"Thriller" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records in November 1983 in the UK and on January 23, 1984, in the US, as the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album, Thriller.
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's United LP. The first release off the duo's second album: You're All I Need, the song—written and produced by regular Gaye/Terrell collaborators Ashford & Simpson—became a hit within weeks of release eventually peaking at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart, the first of the duo's two number-one R&B hits. In the UK "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached number 34.
"Off the Wall" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, from his fifth album of the same name (1979). It was written by English songwriter Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones, and released by Epic Records as the album's second single in the UK on November 16, 1979 and as the third single in the US on January 31, 1980. The song was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. Lyrically, the song is about getting over troubles.
Rodney Lynn Temperton was an English songwriter, producer and musician.
"On My Own" is a duet by American singers Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald. It was written and produced by Burt Bacharach and his then-wife Carole Bayer Sager and originally recorded by singer Dionne Warwick for inclusion on her album Friends (1985). The song was eventually recorded by LaBelle and McDonald for her eighth studio album, Winner in You (1986). It was released as the album's lead single on March 22, 1986, by MCA Records. Lyrically, "On My Own" was based on a relationship that had reached its end with both parties going their separate ways in a melancholy state with the occasional option of coming back together again one day.
"Heal the World" is a song recorded by American singer Michael Jackson from his eighth studio album, Dangerous (1991). It was released on November 23, 1992 by Epic Records as the sixth single from the album. It was written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and Bruce Swedien. It is a song steeped with antiwar lyrics and Jackson's wish for humanity of making the world a better place. The music video for the song was directed by Joe Pytka.
"If I Were a Carpenter" is a folk song written by Tim Hardin in the 1960s, and re-recorded with commercial success by various artists including Bobby Darin, The Four Tops and Johnny Cash. Hardin's own recording of the piece appeared on his 1967 album Tim Hardin 2. It was one of two songs from that release performed by Hardin at Woodstock in 1969. The song, believed by some to be about male romantic insecurity, is rumored to have been inspired by his love for actress Susan Morss, as well as the construction of Hardin's recording studio.
"Baby, Come to Me", a love ballad from Patti Austin's 1981 album Every Home Should Have One, was her duet with James Ingram. It was written by Rod Temperton. The song was released as a single in April 1982, initially peaking at No. 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Several months later, American soap opera General Hospital began to feature the song heavily as the love theme for character Luke Spencer. It was re-released in October of that same year and reached No. 1 on the US chart in February 1983.
"Yah Mo B There" is a contemporary R&B song, recorded as a duet by American singers James Ingram and Michael McDonald. It was written by Ingram, McDonald, Rod Temperton and producer Quincy Jones. The song originally appeared on Ingram's 1983 album, It's Your Night, via Jones's Qwest Records label. It was released as a single in late 1983, peaking in 1984 at No. 19 on the U.S. Hot 100 chart and No. 44 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Sweet Talkin' Woman" is a 1978 single by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from the album Out of the Blue (1977). Its original title was "Dead End Street", but it was changed during recording. Some words that survived from that version can be heard in the opening of the third verse, "I've been livin' on a dead end street".
"I Don't Want to Talk About It" is a song written by American guitarist Danny Whitten. It was first recorded by American rock band Crazy Horse and issued as the final track on side one of their 1971 eponymous album. It was Whitten's signature tune, but gained more fame via its numerous cover versions, especially that by Rod Stewart. Cash Box magazine has described it as "a magnificent ballad outing."
"I'll Be Good to You" is a 1976 hit song by R&B duo the Brothers Johnson. George Johnson, one of the two Johnson brothers in the band, wrote the song after deciding to commit to a relationship with one woman, instead of dating several at a time. While George was recording a demo for the song, family friend Senora Sam came by and added some lyrics. Brothers Johnson producer and mentor Quincy Jones heard the song, liked it, and convinced George to sing lead on the finished track. Released from their debut album, Look Out for #1, it was a top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot Singles Charts, peaking at number three, and a number one song on the Billboard R&B Charts during the summer of 1976. The single was later certified gold by the RIAA.
"A Love Song" is a song written by Kenny Loggins and Dona Lyn George, first released by the folk-rock duo Loggins and Messina in 1973 on their album Full Sail. Country artist Anne Murray covered the song later that year for her album of the same name.
"Fallin' In Love" is a song by American music trio Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. It was written by band member Dan Hamilton and featured on the trio's third studio album by the same name (1975).
"Man Size Love" is a song written by Rod Temperton. The song was recorded by Klymaxx, and produced by Temperton, along with Dick Rudolph and Bruce Swedien. It reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"The Motown Song" is a song performed by British singer Rod Stewart featuring American vocal group the Temptations. The song is from Stewart's 16th studio album, Vagabond Heart (1991). It was written by Larry John McNally and was originally recorded by McNally for the soundtrack to the film Quicksilver in 1986. McNally recorded a new version 2015 for the compilation I. C. Independent Celebration, Vol. 1 for the German label Birdstone Records.
"Give Me the Night" is a song recorded by American jazz and R&B musician George Benson, which he released from his 1980 studio album of the same title. It was written and composed by Heatwave's keyboard player Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. Patti Austin provides the backing and scat vocals that are heard throughout, and one of Benson's fellow jazz guitarists, Lee Ritenour, also performs on the selection.
"The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" is a song by Quincy Jones, featuring Afro-American R&B singers Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge, and Barry White. It was released as a single from Jones's album, Back on the Block (1989), and peaked at number one on the Billboard Black Singles chart for one week in 1990. It also reached number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and number 67 on the UK Singles Chart. "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" was written by Jones, Rod Temperton, Siedah Garrett and DeBarge and produced by Jones.
Whisper a Prayer is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Mica Paris. It was released on 8 June 1993 by 4th & B'way Records, her last for the label. Recording sessions for the album commenced in the spring of 1992 and concluded the following spring with Paris co-writing four of the twelve songs and producing one. Whisper a Prayer features writing and production from Narada Michael Walden, Rod Temperton and Terry Britten all of whom were top record producers at the time.
Sweet Freedom is a compilation album by American singer and songwriter Michael McDonald, released in 1986 on the Warner Bros. label.
