So Natural | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 8 November 1993 | |||
Recorded | June to September 1993 | |||
Studio | Windmill Lane Studios (Dublin, Ireland) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 63:24 | |||
Label | Arista | |||
Producer |
| |||
Lisa Stansfield chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from So Natural | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Robert Christgau | [2] |
The Independent | (mixed) [3] |
So Natural is the third solo studio album by British singer Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 8 November 1993. Stansfield wrote songs for the album with her husband Ian Devaney, who also produced the tracks. Three songs were co-written by Andy Morris, who worked with Stansfield on Affection (1989) and Real Love (1991). So Natural garnered positive reviews from music critics and performed moderately on the charts, reaching number six in the United Kingdom and receiving Platinum certification. The album was not released in North America. On November 10, 2014, in the United Kingdom, and on November 21, 2014, in Europe, So Natural was reissued as a deluxe 2CD + DVD collection.
Lisa Stansfield released So Natural in November 1993, two years after her previous studio album, Real Love . During that time, she recorded "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" for The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album and released it as a single which reached number ten in the United Kingdom in December 1992.She also wrote a song for Dionne Warwick, "Friends Can Be Lovers," which was produced by Ian and Andy along with another song written by Diane Warren, "Much Too Much." Lisa sang background vocals on both tracks, which appear on the 1993 Dionne Warwick album Friends Can Be Lovers.. Later, her live duet with George Michael and Queen on "These Are the Days of Our Lives" was included on Five Live . Released in April 1993, this EP reached number one in the United Kingdom. The duet was recorded in April 1992, during The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert where Stansfield also performed "I Want to Break Free". In April 1993, the soundtrack to the Indecent Proposal was issued and included new song co-written and recorded by Stansfield, "In All the Right Places". The music was composed by John Barry who also composed the soundtracks for eleven of the James Bond films. In May 1993, "In All the Right Places" was released as the lead single from the soundtrack and peaked at number eight in the United Kingdom. Later, a new version of the song was included on So Natural.
In November 1993, So Natural with thirteen songs was released in Europe and Australia. In Japan, the album was issued with a bonus track, "Gonna Try It Anyway". The songs were written by Stansfield and Ian Devaney, and Andy Morris co-wrote three of them: "Marvellous & Mine", "Turn Me On" and "In All the Right Places". The album was produced by Devaney, with Stansfield and Bobby Boughton being the associate producers. So Natural also contains a cover of Gloria Scott's 1974 song, "(A Case Of) Too Much Love Makin'", retitled "Too Much Love Makin'". In 2003, the album was remastered and re-released as limited edition digipak with three bonus songs: "Gonna Try It Anyway", "Dream Away" (duet with Babyface) and "So Natural" (No Presevatives Mix by Roger Sanchez).
So Natural was remastered and expanded, and was re-released as a deluxe 2CD + DVD set in November 2014. It was expanded to feature "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album , rare tracks and 12" mixes plus videos, live footage and a specially recorded interview with Stansfield. The twenty-eight-page booklet features photos, memorabilia, lyrics and brand new sleeve notes. The set was issued in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2014 and in Europe on 21 November 2014. It was also released as a part of The Collection 1989–2003 at the same time. The 2014 reissue of So Natural includes a previously unreleased track, "I Give You Everything" (U.S. Remix).
After "In All the Right Places", which was originally included on the Indecent Proposal: Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and reached number eight in the United Kingdom, Stansfield released the first proper single from the album, "So Natural". The single, with various remixes of the song, was issued in October 1993 and reached number fifteen in the United Kingdom. The next single, "Little Bit of Heaven" was released in November 1993 and peaked at number thirty-two in the United Kingdom. It included "Gonna Try It Anyway", which was available on the Japanese edition of So Natural only, and remixes of "Little Bit of Heaven". The last single, "Marvellous & Mine" was issued in Japan in July 1994. "I Give You Everything" (U.S. Remix), planned as a single for the US market was shelved as the album wasn't released there. In 2003, "In All the Right Places", "So Natural" and "Little Bit of Heaven" were featured on Biography: The Greatest Hits . Remixes and "Gonna Try It Anyway" were included on So Natural deluxe 2CD + DVD set in 2014 and also on The Collection 1989–2003 .
