| Chaka | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 12, 1978 | |||
| Recorded | 1977–1978 | |||
| Studio | Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:11 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Arif Mardin | |||
| Chaka Khan chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Chaka | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B [2] |
Chaka is the debut solo album by singer Chaka Khan, released on October 12, 1978 through Warner Bros. Records label.
Still very much an integral part of Rufus, Chaka Khan set the charts on fire with her debut solo release. The first single was the R&B chart-topper "I'm Every Woman", an Ashford & Simpson track with Khan lighting up the lyric with her tantalizing vocals. Although Khan had much credibility from her association with Rufus, this album demonstrated that the dynamic vocalist could hold her own ground alone.
— Craig Lytle, Allmusic [3]
Two singles were released from Chaka, the first being her anthemic solo debut "I'm Every Woman", one of Khan's signature tunes alongside "Ain't Nobody" (1983) and "I Feel For You" (1984). The song has over the past three decades been re-released, remixed and covered a number of times, most notably by Whitney Houston in 1992 for the soundtrack album The Bodyguard , then featuring guest vocals by Khan herself and topping Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. A remix of Khan's original recording was also a Top Ten hit in the U.K. in 1989. The remix was included on the compilation Life is a Dance - The Remix Project , the title track of which was the second single release from the Chaka album in early 1979 (US R&B #40). The album also features the ballad "Roll Me Through The Rushes", never commercially released as a single but still receiving considerable airplay in 1979, as well as Khan's cover version of Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her", re-titled "I Was Made to Love Him".
Following the release of the Chaka album Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1979's Masterjam , produced by Quincy Jones. Her second solo album Naughty followed in 1980.
The Chaka album was re-released on CD in the United States by the Warner Music Group in 1998. [4]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'm Every Woman" | Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Love Has Fallen on Me" | Lloyd Cleveland Webber, Charles Stepney | 4:52 |
| 3. | "Roll Me Through the Rushes" | David Lasley, Lana Marrano | 4:42 |
| 4. | "Sleep on It" | Andrew Kastner, Larry John McNally | 4:21 |
| 5. | "Life Is a Dance" | Gavin Christopher | 4:20 |
| 6. | "We Got the Love" (duet with George Benson) | George Benson | 3:27 |
| 7. | "Some Love" | Keith Boyd, Jr., Chaka Khan, Traude Sapik, Mark Stevens | 5:50 |
| 8. | "A Woman in a Man's World" | Andrew Kastner, Larry John McNally | 3:56 |
| 9. | "The Message in the Middle of the Bottom" | Lalomie Washburn | 4:15 |
| 10. | "I Was Made to Love Him" | Henry Cosby, Lula Mae Hardaway, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder | 3:23 |
Track 1 “I’m Every Woman” Backing Vocals - Cissy Houston, Will Lee, Hamish Stuart
Track 2 “Love Has Fallen On Me” Backing Vocals – Cissy Houston, David Lasley, Alan Gorrie
Track 3 “Roll Me Through the Rushes” Drums – Rick Marotta Guitar - Cornell Dupree Electric Piano - Leon Pendarvis Backing Vocals – Cissy Houston, David Lasley, Luther Vandross Harp - Gene Bianco
Track 4 “Sleep on It” Guitar – Andrew Kastner Backing Vocals – Will Lee, Hamish Stuart
Track 5 “Life Is a Dance” Backing Vocals – Alan Gorrie. Will Lee, Hamish Stuart
Track 6 “We Got the Love” Lead Vocal - George Benson Bass - Phil Upchurch Electric Piano - Arthur Jenkins Congas – Raphael Cruz Flutes – Eddie Daniels, Phil Bodner Alto Flute – George Marge
Track 7 “Some Love” Bass – Mark Stevens Guitar – Onnie McIntyre Percussion - Airto Moreira Tenor Saxophone solo - Michael Brecker Trumpet & Flugelhorn - Randy Brecker Alto Saxophone - David Sanborn
Track 8 “A Woman in a Man's World” Guitar – Andrew Kastner Bass Trombone - Paul Faulise Percussion - Sammy Figueroa Alto Saxophone - David Sanborn
Track 9 “The Message in the Middle of the Bottom” Guitar – Onnie McIntyre Bass - Hamish Stuart Bass Trombone - Paul Faulise Clavinet – Arthur Jenkins Congas – Raphael Cruz Tenor Saxophone solo - Michael Brecker Cello – Jesse Levy, Kermit Moore, Richard Bock
Track 10 “I Was Made to Love Him” Guitar Solo – Tony Maiden Backing Vocals – Terri Gonzalez, Mark Stevens, Hamish Stuart
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [5] | 12 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [6] | 2 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [7] | 50 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [8] | 74 |
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ) [9] | 5 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) [10] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
AWB is the second studio album by the Scottish funk and soul band Average White Band, released in August 1974.
M2 is a 2001 album by Jazz fusion musician Marcus Miller, and the winner of the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
Boys in the Trees is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records in April 1978.
Spy is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records in June 1979.
At Last...The Duets Album is the second cover album and thirteenth studio album by saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records in 2004, and reached number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz chart, number 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 40 on the Billboard 200.
So Excited! is the ninth studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1982 on the Planet label.
The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux is a live recording made at the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival. It featured the Don Ellis Orchestra together with the Average White Band and guest musicians. It was originally released as a double album on vinyl.
What Cha' Gonna Do for Me is the third solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1981. It was certified gold by the RIAA.
Naughty is the second solo album by American R&B and funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980.
Aretha is the twenty-sixth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was released on September 30, 1980, by Arista Records. This is Franklin's second eponymous album, and her first for Arista Records after a 12-year tenure with Atlantic Records.
Chaka Khan is the fourth solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1982.
Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1 is a compilation album of recordings by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, first released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1996. Although the compilation, which reached #22 on Billboard's R&B chart and #84 on Pop, was given the "Vol. 1" tag, it remains without a sequel to date.
Show Your Hand is the first album by Scottish funk band Average White Band, likely recorded at RG Jones Recording Studios, Wimbledon, London, and released in 1973 by MCA Records. After the success of AWB, the album was re-issued in 1975 with a new title, Put It Where You Want It, a different opening track and new cover artwork. The re-issued version finally made it to the Billboard Top 200, peaking at No. 39, and No. 69 in Canada.
Soul Searching is the fourth album released by Average White Band.
Passionfruit is a jazz vocal album by Michael Franks, produced and arranged by Rob Mounsey and released in 1983 on Warner Bros. Records. The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Albums chart.
In Your Eyes is a 1983 album by George Benson. It is his only album produced by producer Arif Mardin. It includes the hit "Lady Love Me ".
Warmer Communications is a studio album released by Average White Band. The title is a play on Warner Communications, parent company of AWB's Atlantic Records label at the time of the album's release.
Feel No Fret is the seventh album by Scottish funk and R&B band Average White Band released in 1979 on the RCA label in the United Kingdom and the Atlantic label in North America.
Cupid's in Fashion is the ninth album by the Average White Band, a Scottish funk and R&B band. It was released in 1982 on the RCA label and peaked at #49 in the R&B album charts.
Don't Stop the Music is the third album by the American jazz fusion group, the Brecker Brothers. It was released by Arista Records in 1977.
