Starchild (Teena Marie album)

Starchild
Studio album by Teena Marie
Released	November 11, 1984
Recorded	1983–84
Studio	Ocean Way Recording and A&M Studios (Hollywood, California) Sound Castle Recorders, Westlake Audio and Mad Hatter Studios (Los Angeles, California) The Automatt (San Francisco, California)
Genre	R&B soul techno-funk freestyle
Length	45:36
Label	Epic
Producer	Teena Marie
Teena Marie chronology
Robbery (1983) Starchild (1984) Emerald City (1986)

Starchild is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer Teena Marie, released on November 11, 1984, by Epic Records. ^[1] This album peaked at No. 9 on the US Billboard Top Black Albums chart and No. 31 on the US Billboard 200. Starchild was also certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. ^{[2] [3]}

Background

The album was written and produced by Marie, with contributions from Leon Ware and Narada Michael Walden. The track "My Dear Mr. Gaye" is a tribute to Marvin Gaye, who had been fatally shot and killed by his father on April 1, 1984. Starchild was eventually re-released, with five bonus tracks, in 2012 by SoulMusic Records.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Village Voice	B [5]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10 [6]
Philadelphia Inquirer	[7]

Ken Tucker of the Philadelphia Inquirer hailed the album saying, "Teena Marie's version of white rhythm and blues has become so extremely stylized that she has become dance-rock's foremost mannerist. On her new album Starchild...Teena Marie wails, gulps and overemotes so dramatically that her exertions take on a great fascination." ^[7]

Track listing

All songs written by Teena Marie, except where noted.

1. "Lovergirl" – 4:54
2. "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party" (Bendrix, Marie) – 5:44
3. "Out on a Limb" – 6:37
4. "Alibi" (Marie, Fred Mirza) – 5:23
5. "Jammin" – 5:52
6. "Starchild" – 5:35
7. "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)" (duet with Ronnie McNeir) – 5:07
8. "My Dear Mr. Gaye" (Marie, Penny "P.J." Johnson, Leon Ware) – 5:28
9. "Light" – 1:17

Expanded Edition

10. "Lovergirl" (US Single Edit) – 3:59
11. "Lovergirl" (US Special 12" Dance Mix) – 5:53
12. "Lovergirl" (US Single - Instrumental) – 6:10
13. "Jammin'" (Dance Mix - Long Version) – 8:20
14. "Out on a Limb" (US 12" Single Edit) – 5:31

Personnel

Credits for Starchild adapted from Allmusic ^[8]

• Teena Marie – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 2, 6), pianos, synthesizers, guitars, drums, drum machine programming, percussion, arrangements, rhythm and vocal arrangements, synthesizer arrangements (1, 2, 4, 5, 6), string arrangements (7)
• Walter Afanasieff – synthesizers
• Wyman Brown – synthesizers
• Darren Carmichael – synthesizers
• Randy Kerber – acoustic piano, synthesizers, rhythm and synthesizer arrangements (6), string arrangements (7)
• Fred Mirza – synthesizers, synthesizer arrangements (1, 4), rhythm arrangements (4)
• Dan Radlauer – synthesizers
• Preston Glass – guitars
• Dann Huff – guitars
• Tom McDermott – guitars
• Corrado Rustici – guitars
• David Taylor – guitars
• David T. Walker – guitars
• Nathan East – bass
• James Jamerson, Jr. – bass
• Allen McGrier –bass, male lead vocals (2), drum machine programming (6)
• James Gadson – drums
• John Robinson – drums
• Narada Michael Walden – drums, rhythm arrangements (3)
• Michael White – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Ernie Watts – saxophone solo (8)
• Gene Page – string conductor (7, 8), string arrangements (8)
• Harry Bluestone – concertmaster (7, 8)
• Billy Griffin – backing vocals
• Mickey Hearn – backing vocals
• Penny "PJ" Johnson – backing vocals, vocal arrangements (8)
• Yvette Marine – backing vocals
• Leon Ware – backing vocals
• Julia Waters Tillman – backing vocals
• Maxine Waters Willard – backing vocals
• Ronnie McNeir – male lead vocals (7)

Production

• Larkin Arnold – executive producer
• Teena Marie – producer, cover concept
• Bobby Brooks – engineer (1, 2, 4–9), mixing
• David Frazier – engineer (3)
• Rick Butz – assistant engineer
• Elmer Flores – assistant engineer
• Deni King – assistant engineer
• Richard McKernan – assistant engineer
• Magic Moreno – assistant engineer
• Gary Wagner – assistant engineer
• Bernie Grundman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
• P.J. – production coordinator, cover concept
• Tony Lane – art direction
• Nancy Donald – art direction
• Ron Slenzak – photography
• Tim Wild – airbrushing
• Renny Roberts – back cover illustration
• The Michael Gardner Company – management

Singles

• "Lovergirl" #4 US Pop Singles/ #9 US Black Singles
• "Jammin'" #81 US Pop Singles/ #45 US Black Singles
• "Out on a Limb" #56 US Black Singles

References

1. Teena Marie (November 1984). Starchild (album). Epic Records.
2. "Teena Marie". Billboard . Retrieved May 14, 2025.
3. "Teena Marie - Starchild". Recording Industry Association of America.
4. Wynn, Ron. "Teena Marie - Starchild". Allmusic.
5. Christgau, Robert. "Teena Marie: Starchild > Review". Robert Christgau . Retrieved October 8, 2016.
6. Bernstein, Jonathan (1995). "Teena Marie". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 240–241. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
7. Tucker, Ken (December 9, 1984). "TEENA MARIE'S LATEST SHOWS OFF HER RANGE". Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved May 14, 2025– via newsbank.com.
8. "Starchild - Teena Marie | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .