| Menagerie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 29, 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||
| Studio | The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California A&R Recording, New York City, New York | |||
| Genre | Soul, R&B | |||
| Length | 38:26 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Bill Withers, Keni Burke, Clarence McDonald, Cliff Coulter | |||
| Bill Withers chronology | ||||
| ||||
Menagerie is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer Bill Withers, released on October 29, 1977, through the Columbia label.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C+ [2] |
Menagerie is overall more uptempo and less introspective in feel than Withers' previous albums. None of the songs tackle intensely personal emotions of the kind which lent a dark edge to earlier Withers tracks such as "Use Me", "Better Off Dead" or "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)". The arrangements are also generally upbeat and breezy, with "I Want to Spend the Night" and "Tender Things" having a distinct Latin feel, and "Lovely Night for Dancing" and "She Wants To (Get On Down)" showing disco influences. The lead single "Lovely Day" has gone on to become one of Withers' signature songs, particularly in the UK, where it was a top 10 hit both on its original release and again in a remixed version in 1988.
Menagerie peaked at No. 16 on the R&B chart and No. 39 on the Billboard 200. It was Withers' biggest-selling album in the UK, where it reached No. 27.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lovely Day" |
| 4:15 |
| 2. | "I Want to Spend the Night" | Withers | 3:41 |
| 3. | "Lovely Night for Dancing" | Withers | 5:51 |
| 4. | "Then You Smile at Me" |
| 4:54 |
| 5. | "She Wants To (Get On Down)" |
| 3:15 |
| 6. | "It Ain't Because of Me Baby" |
| 3:31 |
| 7. | "Tender Things" | Withers | 5:02 |
| 8. | "Wintertime" | Cliff Coulter | 3:17 |
| 9. | "Let Me Be the One You Need" |
| 4:44 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Year | Single | Chart positions [8] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | US R&B | US A/C | ||
| 1977 | "Lovely Day" | 30 | 6 | 25 |
| 1978 | "Lovely Night for Dancing" | — | 75 | — |
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