The album received positive reviews from music critics. According to William Cooper from AllMusic, Stansfield "almost abandon[ed] the R&B-flavored dance-pop" of her previous releases with So Natural. He also called the album "consistent" but noted its "ballad-heavy approach wears thin", saying it "lacks a surefire hit single" but offers "many pleasant moments". Cooper also remarked that "the steamy ballads 'Never Set Me Free' and 'Be Mine' rank with Stansfield's best work, and the album does offer a couple of sunny, up-tempo numbers with "Too Much Love Makin'" and "Marvellous & Mine". Cooper also observed that So Natural could have easily found an American audience, considering the success of her previous work, and its lack of an American release "remains a mystery" [1] According to Nigel Williamson, So Natural is Stansfield's "most sophisticated and mature set to date". Lyrically, the songs are all linked by the theme of love but musically the diversity is "breathtaking. "Marvellous & Mine" harks back to the 70s disco-funk on which Stansfield was raised. "Goodbye" is one of her most potent soul ballads and "Never Set Me Free" is a storming tune and one of her most passionate performances. 'Little Bit of Heaven' has a classic dance-floor groove and displays another side of Stansfield's talent." Other highlights include: the "irresistible" title track, the "romantic" "In All the Right Places", the "sassy" "Be Mine", the "sensual" "Too Much Love Makin'" and the "seductive" "Turn Me On".[ citation needed ]
So Natural was the most successful in the United Kingdom where it peaked at number six and achieved Platinum certification. In other European countries, it reached top forty: number twenty-four in Sweden, twenty-five in Germany, twenty-seven in Switzerland, thirty in Austria and thirty-three in the Netherlands. In other parts of the world, So Natural peaked at number fifty in Japan and sixty-seven in Australia.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "So Natural" | Lisa Stansfield, Ian Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Bobby Boughton | 5:05 |
2. | "Never Set Me Free" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:00 |
3. | "I Give You Everything" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:40 |
4. | "Marvellous & Mine" | Stansfield, Devaney, Andy Morris | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:14 |
5. | "Goodbye" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:35 |
6. | "Little Bit of Heaven" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:27 |
7. | "Sweet Memories" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:32 |
8. | "She's Always There" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:04 |
9. | "Too Much Love Makin'" | Tom Brock | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:34 |
10. | "Turn Me On" | Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:39 |
11. | "Be Mine" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:32 |
12. | "In All the Right Places" | John Barry, Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | 6:03 |
13. | "Wish It Could Always Be This Way" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:43 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Gonna Try It Anyway" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 3:53 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Gonna Try It Anyway" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 3:53 |
15. | "Dream Away" (Duet with Babyface) | Diane Warren | David Foster | 4:38 |
16. | "So Natural" (No Presevatives Mix by Roger Sanchez) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 6:42 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "So Natural" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:05 |
2. | "Never Set Me Free" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:00 |
3. | "I Give You Everything" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:40 |
4. | "Marvellous & Mine" | Stansfield, Devaney, Andy Morris | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:14 |
5. | "Goodbye" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:35 |
6. | "Little Bit of Heaven" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:27 |
7. | "Sweet Memories" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:32 |
8. | "She's Always There" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:04 |
9. | "Too Much Love Makin'" | Brock | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:34 |
10. | "Turn Me On" | Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:39 |
11. | "Be Mine" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:32 |
12. | "In All the Right Places" | Barry, Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | 6:03 |
13. | "Wish It Could Always Be This Way" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:43 |
14. | "Gonna Try It Anyway" | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 3:53 |
15. | "So Natural" (Be Boy Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:19 |
16. | "Little Bit of Heaven" (Bad Yard Club Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 7:27 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" | Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | 5:34 |
2. | "In All the Right Places" (Soundtrack Version) | Barry, Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | 5:46 |
3. | "So Natural" (U.S. Remix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:25 |
4. | "I Give You Everything" (U.S. Remix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 4:46 |
5. | "Little Bit of Heaven" (Junior Vocal Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 6:43 |
6. | "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" (Absolute Remix) | Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | 5:34 |
7. | "So Natural" (No Preservatives Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 7:27 |
8. | "Little Bit of Heaven" (Seventh Heaven Vocal Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 6:21 |
9. | "Marvellous & Mine" (Sure Is Pure Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 9:43 |
10. | "So Natural" (Roger's Club Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 5:41 |
11. | "Little Bit of Heaven" (Roach Motel Dub) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | 9:06 |
12. | "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" (Classic 12" Club Mix) | Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | 7:43 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" (Promo Video) | Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | |
2. | "In All the Right Places" (Promo Video) | Barry, Stansfield, Devaney, Morris | Devaney, Morris | |
3. | "So Natural" (Promo Video) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | |
4. | "Little Bit of Heaven" (Promo Video) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | |
5. | "So Natural" (Natural Cut Version) (Promo Video) | Stansfield, Devaney | Devaney, Stansfield, Boughton | |
6. | "2014 Interview with Mark Goodier" |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [14] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Credits taken from AllMusic. [15]
Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
---|---|---|---|---|
Europe [16] | 8 November 1993 | Arista | CD | 74321 17231 2 |
Japan [9] | 21 November 1993 | BVCA-626 | ||
United Kingdom [17] | 2 June 2003 | Remastered CD | 28765 22382 9 | |
Europe [18] | 27 February 2009 | 88697 44284 2 | ||
United Kingdom [19] | 10 November 2014 | Edsel | 2CD+DVD | EDSG 8055 |
Europe [20] | 21 November 2014 | |||
Lisa Jane Stansfield is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her career began in 1980 when she won the singing competition Search for a Star. After appearances in various television shows and releasing her first singles, Stansfield, along with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, formed Blue Zone in 1983. The band released several singles and one album, but after the success of Coldcut's "People Hold On" in 1989, on which Stansfield was featured, the focus was placed on her solo career.
