Special Things

Special Things
Studio album by the Pointer Sisters
Released	August 1, 1980
Studio	Studio 55, Los Angeles, California
Genre	R&B, pop, soul
Label	Planet
Producer	Richard Perry
The Pointer Sisters chronology
Priority (1979) Special Things (1980) Black & White (1981)
Singles from Special Things
"He's So Shy" Released: July 23, 1980 "Could I Be Dreaming" Released: 1980 "We've Got the Power" Released: 1980 "Where Did the Time Go?" Released: 1980

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[2]

Special Things is the seventh studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1980 on Planet Records. ^[2]

History

The album marked their third venture with producer Richard Perry and featured a more stylized R&B/pop production, launching the group into its most successful period. The album spawned their second top three gold-certified single, "He's So Shy". The album also contains minor hit "Could I Be Dreamin’" and two songs written by Burt Bacharach, "The Love Too Good to Last" and "Where Did the Time Go".

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Could I Be Dreaming"	Anita Pointer, Trevor Lawrence, Marlo Henderson	3:31
2.	"He's So Shy"	Tom Snow, Cynthia Weil	3:37
3.	"The Love Too Good to Last"	Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen	3:32
4.	"Evil"	Geoffrey Leib, Larry Lingle	3:19
5.	"Save This Night for Love"	Ellison Chase, Bill Haberman, Art Jacobson	3:25

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"We've Got the Power"	Michael Brooks, Bob Esty	4:53
7.	"Where Did the Time Go"	Bacharach, Sager	3:08
8.	"Special Things"	Anita Pointer	3:08
9.	"Here Is Where Your Love Belongs"	Bill Champlin	4:40

2010 remastered bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
10.	"Movin' On"	Anita Pointer, Ruth Pointer, June Pointer, Lawrence, Henderson	3:19

Personnel

The Pointer Sisters

• Anita Pointer – lead vocals (1, 3, 5, 8), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
• June Pointer – lead vocals (2, 4, 6, 7), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
• Ruth Pointer – lead vocals (9), backing vocals, vocal arrangements

Musicians

• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (1, 3−5, 7, 9), synthesizers (5), clavinet (6)
• Tom Snow – keyboards (2), synthesizers (2), arrangements (2)
• Lance Ong – synthesizers (3, 4)
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming (5), synthesizers (8)
• John Barnes – Fender Rhodes (6), keyboards (8)
• Clarence McDonald – acoustic piano (6)
• Burt Bacharach – horn arrangements (3), string arrangements (3, 7), keyboards (7)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1, 3, 5, 9), guitar solo (4)
• Tim May – guitar (2, 6, 8)
• Ben Bridges – guitar (4)
• Marlo Henderson – guitar (4, 5, 7)
• Mark Goldenberg – guitar (6, 8)
• David Williams – guitar (7, 9)
• Nathan Watts – bass (1−5, 8, 9), percussion (5)
• John Pierce – bass (6)
• James Jamerson – bass (7)
• Ollie E. Brown – drums (1, 3, 5)
• James Gadson – drums (2, 6, 8)
• Raymond Pounds – drums (4)
• Ricky Lawson – drums (7, 9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1−4, 8)
• Jay Hutson – alto flute (1), saxophone (4)
• Don Myrick – alto flute (1), saxophone (4), alto sax solo (9)
• Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (1, 4)
• Dick Hyde – trombone (4)
• Chuck Findley – trumpet (1), flugelhorn (1, 3)
• Steve Madaio – trumpet (1, 4), flugelhorn (1)
• Warren Looney – flugelhorn (3)
• Larry Gittens – trumpet (4)
• Gary Grant – trumpet (4)
• Henry Sigismonti – French horn (1)
• Trevor Lawrence – arrangements (1, 6, 9), horn arrangements (1, 4, 6, 7, 9), string arrangements (1, 5, 6, 9), conductor (1, 5, 6, 9), orchestration (3)
• Sid Sharp – concertmaster (1, 3, 5−7, 9)

Production

• Richard Perry – producer
• Trevor Lawrence – associate producer
• Gabe Veltri – recording
• Tim Dennen – assistant engineer
• Jim Küenzi – assistant engineer
• Stephen Marcussen – assistant engineer
• Raven Royce-Jordan – assistant engineer
• James Guthrie – remixing
• Mike Reese – mastering
• Doug Sax – mastering
• The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA) – mastering location
• Daniel Kushnick – production coordinator
• Michael Solomon – production coordinator
• John Kosh – art direction, design
• Aaron Rapoport – photography

Chart positions

Chart performance for Special Things

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [3]	67
US Billboard 200 [4]	34
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [5]	19

References

1. Hanson, Amy. Special Things review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
2. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 550.
3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 235. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
4. "The Pointer Sisters Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
5. "The Pointer Sisters Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.

External links

• Special Things at Discogs (list of releases)