Samantha Cole (album)

Samantha Cole
Studio album by Samantha Cole
Released	September 9, 1997
Studio	Oakshire (Los Angeles) Sound Gallery (Burbank) Chartmaker (Los Angeles) Record Plant (Los Angeles) Tracken Place (Los Angeles) Music Grinder The Loft (Bronxville, New York) The Hit Factory (New York) Whorga (New York) Banana Boat (Los Angeles) Le Crib
Genre	Pop pop soul R&B
Label	Universal
Producer	Nile Rodgers Rhett Lawrence David Foster Jon-John Richard Marx Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers Jimmy Harry Khris Kellow Claude Gaudette
Singles from Samantha Cole
"Happy with You" Released: July 1997 "Without You" Released: November 1997 "Sweet Sweet Surrender" Released: December 1997

Samantha Cole is the debut album by American singer Samantha Cole. Universal Records released it on September 9, 1997.

Release and promotion

United States and Canada

Universal issued Samantha Cole in the United States on September 9, 1997. ^[1] The album was preceded by the release of lead single "Happy with You" in July 1997, ^[2] which the label believed was suited for summer due to the composition's "upbeat" nature. ^[3] The song was issued to American retail outlets as a cassette and CD single ^[4] and promoted to pop, rhythmic, and adult contemporary radio stations for airplay. ^[5] A moderate success, ^[1] "Happy with You" peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for five weeks. ^[6] In Canada, the single rose as far as number 55 on the RPM 100 all-format airplay chart. ^[7] Cole performed "Happy with You" during halftime shows at stadiums during the 1997 National Football League season. ^[8]

After contemplating "Surrender to Me" and "I'm By Your Side" as follow-ups, ^[3] Universal issued "Without You" as the second single in November 1997. ^[9] The song reached number 25 on the Radio & Records adult contemporary airplay chart. ^[10]

Asia

MCA Victor released Samantha Cole in Japan on December 17, 1997. The label issued "Sweet Sweet Surrender" as the lead single there on the same day. ^[11] "Without You" followed as the second Japanese single on February 21, 1998, ^[11] and experienced success across Asia. ^[12] Cole participated in a promotional tour to Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines where she gave interviews, performed live, and attended fan meet and greets. ^[13] The perfume company Estée Lauder organized several events wherein Cole promoted their fragrance "Happy" in conjunction with "Happy with You". ^[14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Age	[15]
AllMusic	[16]
The Huntsville Times	2/5 [17]

Samantha Cole was viewed as having strong commercial viability. Music critics considered Cole's appearance; ^[18] the album's combination of ballads, R&B songs, and covers; ^[15] and the involvement of producers Foster and Rodgers as factors contributing to potential sales. ^[19] Sandra Schulman of the Sun-Sentinel suggested Cole had "her little spike heel firmly wedged in the door to success". ^[20]

Critics thought the album lacked originality. For AllMusic writer Alex Henderson, it "sounds like the result of a marketing meeting rather than true artistic inspiration". ^[16] In The Virginian-Pilot , Nia Ngina Meeks thought Samantha Cole imitated other contemporary R&B records. ^[21] Cole's performance received negative comparisons to Mariah Carey, whom critics thought she emulated but lacked the same vocal ability. ^[22]

Track listing

Standard edition ^[23]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Down in Love"	Russ DeSalvo Samantha Cole James Greco	Nile Rodgers	3:58
2.	"Happy with You"	Cole Berny Cosgrove Kevin Clark	Rhett Lawrence	3:50
3.	"I'm Right Here"	Rick Nowels Billy Steinberg Deborah Cox Lascelles Stephens	David Foster	4:25
4.	"Sometimes"	Jon-John Cole	Jon-John	5:07
5.	"Without You"	Foster Richard Marx Cole	Foster Marx	4:40
6.	"Surrender to Me" (duet with Richard Marx)	Marx Ross Vannelli	Marx	3:45
7.	"Sweet Sweet Surrender"	Evan Rogers Carl Sturken Cole	Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers	4:21
8.	"Crazy"	Jimmy Harry Cole	Harry	4:23
9.	"I'm By Your Side"	Diane Warren	Khris Kellow	4:56
10.	"You Light Up My Life"	Joseph Brooks	Foster Claude Gaudette	3:56
11.	"What You Do to Me"	Rodgers Cole Tom Boyd Victor Taylor	Rodgers	4:20
12.	"Shadow of Love"	Cole Cosgrove Clark	Lawrence	4:35