Biography: The Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation album by British recording artist Lisa Stansfield. Released by Arista Records on 3 February 2003, it features seventeen tracks, hits and rare songs, including: "All Around the World", "This Is the Right Time" "Change", "All Woman", "The Real Thing" and "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up". The album, which garnered positive reviews from music critics, peaked at number three in the United Kingdom and was certified Gold.
"You Can't Deny It" is a song by English singer-songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her debut solo studio album, Affection (1989). It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney, and Andy Morris, produced by Devaney and Morris, and remixed by Gail "Sky" King and Yvonne Turner. The song was released as the album's second North American single on 2 May 1990, by Arista Records and received generally positive reviews from music critics.
Affection is the debut solo album by British singer-songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 20 November 1989. Stansfield co-wrote all songs with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris. Devaney and Morris also produced the album, except for "This Is the Right Time" which was produced by Coldcut. Affection received critical acclaim from music critics and was commercially successful. It reached top ten on the charts in many countries and has sold over five million copies worldwide. The album spawned a hit song, "All Around the World", and four other successful singles: "This Is the Right Time", "Live Together", "What Did I Do to You?" and "You Can't Deny It". Affection was rereleased as a deluxe 2CD + DVD set in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2014 and in Europe on 21 November 2014.
"All Around the World" is a song by English singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her debut studio album, Affection (1989). It was released as the album's second single on 16 October 1989 by Arista Records. It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. The song received favorable reviews from music critics and its music video was directed by Philip Richardson. Songwriters, Stansfield, Devaney and Morris, received the 1989 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. "All Around the World" was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards. Additionally, Stansfield was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. The song became the first of two UK number-one singles for Stansfield and the first of eight top-ten hits she would achieve in that country.
Real Love is the second solo studio album by English singer-songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield, released on 11 November 1991, by Arista Records. Stansfield co-wrote all songs with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, who also produced the album.
"Change" is a song by British singer-songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her second album, Real Love (1991). The song was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. It was released as the lead single on 7 October 1991 by Arista Records. "Change" was remixed by Frankie Knuckles and Driza Bone.
Face Up is the fifth solo studio album by British singer Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 20 June 2001. It was her first new studio album since 1997's Lisa Stansfield. Stansfield co-wrote songs for the album with her husband Ian Devaney and Richard Darbyshire. Devaney also produced all the tracks. Face Up garnered favorable reviews from music critics who praised the funky and soul songs and also the adventurous usage of 2-step garage beats in the first single, "Let's Just Call It Love". The disco-flavored "8-3-1", selected as the second single, was withdrawn at the last minute. Face Up was released in Europe and Japan, and performed moderately on the charts reaching top forty in the European countries. Face Up was re-released as a deluxe 2CD + DVD set in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2014 and in Europe on 21 November 2014.
Lisa Stansfield is the fourth solo studio album by British singer Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 21 March 1997. It was her first new studio album since 1993's So Natural. Stansfield co-wrote most songs for the album with her husband Ian Devaney. The tracks were produced by Devaney and Peter Mokran. Lisa Stansfield garnered favourable reviews from music critics and was commercially successful, reaching number two in the United Kingdom and receiving Gold certification. In the United States, it spawned four number-one singles on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs. Lisa Stansfield was rereleased as a deluxe 2CD + DVD set in Europe in November 2014.
