| Serious Business | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Label | Mercury [1] | |||
| Third World chronology | ||||
| ||||
Serious Business is an album by the Jamaican band Third World, released in 1989. [2] [3] "Forbidden Love" was the first single. [4] Third World supported the album with a North American tour. [5]
The album peaked at No. 107 on the Billboard 200. [6] It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Reggae Recording" category. [7]
The album contains covers of "It's the Same Old Song" and "Keep Your Head to the Sky". [8] [9] Daddy-O rapped on "Forbidden Love". [10] Kenny Gamble coproduced "Take This Song", which features singers from the musical Sarafina! [11] [12] The Brecker Brothers appeared on several tracks. [13] The title track is, in part, about apartheid in South Africa. [14]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [15] |
| Chicago Tribune | [16] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [17] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [18] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote that "the band continues to use strong strains of rock, soul and now rap and to highlight glossy pop production values." [16] Newsday noted that the album "tries to be in so many places at once that it would be a mess if the band weren't so versatile, its vision of crossover dreams so clear." [11]
The Boston Globe determined that "the group's bouncy 'reggae lite' files the genre's rough edges and leaves a smooth, palatable dose of music worth bouncing to." [19] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution concluded that Serious Business "continues Third World's eclectic tradition of combining the old and the new, mixing elements from the United States, Africa and the Caribbean." [12] The Wisconsin State Journal called it the band's best album. [20]
AllMusic wrote that "'Reggae Ambassador', both the vocal and dub version, stands out as the album's most creative moment, showcasing Third World's easygoing melodies and fun-loving spirit." [15]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Forbidden Love" | |
| 2. | "It's the Same Old Song" | |
| 3. | "Reggae Ambassador" | |
| 4. | "D.J. Ambassador" | |
| 5. | "Keep Your Head to the Sky" | |
| 6. | "Take This Song" | |
| 7. | "Love Will Always Be There" | |
| 8. | "Serious Business" | |
| 9. | "Never Say Never" | |
| 10. | "We the People" | |
| 11. | "Theme from the Underdog" | |
| 12. | "Theme from the Underdog (Rap Version)" | |
| 13. | "Take This Song (Reprise)" |
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