5."Temptation"
Stokes4:03
6."When You've Been Blessed (Feels Like Heaven)"
  • Patti LaBelle
  • Nona Hendryx
  • Ellison
  • Nathanial Wilkie
Ellison4:55
7."Burnin' (The Fire Is Still) Burnin' for You"
  • Sigler
  • Curry
  • Sigler
  • Curry [A]
5:29
8."I Hear Your Voice"
4:22
9."We're Not Makin' Love Anymore" (duet with Michael Bolton)
4:43
10."Release Yourself" (with Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx from Labelle)
  • Hendryx
  • Warren McRae
  • Ellison
  • Nathaniel "Crockett" Wilkie [B]
4:54
11."Love Never Dies"
  • LaBelle
  • Clarence McDonald
  • Sami McKinney
  • Michael Thomas
  • McKinney
  • McDonald
5:33
12."Crazy Love"
  • David Lasley
  • Allan Rich
  • Robin Lerner
  • Marsha Malamet
Michael J. Powell 4:56
Total length:59:11

Notes

Personnel

Production

Studios

Charts

US Cashbox Chart (1991)Peak

position

Top 200 Pop Albums [12] 66
Top 75 R&B Albums [13] 11

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [14] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Music of Christmas</i> 1995 studio album by Steven Curtis Chapman

The Music of Christmas is the first Christmas album and seventh studio album overall by American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman. It was released on September 26, 1995.

<i>Winner in You</i> 1986 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Winner in You is the eighth studio album by American R&B singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on April 28, 1986, in the United States. Recording sessions took place during 1985–1986. Production was handled by several record producers, including Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Nickolas Ashford, among others.

<i>Change Your World</i> 1992 studio album by Michael W. Smith

Change Your World is a 1992 album by Contemporary Christian music artist Michael W. Smith.

<i>Christmastime</i> (Michael W. Smith album) 1998 studio album by Michael W. Smith

Christmastime is a studio album by Michael W. Smith. It was his second holiday-themed release, following 1989's Christmas.

<i>Watch Out</i> (Patrice Rushen album) 1987 studio album by Patrice Rushen

Watch Out! is a 1987 album released by R&B singer Patrice Rushen. This album was the only album Rushen released with Arista Records after leaving Elektra Records. The album produced several R&B hits for Rushen.

<i>My Utmost for His Highest</i> (album) 1995 compilation album by Various artists

My Utmost for His Highest is the first of three albums of songs inspired by Oswald Chambers' devotional of the same name. The album, produced by Brown Bannister, features performances by popular Christian musicians of songs relating to a day from Chamber's book. It was the first album to receive the GMA Dove Award for Special Event Album of the Year, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.

<i>Set the Night to Music</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Roberta Flack

Set the Night to Music is an album released by Roberta Flack in 1991 on Atlantic Records. The title track, written by Diane Warren and originally the 11th track of Starship's 1987 album No Protection, was remade as a duet with Maxi Priest and reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, "Set the Night to Music" peaked at number nine on the pop singles chart and number one on the Adult Contemporary chart. It became the 17th biggest Canadian Adult Contemporary hit of 1991.

<i>Different Lifestyles</i> 1991 studio album by BeBe & CeCe Winans

Different Lifestyles is the fourth album by brother and sister duo BeBe & CeCe Winans, released in the summer of 1991. The album included the singles "'Addictive Love" and a cover of The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There", featuring Mavis Staples. Both singles topped the R&B charts. Rapper MC Hammer made an appearance on the single "The Blood" at the height of his career. It was one of the top ten albums featured on CCM Magazine's "CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music."

<i>Back to the Grindstone</i> 1991 studio album by Ronnie Milsap

Back to the Grindstone is the twentieth studio album by American country music artist Ronnie Milsap, released on March 12, 1991. The album produced four singles, three of which reached the top ten on the Billboard country singles chart, including "Are You Lovin' Me Like I'm Lovin' You," "Since I Don't Have You," a cover of The Skyliners' 1958 standard and "Turn That Radio On." The fourth single, "All Is Fair in Love and War" peaked at number 11. Milsap produced the album with Rob Galbraith, with further assistance from Richard Landis on "Since I Don't Have You".

<i>The Spirits in It</i> 1981 studio album by Patti LaBelle

The Spirit's in It is the fifth studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by Philadelphia International Records on August 28, 1981, in the United States, her first with the label.

