It's Real (James Ingram album)

Last updated

It's Real
James-ingram-its-real.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 23, 1989
Recorded198789
Studio
  • Soundworks and Sigma Sound
    (New York City, New York )
    Ocean Way Recording
    (Hollywood, California)
    Midi Madness Studio and Studio Ultimo
    (Los Angeles, California)
    Encore Studios and The Enterprise
    (Burbank, California)
Genre
Length51:27
Label Qwest, Warner Bros.
Producer James Ingram, Thom Bell, Gene Griffin, Gerald Levert, Dennis Matkosky, Michael J. Powell, Bernard Taylor
James Ingram chronology
Never Felt So Good
(1986)
It's Real
(1989)
Always You
(1993)

It's Real is the third full-length recording by American R&B singer-songwriter James Ingram. It was released in May 1989 on Qwest/Warner Bros. Records, and features the smash hit single "I Don't Have the Heart", which peaked at number 1 for 1 week. It also features a remake of the classic song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", re-written with different lyrics and entitled "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man".

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Boston Globe (favourable) [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Robin Katz, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week , left mainly favourable overlook on this album, saying that "Ingram presents his usual standard of contemporary sophisticated soul." He concluded: "Title track could be a smash and will appeal to Bobby Brown boppers while final cut is weepie in Whitney style." [4]

Track listing

Side one – It's Real Hard

  1. "It's Real" (Kemp Frank, Gene Griffin, Barry Hankerson, Ingram) - 5:13
  2. "I Wanna Come Back" (Marc Gordon, Gerald Levert) - 4:51
  3. "Call On Me" (Ingram, Bernard Taylor) - 4:03
  4. "So Fine" (Ingram, Bernard Taylor) - 4:04
  5. "Love Come Down" (Gene Griffin, Ingram) - 5:40
  6. "Baby Be Mine" (Bell, Ingram) - 5:00

Side two – It's Real Soft

  1. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler) - 5:04
  2. "Love One Day at a Time" (Ingram, Monty Seward) - 4:31
  3. "I Don't Have the Heart" (Jud Friedman, Allan Rich) - 4:14
  4. "Someday We'll All Be Free" (Donny Hathaway, Edward Howard) - 4:10
  5. "When Was the Last Time the Music Made You Cry" (Ingram, Dennis Matkosky, Kathy Wakefield) - 4:57

Personnel

Production

Additional Credits

Charts

Chart (1989)Peak
position
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [5] 34
US Billboard 200 [6] 117
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [7] 44

References

  1. "James Ingram: It's Real". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
  2. Thorpe, Richard (March 22, 1989). James Ingram: It's Real. Boston Globe. p. 99.
  3. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 343.
  4. Katz, Robin (June 24, 1989). "Review: James Ingram – It's Real" (PDF). Music Week . London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 24. ISSN   0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2022 via World Radio History.
  5. "Swedishcharts.com – James Ingram – It's Real". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  6. "James Ingram Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  7. "James Ingram Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2020.