| Runaway Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| EP by | ||||
| Released | September 21, 1993 | |||
| Recorded | September 1991 – August 1993 | |||
| Length | 24:22 | |||
| Label | East West | |||
| Producer | ||||
| En Vogue chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Runaway Love | ||||
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Runaway Love is an EP by American recording group En Vogue. It was released by East West Records on September 21, 1993, in the United States. The EP followed their multi-platinum hit album Funky Divas in 1992. The EP contains the title track, "Runaway Love" featuring FMob, known as Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide | A− [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A− [3] |
| Los Angeles Times | [4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [5] |
| Vibe | (favorable) [6] |
AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine found that "apart from the great title track, there is little in this collection of filler and remixes of interest to anyone but dedicated fans." [1] James Earl Hardy from Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Even on an EP, the ladies have got it goin’ on. The remixes of "Hip Hop Lover," "Desire," and "What Is Love" are smokin’, while the new tunes [...] prove these divas have more in common with The Emotions and The Sweet Inspirations than with The Supremes." [3]
Runaway Love debuted at number 57 on the US Billboard 200 and number 17 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the week of July 5, 1993, with first-week sales of 17,500 copies. [7] It eventually peaked at number 49 on the Billboard 200 and 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [8] [9] The self-titled lead single from Runaway Love quickly became a hit on US Pop and R&B: Also included is the hit collaboration with Salt-N-Pepa, titled "Whatta Man", a top five hit on Billboard's Hot 100 and Top R&B Songs. [10] The EP also features new remixes of "What Is Love", "Desire", and "Hip Hop Lover" from the Funky Divas album.
All songs written and produced by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, except noted otherwise.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Runaway Love (E.P. Version)" (featuring FMob) | 4:58 | ||
| 2. | "Whatta Man" (Salt-N-Pepa featuring En Vogue) | 4:54 | ||
| 3. | "Hip Hop Lover (Hip Hop Remix)" | 4:18 | ||
| 4. | "Desire (Dancehall Remix)" | 3:57 | ||
| 5. | "What Is Love (Club Mix)" | 5:35 | ||
| 6. | "Runaway Love (Extended Version)" (featuring FMob) | 5:36 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Runaway Love. [11]
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|
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [8] | 49 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9] | 16 |
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hold On", taken from their 1990 debut album Born to Sing. The group's 1992 follow-up album Funky Divas reached the top 10 in both the US and UK, and included their second US number two hit "My Lovin' " as well as the US top 10 hits "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" and "Free Your Mind".
Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy are an American R&B record production and songwriting duo, releasing recordings under the names Foster & McElroy and Fmob. They have written and produced songs for musicians such as Club Nouveau, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Alexander O'Neal, Regina Belle, and Swing Out Sister. Their music has been sampled in hit songs by the Luniz, Puff Daddy, Ashanti, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Jessica Simpson, and others. Foster & McElroy are best known as the founders of the group En Vogue, listed by Billboard as one of the Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time. In addition to producing music for various television shows, they are also credited for songs in numerous movie soundtracks including The Great White Hype, Lean on Me, and Who's That Girl.
Funky Divas is the second studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released by Atlantic Records division East West on March 24, 1992, in the United States. Conceived after the success of their Grammy Award–nominated debut album Born to Sing (1990), En Vogue reteamed with their founders Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy to work on the entire album. As with Born to Sing, the pair borrowed from contemporary R&B, new jack swing, and hip hop, while also incorporating classic soul, blues and doo-wop elements, particularly on its on two Sparkle cover versions, as well as, in the case of "Free Your Mind," heavy metal sounds. The album became the quartet's second album to earn a Grammy Award nomination in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category, while winning the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and the Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year at the 1993 Soul Train Music Awards.
Terry Lynn Ellis is an American singer. She is best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue which formed in 1989.
Maxine Jones, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman, best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop group En Vogue, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. She sang lead vocals on the group's signature singles "My Lovin' " and "Don't Let Go (Love)", both of which garnered international success and sold over a million copies. Throughout her career, Jones has sold over 20 million records with En Vogue. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including two American Music Awards, a Billboard Music Award, four MTV Video Music Awards, and four Soul Train Music Awards.
"My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" is a song by American pop/R&B group En Vogue, released in March 1992 as the lead single from their multi-platinum second album, Funky Divas (1992).
Born to Sing is the debut studio album by American vocal group En Vogue. It was released by Atlantic Records on April 3, 1990, in the United States. Conceived after their contribution to band founders Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy's 1988 compilation project FM2 for Atlantic, it was chiefly produced by Foster and McElroy, with additional contribution from Hughie Prince, Don Raye, and former the Independents members Marvin Yancy and Chuck Jackson, through song covers. Musically, Born to Sing contains a range of contemporary genres, blending a mix of soft hip hop soul, pop, contemporary early-1990s R&B, rap, and new jack swing.
Soul Flower is the sixth studio album by the American recording group En Vogue. Released through 33rd Street and Funkigirl Records and distributed by Bayside Entertainment on February 24, 2004 in the United States, the album marked the band's debut with the label as well as their first full-length release to feature vocals by new band member Rhona Bennett who had joined remaining founding members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron the year before following the departure of Amanda Cole, resulting into the partial re-recording of several songs on Soul Flower that Cole had originally lent her voice to.