<i>Patti</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Patti is the seventh studio album released by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by Philadelphia International Records on July 3, 1985, in the United States.

<i>Be Yourself</i> (Patti LaBelle album) 1989 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 26, 1989 in the United States. Her second album with the company following her 1986 platinum album Winner in You, it features the single, "If You Asked Me To" which was also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill (1989), and the R&B top ten Prince-written hit "Yo Mister." The album marked LaBelle's foray into new jack swing music with the tracks "I Got It Like That", produced by Full Force, and "Love 89", another Prince contribution.

<i>Flame</i> (Patti LaBelle album) 1997 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Flame is the thirteenth studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 24, 1997, in the United States.

<i>Lucky Man</i> (Dave Koz album) 1993 studio album by Dave Koz

Lucky Man is the second studio album by saxophonist Dave Koz. It was released by Capitol Records on June 29, 1993 in NYC, followed by a nationwide release in November 1993 and international release in May 1994. The album peaked at number 2 on Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. The album has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States and has thus been certified gold by the RIAA.

<i>Twice the Love</i> 1988 studio album by George Benson

Twice the Love is a 1988 studio album by American guitarist and singer George Benson that was recorded with six production teams. The two main singles off the record were the title track "Twice the Love" and the Curtis Mayfield song "Let's Do It Again" which was a No. 1 hit for The Staple Singers in 1975.

<i>The Best Is Yet to Come</i> (Grover Washington Jr. album) 1982 studio album by Grover Washington Jr.

The Best Is Yet to Come is a 1982 studio album by American jazz musician Grover Washington Jr., released via the Elektra label. The album includes his major hit "The Best Is Yet to Come" recorded with Patti LaBelle.

<i>The Ride</i> (4Him album) 1994 studio album by 4Him

The Ride is the fifth studio album by contemporary Christian group 4Him, released in 1994 on Benson Records. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

<i>Positive</i> (Peabo Bryson album) 1988 studio album by Peabo Bryson

Positive is a studio album by the American singer Peabo Bryson, released in January 1988 by Elektra Records. The album peaked at number 157 on the US Billboard 200 and number 42 on the Billboard R&B albums chart. It was the last album Bryson recorded for Elektra before he briefly returned to Capitol Records. Positive was supported by the single "Without You", which was also the theme song to Leonard Part 6.

<i>Can You Stop the Rain</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Peabo Bryson

Can You Stop the Rain is the fifteenth studio album by American singer Peabo Bryson. It was released by Columbia Records on June 4, 1991, in the United States. Following the release of All My Love (1989), his sole return release with his longtime label, Capitol Records, the singer signed with label Columbia to complete work on his next project along with Walter Afanasieff, Peter Bunetta, Rick Chudacoff, and Barry Mann. Bryson himself became instrumental in composing and producing several songs on his own for the album along with Sir Gant and Dwight W. Watkins.

<i>Through the Fire</i> (Peabo Bryson album) 1994 studio album by Peabo Bryson

Through the Fire is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Peabo Bryson. It was released by Columbia Records on June 14, 1994, in the United States and marked Bryson's first full-length album after the release of his number-one hit duets "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) and "A Whole New World" (1992). The singer reteamed with David Foster, Walter Afanasieff, and Dwight Watkins and consulted upcoming producers Keith Rawls, Keith Thomas and Marc Freeman to work with him on the majority of Through the Fire which was titled after Bryson's cover of the Foster-penned Chaka Khan song (1984).

References

  1. AllMusic review
  2. 1 2 Obee, Dave (November 10, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald .
  3. May, Mitchell (November 14, 1991). "Patti LaBelle Burnin'". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Berger, Arion (October 18, 1991). "Music Capsule Review: Burnin'". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Johnson, Connie (January 12, 1992). "Record Rack: In Brief". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  6. Rolling Stone score list
  7. "I Hear Your Voice". Prince Vault. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  8. "Patti LaBelle ARIA chart history to 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 26, 2024 via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  9. "Patti LaBelle Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  10. "Patti LaBelle Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  11. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  12. "Cashbox Magazine" (PDF). 1992-04-04. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-07-14.
  13. "Cashbox Magazine" (PDF). 1992-05-02. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-07-19.
  14. "American album certifications – Patti LaBelle – Burnin'". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved July 26, 2020.