| Niecy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 19, 1982 | |||
| Recorded | 1981 at Sigma Sound Studios (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) | |||
| Genre | R&B, soul | |||
| Label | ARC/Columbia | |||
| Producer | Thom Bell, Deniece Williams | |||
| Deniece Williams chronology | ||||
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Niecy is an album by American singer Deniece Williams which was released in 1982 on ARC/Columbia Records. [1] The album reached No. 5 on the Top Soul Albums chart and No. 20 on the Billboard 200.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Robert Christgau | B+ [3] |
With a B+, Robert Christgau found "Williams's exquisite clarity and thrilling range have always slotted her among the perfect angels for me, but there's a lot more to her work with Thom Bell, who finally challenges Burt Bacharach on his own turf, applying strings and woodwinds and amplifiers with a deft economy that textures rather than sweetens. And Williams's lyrics, while never startling, become increasingly personal as her professional confidence grows--she's wrinkling her brow more and her nose less." [3] People described the album as "upbeat, soulful and polished." [4]
Justin Kantor of AllMusic wrote that "Williams enlisted Philly soulmeister Thom Bell as her co-producer (and primary co-writer) a second time on this mellow 1982 release. Building upon the lush balladry of 1981's My Melody , this set inevitably bears a few similarities to its predecessor, but manages a more diverse soundscape." [2] J.D. Considine of Musician wrote: "Williams like the Spinners' Philippe Wynne has the uncanny ability to pull the most out of a tune while maintaining a distinctive vocal personality. Philly Soul lives." [5] Crispin Cioe of High Fidelity found "as a writer, Williams deals in the unabashedly romantic; as a singer she lends her lines an emotionalism that rings true. In Bell's sympathetically rich arranging/production context small sentiments take on grand proportions, and therein lies the album's charm." [6]
A cover of The Royalettes' "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" was released as a single. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, No. 6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles chart and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Waiting by the Hotline" | Deniece Williams, Thom Bell | 3:40 |
| 2. | "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" | Teddy Randazzo, Bob Weinstein, Lou Stallman | 4:10 |
| 3. | "Love Notes" | Deniece Williams, Skip Scarborough | 4:22 |
| 4. | "I Believe in Miracles" | Deniece Williams, Bill Neale | 2:52 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "How Does It Feel" | Deniece Williams, Thom Bell | 5:50 |
| 6. | "Waiting" | Deniece Williams, Thom Bell | 4:32 |
| 7. | "Now is The Time for Love" | Deniece Williams, Thom Bell | 4:09 |
| 8. | "A Part of Love" | Deniece Williams, Kevin Bassinson | 3:39 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" | US Billboard Hot 100 | 10 |
| US Billboard R&B Singles | 1 | ||
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles | 6 | ||
| "Waiting by the Hotline" | US Billboard Hot 100 | 103 | |
| US Billboard R&B Singles | 29 | ||
| "Waiting" | 72 |
June Deniece Williams is an American singer. She has been described as "one of the great soul voices" by the BBC. She is best known for the songs "Free", "Silly", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" and two Billboard Hot 100 No.1 singles "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". Williams has won four Grammys with twelve nominations altogether. She is also known for recording “Without Us”, the theme song of Family Ties.
Spinners is the third studio album recorded by American R&B group The Spinners, produced by Thom Bell and released in April 1973 on the Atlantic label. The album was the group's first for Atlantic after leaving Motown.
The Stylistics is the debut album by American R&B group the Stylistics, released in November 1971 on the Avco record label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. The album has been called "a sweet soul landmark."
Jungle Fever is a soundtrack album by American R&B singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder, recorded for the film Jungle Fever. It was released by the Motown label on May 28, 1991.
Living All Alone is the seventh album by American soul singer-songwriter Phyllis Hyman. It was released by Philadelphia International Records in 1986. The album contains the title track, which peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard R&B singles chart and has become one of Hyman's most well-known hits.
So Full Of Love is a 1978 album by The O'Jays. The album contains the #1 R&B hit "Use ta Be My Girl", and was awarded RIAA Platinum Certification for sales of 1,000,000 copies.
Teddy is the third album by R&B crooner Teddy Pendergrass, released in 1979. It included more "bedroom ballads" than his prior releases, and was compared to Marvin Gaye's I Want You album.
This Is Niecy is the debut album of American R&B singer Deniece Williams released on August 13, 1976 by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 33 on the Billboard 200. The album has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA and Silver in the UK by the BPI.
Song Bird is the second studio album by American singer Deniece Williams, released on October 28, 1977, by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 23 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 5 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart.
When Love Comes Calling is an album by American singer Deniece Williams issued in June 1979 on ARC/Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart.
My Melody is the fifth studio album by American singer Deniece Williams, released in March 1981 by ARC/Columbia Records. The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart. My Melody was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Pick of the Litter is the sixth studio album by American R&B group The Spinners, released in August 1975 on the Atlantic label. The album was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
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. The album reached No. 26 on the US Billboard 200 Albums chart and No. 10 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hop-Hop Albums chart.
"Next Love" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Deniece Williams. It was released in 1984 for Columbia Records. The song was written and produced by Williams and the multi-instrumentalist George Duke.
Happiness Is Being with the Spinners is the seventh studio album recorded by American R&B group The Spinners, released in July 1976 on the Atlantic label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and Kaye-Smith Studios in Seattle.
Round 2 is the second studio album recorded by American R&B group The Stylistics, released in October 1972 on the Avco label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
Rockin' Roll Baby is the third studio album recorded by American R&B group The Stylistics, released in November 1973 on the Avco label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studio North in Philadelphia. This was the group's last album produced by Bell.
I'm So Proud is an album by American singer Deniece Williams which was released in 1983 by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 10 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.
Track of the Cat is a studio album by the American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1975 in the United States. Her second album to be released that year, it peaked at number 137 on the US Top LPs & Tape chart.
"Waiting by the Hotline" is a song written by Thom Bell and Deniece Williams and recorded by Williams for her 1982 album Niecy. Produced by Bell, it was released as a single in 1982 by ARC/Columbia Records, reaching number 29 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.