Bonus tracks edition

No.	Title	Length
13.	"You Light Up My Life – Vocal Club Mix"
14.	"You Light Up My Life – Deep Dub Mix"
15.	"Without Someone"

Disc 2: VCD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Without You" (video)
2.	"I'm By Your Side" (video)
3.	"You Light Up My Life" (video)

Personnel

Musicians

• Russ DeSalvo – songwriting (1)
• Samantha Cole – songwriting (1–2, 4–5, 7–8, 11–12), background vocals (1–4, 7–9, 12)
• James Greco – songwriting (1)
• Herbie Tribino – programming, keyboards, guitars (1)
• Richard Hilton – programming, keyboards (1)
• Audrey Martells – background vocals (1)
• Nile Rodgers – producer (1, 11), guitars (1, 11), songwriting (11)
• Berny Cosgrove – songwriting (2, 12)
• Kevin Clark – songwriting (2, 12)
• Rhett Lawrence – producer (2, 12), arranger (2, 12), keyboards (2, 12), programming (2, 12), synthesizer (2)
• Jason Edmonds – background vocals (2)
• Michael White – background vocals (2)
• Valerie Davis – background vocals (2)
• Rick Nowels – songwriting (3)
• Billy Steinberg – songwriting (3)
• Deborah Cox – songwriting (3)
• Lascelles Stephens – songwriting (3)
• David Foster – producer (3, 5, 10), arranger (3, 5, 10), keyboards (3, 5, 10), strings arranger (10)
• Simon Franglen – Synclavier programming (3, 5)
• Michael Thompson – guitars (3, 5–6, 9–10)
• Sue Ann Carwell – background vocals (3, 5)
• Barrington Henderson – background vocals (3, 5)
• Jon-John – songwriting, producer, drum programming, music arranger (4)
• Latina Webb – background vocals (4)
• Marc Nelson – background vocals, background vocals arranger (4)
• Reggie Hamilton – bass (4)
• Reggie Griffin – guitar (4)
• Richard Marx – songwriting (5–6), producer (5–6), arranger (5–6), background vocals (5), keyboards (6)
• Nita Whitaker – background vocals (5)
• Ross Vanelli – songwriting (6)
• Phil Shenale – keyboard programming (6)
• Evan Rogers – songwriting, producer, arranger, background vocals (7)
• Carl Sturken – songwriting, producer, arranger, all instruments (7)
• Audrey Wheeler – background vocals (7)
• Jimmy Harry – songwriting, producer, keyboards, guitars, programming (8)
• Pat Vixama – background vocals (8)
• Diane Warren – songwriting, executive producer (9)
• Khris Kellow – producer, arranger, keyboards, percussion, background vocals (9)
• Joseph Brooks – songwriting (10)
• Claude Gaudette – producer, arranger, synth programming (10)
• Jerry Hey – strings arranger (10)
• John JR Robinson – drums (10)
• Tom Boyd – songwriting (11)
• Victor Taylor – songwriting, programming, keyboards (11)
• Richard Hilton – programming, keyboards (11)
• Deborah Cole – background vocals (11)
• Keith Jon – background vocals (12)
• Todd Chapman – synth programming (12)

Technical

• Gary Tole – engineering (1, 11), mixing (1, 11)
• Andy Grassi – engineering (1)
• Budd Tunick – production manager (1, 11)
• Joanie Morris – production coordinator (2, 12)
• Eric White – engineering (2, 12)
• Bill Carr – engineering (2, 12)
• Bryan Golder – engineering (2, 12)
• Rhett Lawrence – engineering (2, 12)
• Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado – engineering (2, 12)
• Felipe Elgueta – engineering (3, 5, 10)
• Ian Boxill – engineering (4)
• Bill Drescher – engineering (6), mixing (6)
• David Bryant – assistant engineering (6)
• Steve Kinsey – assistant mixing (6)
• Al Hemberger – engineering (7)
• Bob Rosa – engineering (7), mixing (7)
• Colleen Reynolds – production manager (7)
• Tony Black – assistant engineering (7)
• Greg Thompson – assistant engineering (7)
• Ted Wilson – assistant engineering (7)
• Tony Maserati – mixing (8)
• Glen Marchese – engineering (8)
• Mario Luccy – engineering (9)
• Khris Kellow – engineering (9)
• Al Schmidt – strings engineering (10)

