Just Be My Lady

Last updated
Just Be My Lady
Just Be My Lady.jpg
Studio album by
Larry Graham
Released1981
StudioThe Music Machine, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, California
Genre R&B, funk
Label Warner [1]
Producer Larry Graham
Larry Graham chronology
One in a Million You
(1980)		Just Be My Lady
(1981)		Sooner or Later
(1982)

Just Be My Lady is an album by the American R&B and funk musician Larry Graham, released in 1981. [2] [3] Graham re-recorded the title track for his 1998 album, GCS 2000 . [4]

Contents

The album peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. [5] It peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart. [6]

Production

Graham continued to move away from funk music, putting more emphasis on his R&B ballads. [7] He produced the album and played almost all of the instruments. [8] "Guess Who" is a cover of the Jesse Belvin song. [9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The New Rolling Stone Record Guide Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]

The Washington Informer thought that "Graham has established himself as a vocal personality that rivals, perhaps overshadows, his instrumental personality—one drips with tenderness while the other booms furiously." [12] Stereo Review called the album "a set of slow ballads oozed out in Lou Rawls-like low gear." [9] The Bangor Daily News determined that "what traces of his old R&B background exist have been pasteurized and homogenized." [13]

AllMusic wrote that "some selections are shaded with Graham's doo wop and gospel influence, and all have much appeal." [10] Dave Marsh, in The New Rolling Stone Record Guide , dismissed Graham as "one of those lugubriously philosophizing soul crooners." [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Larry Graham; except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Just Be My Lady" 4:24
2."Loving You Is Beautiful" 4:29
3."Guess Who"Jesse Belvin, Jo Ann Belvin4:58
4."Our Love Keeps Growing Strong" 4:14
5."Can't Nobody Take Your Place" 4:40
6."No Place Like Home" 3:40
7."Baby, You Are My Sunshine" 4:06
8."I Just Love You" 3:38
9."Feels Like Love" 3:26
10."Remember When" 4:07

Personnel

Technical

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References

  1. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 849.
  2. ↑ "Larry Graham Biography & History". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ Gregory, Hugh (1995). Soul Music A-Z. Da Capo Press. p. 123.
  4. ↑ Jones, Steve (2 Feb 1999). "R&B: Graham Central Station GCS 2000". USA Today. p. 4D.
  5. ↑ "Larry Graham". Billboard.
  6. ↑ Thompson, Dave (August 14, 2001). Funk. Backbeat Books. ISBN   9780879306298 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ "Balladeering Graham Thanks Fans with Contest". Jet. Vol. 60, no. 22. Aug 13, 1981. p. 18.
  8. ↑ The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. Fireside Books. 1995. pp. 410–411.
  9. 1 2 Albertston, Chris (December 1981). "Larry Graham: Just Be My Lady". Stereo Review. Vol. 46, no. 12. pp. 85–86.
  10. 1 2 "Just Be My Lady". AllMusic.
  11. 1 2 The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1983. p. 203.
  12. ↑ Brower, W. A. (Oct 12, 1983). "Review: Graham at His Best". The Washington Informer. No. 51. p. 14.
  13. ↑ Bright, David (5 Sep 1981). "First Impressions". ME. Bangor Daily News. p. 57.
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