Cooleyhighharmony Explained

Cooleyhighharmony
Type:	studio
Artist:	Boyz II Men
Cover:	Boyziimencooleyhighharmony1.jpg
Released:	April 30, 1991
Studio:	Doppler, Atlanta, Georgia; Studio 4, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Soundworks, New York City
Genre:	R&B new jack swing^[1]
Length:	40:25
Language:	English
Label:	Motown
Producer:	Dallas Austin the Characters
Next Title:	Christmas Interpretations
Next Year:	1993

Cooleyhighharmony is the debut studio album by American R&B group Boyz II Men, released by Motown Records on April 30, 1991. The album was written mainly by Boyz II Men members Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman, and produced by Dallas Austin and the Characters. Cooleyhighharmonys title is a tribute to a real high school in Chicago: Cooley Vocational High School.^[2]

The album debuted at number 58 on the US Billboard 200 and eventually peaked at number 3. Its original version produced the US Billboard Hot 100 Top 5 singles, "Motownphilly" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday".

Cooleyhighharmony was re-released internationally in 1992 (1993 in the US) with remixes and the inclusion of two hit singles: the worldwide hit single "End of the Road" from the Boomerang soundtrack and "In the Still of the Nite (I'll Remember)" which was initially recorded for the TV mini-series .

Cooleyhighharmony has been certified nine times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over 9 million units in the US.^[3]

In 2009, a two-disc digitally remastered special edition of the album was released, containing remixes as well as two previously unreleased songs.^[4]

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Andy Kellman called the album "a brisk 40-minute set built for front-to-back listening, though the sequencing is more natural with the 'adagio' and 'allegro' halves switched up. For many of those responsible for its multi-platinum status, it is the album of the early '90s." In a mixed review, Amy Linden from Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Reversing the usual sequence, the album starts with slow jams and saves the faster jams for last, which only serves to highlight how routine the slow stuff is. Don't they know that you start the party kickin', then get down to the grinding?"

Track listing

2009 re-release

In 2009, a two-disc digitally remastered special edition of the album was released by Hip-O Select Records. It contains the 1993 reissue version of the album, plus additional remixes and two previously unreleased tracks.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Cooleyhighharmony.^[5]

Technical

• Vida Sparks
• Dallas Austin
• Michael Bivins
• Jheryl Busby
• Dave Way
• Dennis Mitchell
• Darin Prindle
• Chris Trevett
• Steve Schwartzberg
• Jim "Jiff" Hinger
• Mark Partis

Additional personnel

• Mastering: Chris Bellman
• Mastering location: Bernie Grundman Mastering
• Creative director: Michael Bivins
• Art director: Stephen Meltzer
• Design: Kaie Wellman
• Assistant designer: Elizabeth Matbeny
• Assistant: Darrale Jones
• Administrative assistant: Dianne Johnson
• Photography: Butch Belaire
• Hair and make-up: Helene Andersson
• Stylist: Agnes Baddoo

Mixing locations

• Soundworks Studio, New York City
• Soundtract Studio, New York City
• Doppler Studios, Atlanta, Georgia

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1991–1993)! scope="col"

Peak position
Canadian Albums (RPM)	11
European Albums Chart (Billboard)^[6]	30
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[7]	91
Zimbabwe Albums (ZIMA)^[8]	3

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)! scope="col"

Position
US Billboard 200^[9]	12
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[10]	10

Chart (1993)! scope="col"

Position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[11]	15
US Billboard 200^[12]	53
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[13]	43

Decade-end charts

Decade-end chart performance for Cooleyhighharmony!Chart (1990–1999)!Position

US Billboard 200^[14]	45

Release history

Region! scope="col"

Date	Format	Label	Edition(s)
United States	April 30, 1991		Motown	Standard
	November 16, 1993			US reissue
	May 26, 2009			Expanded

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1991 (U.S.)

Notes and References

1. Henderson, Alex. Web site: New Jack Swing . . 2016-07-26 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20120307174758/http://www.allmusic.com/explore/essay/new-jack-swing-t2157 . March 7, 2012.
2. Web site: Producer Dallas Austin talks about Boyz II Men's debut album, 'Cooleyhighharmony'. Waxpoetics.com. en-US. 2016-03-09. 2016-07-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20160729210419/http://www.waxpoetics.com/features/articles/producer-dallas-austin-talks-about-boyz-ii-mens-debut-album-cooleyhighharmony/. dead.
3. Web site: RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - September 24, 2015 . . 2017-08-26 . 2015-09-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924130925/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Cooleyhighharmony%22 . dead .
4. Web site: Boyz II Men – Cooleyhighharmony (2009, Expanded Edition, CD). 21 December 2021. Discogs.com.
5. Cooleyhighharmony. Boyz II Men. 1991. CD liner . Motown Records.
6. Hits of the World – Eurochart. Billboard. December 5, 1992. July 25, 2012.
7. Web site: ボーイズ・II・メンのアルバム売上ランキング. ORICON NEWS. 21 December 2021.
8. Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: albums chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
9. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1992. Billboard. May 26, 2021.
10. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1992. Billboard. May 26, 2021.
11. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 1993 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart . . November 2, 2021 .
12. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993. Billboard. May 26, 2021.
13. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1993. Billboard. May 26, 2021.
14. Geoff Mayfield . 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s . . December 25, 1999 . October 15, 2010.