References

Citations

1. Sullivan 1997, p. 30.
2. Bessman 1997, p. 18; Flick 1997a, p. 68.
3. Bessman 1997, p. 18.
4. Billboard 1997, p. 100.
5. Top 40 Airplay Monitor 1997, p. 1.
6. Billboard n.d.
7. RPM 1997, p. 6.
8. Varga 1997, p. E7.
9. Flick 1997b, p. 68.
10. Radio & Records 1998, p. 76.
11. Oricon.
12. Ahmad 1998, p. 5; Daswani 1998; Tsui 1998, p. 2.
13. Chuah 1998, p. 1; Hiransomboon 1998, p. 7.
14. Hiransomboon 1998, p. 7.
15. Reilly 1998, p. 12.
16. Henderson.
17. Smallwood 1998, p. G2.
18. Daswani 1998.
19. Martinez 1998, p. 17.
20. Schulman 1997, p. 3E.
21. Meeks 1997, p. E14.
22. Daswani 1998, p. 17; Meeks 1997, p. E14; Smallwood 1998, p. G2.
23. Universal Records 1997; Jaxsta.

Sources

• "AC Top 30". Radio & Records . March 6, 1998. p. 76. ProQuest   1017314043.
• Ahmad, Azman (August 11, 1998). "Cole on Promo Tour". Leisure Guide. Malay Mail . p. 5. ProQuest   326053698.
• Bessman, Jim (August 23, 1997). "Cole Gets 'Happy' with Universal Records Debut". Billboard . pp. 12, 14, 18. ProQuest   1506008693.
• Chuah, Gerald (August 19, 1998). "Happy as a Lark". Leisure Guide. Malay Mail . p. 1. ProQuest   326096351.
• Daswani, Mansha (March 13, 1998). "Record Reviews" . South China Morning Post . Archived from the original on August 7, 2023.
• Flick, Larry, ed. (July 26, 1997). "Singles". Billboard . p. 68. ProQuest   1506006793.
• Flick, Larry, ed. (November 15, 1997). "Singles". Billboard . p. 68. ProQuest   1506052148.
• Henderson, Alex. "Samantha Cole Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023.
• Hiransomboon, Andrew (April 3, 1998). "American Singer Samantha Cole Knows What it Takes to Reach the Top". Bangkok Post . p. 7. Factiva   bkpost0020010922du43007gg.
• "Hot 100 Singles". Billboard . August 30, 1997. p. 100. ProQuest   1506006934.
• Martinez, Gerald (April 19, 1998). "Aretha's Still Got the Power". Style. New Straits Times . p. 17. ProQuest   266343678.
• Meeks, Nia Ngina (November 21, 1997). "CD Reviews". The Virginian-Pilot . p. E14 – via GenealogyBank.
• Reilly, Terry (July 19, 1998). "CD Reviews". Applause. The Age . p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
• "RPM 100 Hit Tracks & Where to Find Them". RPM . September 15, 1997. p. 6. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022 – via Library and Archives Canada.
• Samantha Cole (CD liner notes). Universal Records. 1997. UND 53039.
• "Samantha Cole Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard . Archived from the original on April 10, 2021.
• "Samantha Cole – Album by Samantha Cole". Jaxsta. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023.
• Schulman, Sandra (December 16, 1997). "Young Queen Cole a Good Sport". Sun-Sentinel . p. 3E – via Newspapers.com.
• Smallwood, Dean (January 25, 1998). "Cockburn Live Disc Great Recording for Newcomers". The Huntsville Times . p. G2 – via GenealogyBank.
• Sullivan, Jim (October 16, 1997). "The Scene". Calendar. The Boston Globe . p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
• "Top 40 Highlights". Top 40 Airplay Monitor . July 18, 1997. p. 1.
• Tsui, Andrew (April 19, 1998). "Cole Sings Songs of Life". Sunday Young Post. South China Morning Post . p. 2. ProQuest   1923802133.
• Varga, George (September 17, 1997). "NFL Signs a Winning Rookie to Sing". The San Diego Union-Tribune . p. E7 – via GenealogyBank.
• Whittlesey, Kristin (May 22, 1998). "Concert Promises to Be One Big Blowout!". The Times . p. E3 – via Newspapers.com.
• "サマンサ・コールの作品" [Works by Samantha Cole] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023.