The Hunger | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 22, 1987 | |||
Recorded | August–December 1986 | |||
Studio | Various
| |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 37:21 | |||
Label | Columbia 40473 | |||
Producer | Jonathan Cain, Keith Diamond, Susan Hamilton | |||
Michael Bolton chronology | ||||
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The Hunger is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Michael Bolton. It was released in 1987 by Columbia Records, his third for the label. It became Bolton's breakthrough album, producing his first two Top 40 hits in the United States, the ballad "That's What Love Is All About" and the Otis Redding cover "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay".
Zelma Redding, the widow of Otis Redding, said Bolton's performance of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" moved her so much "that it brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me so much of my husband that I know if he heard it, he would feel the same." [1] In a framed letter that hangs on the wall of Bolton's office, she called the record "my all-time favorite version of my husband's classic." [2]
The album marks a transition from the hard rock and arena rock stylings of his previous work into a softer more pop oriented direction, a transition which would be continued and furthered on his subsequent studio albums.
Several songs from this album feature Journey members Jonathan Cain on keyboards, Neal Schon on guitar, and previous member from their Raised on Radio 1986-87 tour Randy Jackson (of American Idol fame) on bass, with Cain also producing several tracks. During this time, there were rumors that Bolton might have been in the running as Journey's new lead singer after Steve Perry's initial departure from the band in early 1987. Also featured on certain tracks is Bolton's former band-mate and then-current Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick.
Despite only reaching No. 46 on the US Billboard 200, the album achieved stability in the charts. After two years, it was certified Gold in the US (Bolton's first certification of his career), and would subsequently be certified Double Platinum there. In 1990, three years after its initial release, the album entered the UK Albums Chart for the first time and reached its peak of No. 44, following the success of the album Soul Provider . [3]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | link |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hot Love" | Michael Bolton, Martin Briley | Keith Diamond | 3:47 |
2. | "Wait on Love" | Bolton, Jonathan Cain | Jonathan Cain | 4:27 |
3. | "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (Otis Redding cover) | Otis Redding, Steve Cropper | Cain | 3:51 |
4. | "Gina" | Bolton, Bob Halligan Jr., Keith Diamond | Diamond | 4:07 |
5. | "That's What Love Is All About" | Bolton, Eric Kaz | Diamond | 3:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Hunger" | Bolton, Cain | Cain | 4:18 |
2. | "You're All That I Need" | Bolton, Cain, Neal Schon | Cain | 4:18 |
3. | "Take a Look at My Face" | Bolton, Briley | Diamond | 4:00 |
4. | "Walk Away" | Bolton, Diane Warren | Susan Hamilton | 4:12 |
Year | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|
1987 | Australian Albums Chart [5] | 34 |
1987 | New Zealand Albums Chart | 42 |
1987 | Norway Albums Chart | 10 |
1990 [6] | UK Albums Chart | 44 |
1987 | US Billboard 200 | 46 |
Year | Title | U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. AC |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | "That's What Love Is All About" | 19 | 3 |
1987 | "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" | 11 | 19 |
1988 | "Wait On Love" | 79 | - |
1988 | "Walk Away" | - | 14 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [7] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [8] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Norway & Sweden | — | 100,000 [9] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Soul Provider is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Bolton. The album was released on June 26, 1989, by Columbia Records/CBS. The album has sold 12.5 million copies worldwide.
Timeless: The Classics is a 1992 album of cover versions by Michael Bolton. It was #1 on the Billboard charts when it was released. After a rather long chart run, the album has been certified 4× Platinum in the US and has sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
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