"Someday (I'm Coming Back)" is a song recorded by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield for the 1992 American romantic thriller film The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. It was released as a single from the soundtrack album in the United Kingdom on 7 December 1992 and in other European countries in early 1993 by Arista. "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. An accompanying music video, directed by Marcus Nispel, was also released. The single reached number ten in Portugal and the United Kingdom. "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" was remixed by Absolute and the "Classic" remixes were created by Frankie Knuckles and David Morales.
"The Line" is a song recorded by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield, released as the third European single from her eponymous album (1997). It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Terry Gamwell, and produced by Devaney and Peter Mokran. Released as a single in Europe on 22 September 1997, it reached number sixty-four in the United Kingdom. The song also received positive reviews from music critics.
"Never Gonna Fall" is a song recorded by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield for her 1997 eponymous album. It was written by Stansfield and Ian Devaney, and produced by Devaney and Peter Mokran. The single was released in the United States on 27 October 1997 and included remixes created by two prominent US producers: Junior Vasquez and Victor Calderone. In December 1997, it topped the Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs for two weeks and became Stansfield's sixth song to reach number one on this chart and third from Lisa Stansfield to do so. Stansfield performed "Never Gonna Fall" live on The Rosie O'Donnell Show. In January 1998, the song was released as a promotional single in Spain. In June 1998, two remixes of "Never Gonna Fall" were included on The Remix Album. The song was also featured on the US edition of Biography: The Greatest Hits (2003) and Junior Vasquez Mix was added to the European bonus CD of this album.
"Don't Cry for Me" is a song recorded by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield for her 1997 eponymous album. It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney, Cory Rooney and Mark Morales. Originally, the track was produced by Devaney, Rooney and Morales, and further production was handled by Peter Mokran and Devaney.
"8-3-1" is a song recorded by British singer Lisa Stansfield for her 2001 album, Face Up. It was written by Stansfield, her husband Ian Devaney, Richard Darbyshire from the 80's band Living in a Box and British singer Charlotte. "8-3-1" was produced by Devaney and received favorable reviews from music critics who called it the best track on the album and also the set's most obvious hit, the breezy, disco-laced anthem.
"In All the Right Places" is a song by British singer-songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield for the 1993 drama film Indecent Proposal, starring Robert Redford and Demi Moore. It was released as a lead single in the United Kingdom on 24 May 1993 and in other European countries in July 1993 by Arista Records. The lyrics were written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and the music was composed by John Barry, who created the soundtrack for the film. Devaney and Morris also produced the song which received positive reviews from music critics. It reached number eight in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The accompanying music video was directed by Nick Brandt.
"So Natural" is a song by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her third album, So Natural (1993). It was released as the first proper single in the United Kingdom on 11 October 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by Stansfield and her husband Ian Devaney, and produced by Devaney. It received remixes by Roger Sanchez, DJ Duro, Frankie Foncett and Vassal Benford. The single peaked at number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart. Its music video was directed by Marcus Nispel.
"Little Bit of Heaven" is a song by British singer-songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her third album, So Natural (1993). It was released by Arista Records as the second proper single in the United Kingdom on 29 November 1993 and in other European countries in March 1994. The song was written by Stansfield and her husband, Ian Devaney, and produced by Devaney.
"Dream Away" is a song recorded by American singer Babyface and English singer Lisa Stansfield for the soundtrack to the 1994 animated film The Pagemaster. It was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster. Released as a single in the United States on November 7, 1994, it reached number nine on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and number eighty on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Dream Away" was also issued in selected European countries and Australia, and on January 21, 1995, it was released in Japan. The song was remixed by Dave Way, Paul Waller and Ollie Marland. The accompanying music video, directed by Randee St. Nicholas, featured Babyface, Stansfield and fragments from the film. In 2003, "Dream Away" was included on the remastered edition of Stansfield's third album, So Natural (1993).
"What Did I Do to You?" is a song by British singer-songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield from her debut album, Affection (1989). It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. The song was released as the fourth European single on 30 April 1990. It included three previously unreleased songs written by Stansfield, Devaney and Morris: "My Apple Heart," "Lay Me Down" and "Something's Happenin'." "What Did I Do to You?" was remixed by Mark Saunders and by the Grammy Award-winning American house music DJ and producer, David Morales. The single became a top forty hit in the European countries, reaching number fifteen in Italy, number eighteen in Finland, number twenty in Ireland and number twenty-five in the United Kingdom. "What Did I Do to You?" was also released in Japan.
"Marvellous & Mine" is a song recorded by British singer Lisa Stansfield for her 1993 album, So Natural. It was released as the fourth and Japanese only single on 21 July 1994. The song was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney. The single was issued just before Stansfield's tour in Japan in September 1994.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)