Straight from the Heart (Peabo Bryson album)

For other uses, see Straight from the Heart (disambiguation).

Straight from the Heart
Studio album by Peabo Bryson
Released	May 15, 1984
Length	35:05
Label	Elektra
Producer	Peabo Bryson Richard Feldman Rick Kelly Michael Masser
Peabo Bryson chronology
Don't Play with Fire (1982) Straight from the Heart (1984) Take No Prisoners (1985)
Singles from Straight from the Heart
"If Ever You're in My Arms Again" Released: April 1984 "Slow Dancin'" Released: July 1984

Straight from the Heart is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Peabo Bryson. It was released in 1984 on Elektra Records, his first of four projects for the label. The album peaked at number 44 on the US Billboard 200 and produced three singles, including his first pop hit "If Ever You're in My Arms Again", which also topped the Adult contemporary chart. Bryson co-produced the record as well as writing five of the eight songs himself and playing keyboards throughout the album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

In a retrospective review, William Ruhlmann of AllMusic called Straight from the Heart "a good mix of slow and uptempo tunes." ^[1]

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Slow Dancin'"	Peabo Bryson	Bryson	3:55
2.	"If Ever You're in My Arms Again"	Michael Masser Cynthia Weil Tom Snow	Masser	4:14
3.	"Straight from the Heart"	Bryson	Bryson	4:35
4.	"There's No Getting Over You (La Theme De Sharon)"	Bryson	Bryson	4:02

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
5.	"I Get Nervous"	Richard Feldman Rick Kelly Larry John McNally	Feldman Kelly	4:10
6.	"Learning the Ways of Love"	Gerry Goffin Masser	Bryson	3:12
7.	"Real Deal"	Bryson	Bryson	4:32
8.	"Love Means Forever"	Bryson	Bryson	4:21

Personnel

Musicians

• Peabo Bryson – lead vocals, Memorymoog (1, 3, 7, 8), percussion solo (1), rhythm arrangements (1), backing vocals (3, 7), arrangements (3, 4, 7, 8), Yamaha DX7 (4, 7)
• Myra Walker – acoustic piano (1, 3, 7, 8), Fender Rhodes (1, 7, 8), Oberheim OB-X (3), backing vocals (3, 7), Yamaha DX7 (4)
• Mark Parrish – Memorymoog (1, 8), Prophet-5 (7)
• Trammell Starks – Memorymoog (1, 3, 4, 7, 8), Yamaha DX7 (4, 7)
• Randy Kerber – acoustic piano (2, 6), Yamaha DX7 (2, 6)
• Rick Kelly – keyboards (5)
• John Hauser – electric guitar (1, 3)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (2, 6)
• Richard Horton – electric guitar (3, 7), acoustic guitar (8)
• Richard Feldman – guitars (5)
• Dwight W. Watkins – bass (1, 3, 8), Oberheim OB-X (3), backing vocals (3), flugelhorn (8)
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass (2, 6)
• Louis Johnson – bass (5)
• Andre Robinson – Simmons drums (1, 3, 7, 8)
• Carlos Vega – drums (2, 6)
• John Robinson – drums (5)
• Charles Bryson – percussion (1)
• Michael Fisher – percussion (5)
• Ron Dover – tenor saxophone (3, 8), soprano saxophone (8), flute (8)
• James Bowling – flute (8)
• Michael Masser – rhythm track arrangements (2, 6)
• Gene Page – rhythm track arrangements (2, 6)
• Lee Holdridge – string arrangements and conductor (2, 6)
• Richard Marx – backing vocals (2, 6)
• Deborah Thomas – backing vocals (2, 6)
• Lynn Davis – backing vocals (5)
• Josie James – backing vocals (5)
• Marcy Levy – backing vocals (5)
• Samuel T. Dukes – backing vocals (7)

Production

• Producers – Peabo Bryson (Tracks 1, 3, 4, 7 & 8); Michael Masser (Tracks 2 & 6); Richard Feldman and Rick Kelly (Track 5).
• Assistant Producer – Dwight Watkins
• Engineers – Russ Fowler (Tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8); Michael Mancini and Bill Schnee (Tracks 2 & 6); Richard Feldman and Rick Kelly (Track 5).
• Assistant Engineer on Tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8 – Don M. Radick
• Mixing – Peabo Bryson, Russ Fowler and Dwight Watkins (Tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8).
• Recorded and Mixed at Cheshire Sound Studios (Atlanta, GA).
• Track 5 recorded at Orca Studios (Encino, CA).
• Rhythm Tracks and Vocals on Tracks 2 & 6 recorded at Devonshire Sound Studios (Burbank, CA).
• Strings recorded at Evergreen Studios (Burbank, CA).
• Mixed at Bill Schnee Studios (Los Angeles, CA).
• Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
• Art Direction – HSU
• Photography – Beverly Parker

Charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [2]	47
US Billboard 200 [3]	44
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [4]	12

References

1. Straight from the Heart at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
2. "Charts.nz – Peabo Bryson – Straight from the Heart". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
3. "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
4. "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 29, 2021.