Spinners | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 1973 | |||
Recorded | 1972–1973 | |||
Studio | Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:14 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | Thom Bell | |||
The Spinners chronology | ||||
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The Spinners studio albums chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
BBC | (favorable) [2] |
Christgau's Record Guide | A− [3] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | A− [4] |
Spinners is the third studio album recorded by American R&B group The Spinners, produced by Thom Bell and released in March 1973 on the Atlantic label. The album was the group's first for Atlantic after leaving Motown.
Spinners includes their first American top-ten and R&B number-one hit "I'll Be Around", along with the successful songs "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love", "One of a Kind (Love Affair)", "Ghetto Child", and "How Could I Let You Get Away". The album was also the second of fourteen straight studio albums to make the Billboard 200, and their first in the Top-twenty, as it reached #14 on the charts. Additionally, it was their first of three consecutive R&B albums chart-toppers – and the second to hit those charts overall.
Thom Bell created a sound for the group that was "lush" yet gritty. Bell's insistently soulful orchestral arrangements played perfectly to their harmonic strengths. "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" (later a hit for David Grant and Jaki Graham) is the keynote; sung by Smith, it is beautiful, optimistic and upbeat. Often cited as the birth of the Philadelphia Sound, Spinners yielded five American top 100 hits, and two UK chart successes." [5]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Just Can't Get You Out of My Mind" | Vinnie Barrett | 3:42 |
2. | "Just You and Me Baby" | Yvette Davis | 2:56 |
3. | "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You" | Jerry Akines, Johnny Bellman, Victor Drayton, Reginald Turner | 4:01 |
4. | "I Could Never (Repay Your Love)" | Bruce Hawes | 6:56 |
5. | "I'll Be Around" | Thom Bell, Phil Hurtt | 3:12 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" | Joseph B. Jefferson | 3:31 |
7. | "We Belong Together" | Yvette Davis | 4:12 |
8. | "Ghetto Child" | Linda Creed, Thom Bell | 3:47 |
9. | "How Could I Let You Get Away" | Yvette Davis | 3:46 |
10. | "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" | Mystro & Lyric (Melvin and Mervin Steals) | 4:13 |
Chart (1973) | Peak [6] |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Top LPs | 14 |
U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs | 1 |
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [6] | US R&B [6] | US A/C [6] | UK [7] | ||
1972 | "How Could I Let You Get Away" | 77 | 14 | — | — |
"I'll Be Around" | 3 | 1 | 31 | — | |
"Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" | 4 | 1 | 14 | 11 | |
1973 | "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" | 11 | 1 | 19 | — |
"Ghetto Child" | 29 | 4 | 20 | 7 | |
The Spinners are an American rhythm and blues vocal group that formed in Ferndale, Michigan, in 1954. They enjoyed a string of hit singles and albums during the 1960s and 1970s, particularly with producer Thom Bell. The group continues to tour, without any original members, after Henry Fambrough retired in 2023.
Thomas Randolph Bell was an American record producer, arranger, and songwriter known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. Hailed as one of the most prolific R&B songwriters and producers ever, Bell found success crafting songs for Delfonics, Stylistics, and Spinners. In June 2006, Bell was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2016, Bell was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.
Diana is the eleventh studio album by American R&B singer Diana Ross, released on May 22, 1980, by Motown Records. The album is the best-selling studio album of Ross's career, spawning three international hit singles, including the number-one hit "Upside Down".
A Brand New Me is the sixth studio album by English singer Dusty Springfield, released in 1970.
The Stylistics is the debut album by American R&B group the Stylistics, released in November 1971 on the Avco record label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. The album has been called "a sweet soul landmark."
"I'll Be Around" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners. It was co-written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt and produced by Bell.
"Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" is a 1972 song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners. It was co-written by Melvin and Mervin Steals, two songwriter brothers working for Atlantic, who were sometimes credited as "Mystro and Lyric." It was produced by Thom Bell, recorded at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios and the house band MFSB provided the backing. Bobby Smith sings lead through most of the song, while Philippé Wynne handles vocal duties on the outro.
So Full of Love is a 1978 album by the O'Jays. The album contains the No. 1 R&B hit "Use ta Be My Girl", and was awarded RIAA platinum certification for sales of 1,000,000 copies.
"One of a Kind (Love Affair)" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners (known as "Detroit Spinners" in the UK). It was written by Joseph B. Jefferson and produced by Thom Bell.
Flying High Together is an album by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label, released in 1972. It is noted as The Miracles' last studio album with original lead singer Smokey Robinson, who retired from the act to concentrate on his duties as vice president of Motown. The album charted at #46 on the Billboard Pop Album chart, and featured two singles: the appropriately named "We've Come Too Far to End It Now", which matched the parent album's chart position on the Billboard singles chart, charting at #46, and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B singles chart, charting at #9, and "I Can't Stand to See You Cry", which charted at #45 Pop, and #21 R&B.
Black & Blue is an album released by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes on the Philadelphia International record label in September 1973. It was produced by Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff.
Niecy is an album by American singer Deniece Williams which was released in 1982 on ARC/Columbia Records. The album reached No. 5 on the Top Soul Albums chart and No. 20 on the Billboard 200.
Mighty Love is the fourth studio album recorded by American R&B group The Spinners, released in January 1974 on the Atlantic label. It was the Spinners' second album for Atlantic and, like their breakthrough Atlantic debut Spinners, was produced by Thom Bell at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
New and Improved is the fifth album by American R&B group The Spinners, released in December 1974 on the Atlantic label. Like the Spinners' two previous Atlantic albums, New and Improved was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
Pick of the Litter is the sixth studio album by American R&B group The Spinners, released in August 1975 on the Atlantic label. The album was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
Happiness Is Being with the Spinners is the seventh studio album recorded by American R&B group The Spinners, released in July 1976 on the Atlantic label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and Kaye-Smith Studios in Seattle.
Round 2 is the second studio album recorded by American R&B group The Stylistics, released in October 1972 on the Avco label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
Rockin' Roll Baby is the third studio album recorded by American R&B group The Stylistics, released in November 1973 on the Avco label. It was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studio North in Philadelphia. This was the group's last album produced by Bell.
8 is a studio album by American soul vocal group The Spinners, released in 1977. The recording represents a transition in the band's make-up that led to a commercial and critical decline.
From Here to Eternally is a 1979 studio album from American Philly soul vocal group the Spinners, released on Atlantic Records. This album represents their last collaboration with producer Thom Bell and marks a decline in the critical and commercial success of the group.