Merciless (Stephanie Mills album)

Merciless
Studio album by Stephanie Mills
Released	August 20, 1983
Recorded	1982–1983
Studio	The Hit Factory Automated Sound Studios (New York) Cherokee Recording Studios The Record Plant Bossa Nova Hotel (Los Angeles)
Genre	R&B post-disco soul
Label	Casablanca
Producer	David Wolfert Gary Klein Phil Ramone
Stephanie Mills chronology
Love Has Lifted Me (1982) Merciless (1983) I've Got the Cure (1984)
Singles from Merciless
"Pilot Error" Released: 1983 "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" Released: 1983

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Merciless is the seventh studio album by American R&B singer Stephanie Mills. It was released in 1983 and Stephanie's second release on Casablanca Records. ^[2] The album features two Billboard R&B hits in "Pilot Error", a cover version of Prince's "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" as well as "My Body" written by singer Luther Vandross. Merciless received a nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female at the 26th Grammy Awards in 1984.

Track listing

1. "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" (Prince) - 4:12
2. "Never Get Enough of You" (David Wolfert, Henry Gaffney) - 4:31
3. "Eternal Love" (Jay Asher, Paul Jabara) - 4:41
4. "His Name Is Michael" (featuring Peggi Blu) (Cassandra Mills, Michael Sembello, Stephanie Mills) - 3:18
5. "Here I Am" (David Wolfert, Henry Gaffney) - 4:13
6. "My Body" (Luther Vandross) - 4:06
7. "Do You Love Him?" (Barbara Morr, Betsy Durkin Matthes) - 3:47
8. "Pilot Error" (Peter Kingsbery) - 5:07
9. "Since We've Been Together" (Ralph Schuckett, Richard Kleinberg) - 3:13

Personnel

• Stephanie Mills – lead and backing vocals
• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, acoustic piano
• Richard Tee – keyboards, acoustic piano
• Johnny Mandel – synthesizers, arrangements (7)
• Danny Sembello – synthesizers
• Nyle Steiner – synthesizers
• Ian Underwood – synthesizers
• Ed Walsh – synthesizers
• Buzz Feiten – guitars
• Carlos Rios – guitars
• Thom Rotella - guitars
• Michael Sembello – guitars, backing vocals
• David Wolfert – guitars, arrangements (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9), BGV arrangements
• Nathan East – bass
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass
• Ed Greene – drums
• John Robinson - drums
• Carlos Vega – drums
• Lenny Castro – percussion
• Victor Feldman – percussion
• Eddie Karam – arrangements (7)
• Ralph Schuckett – rhythm arrangements (9)
• Frank Floyd – BGV arrangements
• Peggi Blu – backing vocals
• Lani Groves – backing vocals
• Yvonne Lewis – backing vocals
• Cruz Sembello – backing vocals
• Myrna Smith – backing vocals

Technical

• John Arrais – engineer, mixing (1, 2, 3, 5-9), remixing (1, 2, 3, 5-9)
• Phil Ramone – mixing (4)
• Peter Chaiken – engineer
• Lee DeCarlo – engineer
• Bradshaw Leigh – engineer
• Brian McGee – engineer
• Marie Ostrosky – engineer
• Jay Rifkin – engineer
• Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)

Production

• Charles Koppleman – executive producer
• Gary Klein – producer (1, 2, 3, 5-9)
• David Wolfert – producer (1, 2, 3, 5-9)
• Phil Ramone – producer (4)
• Linda Gerrity – production coordinator
• Glen Christensen – art direction, photography
• Mac James – artwork, design
• Bill King – inner sleeve photography
• Cassandra Mills – cover concept
• Stephanie Mills – cover concept
• Frank DeCaro – LA contractor
• Phil Medley – NY contractor

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
US Billboard 200 [3]	104
US Billboard Top R&B Albums [4]	12

References

1. Kantor, Justin. Merciless review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
2. Stephanie Mills - Album Discography|Allmusic
3. "Stephanie Mills US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
4. Stephanie Mills - Chart history.Billboard