Let's Hear It for the Boy (album)

Last updated
Let's Hear It for the Boy
Letshearit.jpg
Studio album by
Deniece Williams
ReleasedApril 16, 1984
Recorded1983–1984
StudioThe Complex (Los Angeles, California); LeGonks West (West Hollywood, California); Soundcastle (Los Angeles, California).
Genre R&B, soul, funk, dance, post-disco
Length40:53
Label Columbia, CBS
Producer Deniece Williams, George Duke
Deniece Williams chronology
I'm So Proud
(1983)		Let's Hear It for the Boy
(1984)		 So Glad I Know
(1986)
Singles from Let's Hear It for the Boy
  1. "Let's Hear It for the Boy"
    Released: February 1984
  2. "Next Love"
    Released: 1984
  3. "Black Butterfly"
    Released: 1984

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 and No. 10 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums charts. [2] [3]

Contents

Production

Deniece Williams produced six of the album's tracks while George Duke produced the remaining four. [4] The production of the album was completed in early May 1984 and the album was released a few weeks later. [5]

Singles

The album's title track reached No. 1 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Soul Singles, and Dance Club Play charts. [6] [7] [8] On the UK Pop Singles chart, it peaked at No. 2. [9] The song was written for the 1984 feature film Footloose and appears on its soundtrack. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA. [10] [11]

Another song released as a single was, "Next Love", which peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. [12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Baltimore Sun Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Boston Globe unrated [14]
New York Daily News unrated [15]

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". [16] Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Williams' sound may be light, but it always has a proficient and artful base." [17]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Let's Hear It for the Boy"
 George Duke 4:20
2."I Want You"
Williams2:50
3."Picking Up the Pieces"
  • Williams
  • Couch
Williams4:40
4."Black Butterfly"
Duke4:25
5."Next Love"
  • Williams
  • Duke
Duke4:23
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Haunting Me"
Duke4:57
2."Don't Tell Me We Have Nothing"
  • Merrill
  • Rubicam
Williams4:00
3."Blind Dating"
Williams3:39
4."Wrapped Up"
  • Andrew Barrett
  • George McMahon
Williams3:39
5."Whiter Than Snow"TraditionalWilliams3:44

Personnel

Vocals

Musicians

Production

Chart performance

YearChartPeak
position
1984US Billboard Top 200 Albums [2] 26
US Billboard Top Black Albums [3] 10
Dutch Albums [18] 17
German Albums 59

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References

  1. 1 2 Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It For The Boy. Columbia Records. 1984.
  2. 1 2 "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Top R&B Albums)". Billboard .
  3. 1 2 "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Billboard 200)". Billboard .
  4. ↑ Matthews, Carl (June 2, 1984). "Sounds: Deniece Williams". The Afro-American . Baltimore. p. 11. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Rolling Stones plan to do video, concert in L.A. during Olympics". The Ledger. May 3, 1984. p. 2A. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Hot 100)". Billboard .
  7. ↑ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Hot Soul Songs)". Billboard .
  8. ↑ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard .
  9. ↑ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy". Official Charts .
  10. ↑ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It For The Boy". riaa.com. RIAA . Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  11. ↑ Walthall, Catherine (2022-05-13). "The Stories Behind the Soundtrack: 'Footloose'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  12. ↑ "Deniece Williams: Next Love (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard .
  13. ↑ Considine, J.D. (June 10, 1984). "Soundtracks show how well hip-hop music will prosper in the mainstream". The Baltimore Sun . p. 121.
  14. ↑ Morse, Steve (May 28, 1984). "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy". The Boston Globe . p. 100.
  15. ↑ Wyatt, Hugh (June 22, 1984). Tracing the origins of black music. New York Daily News. p. 140.
  16. ↑ Albertson, Chris (September 1984). "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It For The Boy" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Vol. 49, no. 9. Stereo Review. p. 97.
  17. ↑ Johnson, Connie (June 10, 1984). "THE RECORD RACK: STYLISH FLUFF FROM DENIECE". Los Angeles Times. p. 74.
  18. ↑ "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy". dutchcharts.nl. Dutch Charts.
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