"Hold On" is a song by American girl group En Vogue, released in early 1990 as the first single from their debut album, Born to Sing (1990). It was produced by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, and written by the former two and all members of the group. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. In the latter country, the song reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Play, 12-inch Singles Sales, and Hot Black Singles charts. En Vogue performed "Hold On" at the 2008 BET Awards with Alicia Keys. In 2017, it was ranked number four on Spin magazine's ranking of "The 30 Best '90s R&B Songs".
"Something He Can Feel" is a song composed by Curtis Mayfield for the 1976 motion picture Sparkle. The song, a love ballad in a Chicago-/Philly-soul style, became a number-one hit on the Billboard's R&B singles chart in the United States twice with two separate recordings: a 1976 version by Aretha Franklin from the film's soundtrack, and a 1992 cover by girl group En Vogue.
"Give It Up, Turn It Loose" is a song by American R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue, released as the fourth single from their second album, Funky Divas (1992). The song's title is a reference to the 1969 James Brown song "Give It Up or Turnit a Loose". Released on November 12, 1992 by Eastwest Records, the single reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 16 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, and number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. It was written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, and features Maxine Jones on lead entirely. The music video was directed by Marcus Nispel. In 1994, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
"Love Don't Love You" is a song by American R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue, released in February 1993 by Eastwest Records as the final single from their second album, Funky Divas (1992). The song was both written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, and became the group's fifth consecutive top-40 single from the album in the United States. It peaked at numbers 36 and 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100. The song is led by group members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron.
"What Is Love" was the final single from En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas. The song was not released commercially, but was instead shipped to dance clubs across the United States. "What Is Love" reached the Top 10 of the US dance charts. The song appeared again in 1993 as part of the group's Runaway Love EP. This was the only song En Vogue produced for market featuring Maxine Jones and Cindy Herron sharing lead vocals. It was initially to be included on Remix to Sing as a new song, but missed the production deadline and was added to Funky Divas.
"Riddle" is a song recorded by American R&B group En Vogue. It was written by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, along with band members Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, and Terry Ellis, for their fourth studio album Masterpiece Theater (2000), while production was helmed by Foster & McElroy. An angry mid-tempo song about a sneaking, cheating lover, "Riddle" is built around a clapping game motif, and interpolates the band's 1992 song "My Lovin' ." Lyrically, it has the protagonist revealing her feelings about discovering that her love interest is having an affair with someone else over the course of the week.
EV3 is the third studio album by American female vocal group En Vogue. It was released by East West Records on June 17, 1997, in the United States. Recorded after a lengthy break during which the group members became mothers or put out solo records, the album was En Vogue's first project to include a diverse roster of collaborators including credits from Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, and Organized Noize along with regular contributors Foster & McElroy. It marked their first album without Dawn Robinson, who decided to leave the group late into the recording of EV3 to focus on her solo career. Her absence meant much of the album had to be rerecorded to account for En Vogue's altered sound.
Best of En Vogue is the first greatest hits compilation album by the American R&B/pop group En Vogue. It was released in 1999 on East West Records. The album comprises nearly all of their hit singles released between the years of 1990 and 1998.
"Runaway Love" is a song by American R&B/pop group En Vogue, released in September 1993 by Eastwest Records as the first single from the group's extended play (EP) Runaway Love. After the huge success of their second album, Funky Divas (1992), the single was released. It was written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster. Group members Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis share lead vocals, Dawn Robinson leads on the bridge, and spoken intro is by Maxine Jones. Elroy and Foster contributed vocals and spoken rap, their known as the alias FMob group. In the US, the song reached numbers 51 and 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100.
Masterpiece Theatre is the fourth studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released worldwide by Elektra Records on May 23, 2000. It marked the band's debut with Elektra, as well as their only release following their departure from longtime label Eastwest Records. Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones worked exclusively with regular collaborators Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy on the album who made heavy use of samples from classical music and traditional pop music to construct songs for Masterpiece Theatre, with its title alluding to the same-titled American drama anthology television series, best known for presenting adaptations of a mix of contemporary and classic novels and biographies.
"Ooh Boy" is a song recorded by American recording group En Vogue. It was written by Jamie Brewer, Kisha Griffin, Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy for their sixth studio album Soul Flower (2004), while production was helmed by Foster and McElroy. An uptempo R&B song with a funky disco groove, it features lead vocals from Rhona Bennett and Terry Ellis. "Ooh Boy" was released as the second and final single from the album, serving as its lead single. The song reached the top thirty of the US Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. In support of the song, En Vogue performed it on several US television shows such as Soul Train and On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
"Rocket" is a song by American recording group En Vogue. It was written by singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and recorded for their seventh studio album Electric Café (2018), while production was handled by Curtis "Sauce" Wilson. The R&B song served as the album's lead single and was released on December 1, 2017 through En Vogue Records and eOne Music. In the United States, the song peaked at number eight on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart, becoming En Vogue's first top 10 hit in twenty years.
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