Melissa (Melissa Manchester album) explained

Melissa
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Melissa Manchester
Cover:	Melissa Manchester Melissa.jpg
Caption:	Melissa "Original Master Recording" vinyl album from Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Released:	January 1975
Genre:	Pop
Label:	Arista
Producer:	Vini Poncia
Prev Title:	Bright Eyes
Prev Year:	1974
Next Title:	Better Days And Happy Endings
Next Year:	1976

Melissa is the third album by Melissa Manchester, released on the Arista Records label in 1975. It reached #12 on the Billboard Albums chart on the strength of her first U.S. Top Ten hit "Midnight Blue" (#6). In 2001, the album was re-released.

Track listing

1. "We've Got Time" (Manchester, Carole Bayer Sager) – 4:24
2. "Party Music" (Manchester, David Wolfert) – 3:29
3. "Just Too Many People" (Manchester, Vini Poncia) – 3:38
4. "Stevie's Wonder" (Manchester, Carole Bayer Sager) – 3:35
5. "This Lady's Not Home Today" (Manchester, Carole Bayer Sager) – 4:33
6. "Love Havin' You Around" (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) – 4:40
7. "Midnight Blue" (Manchester, Carole Bayer Sager) – 3:55
8. "It's Gonna Be Alright" (Manchester, Adrienne Anderson) – 3:34
9. "I Got Eyes" (Manchester) – 2:45
10. "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore" (Randy Newman) – 5:05

Personnel

• Melissa Manchester – lead vocals, acoustic piano (1, 4, 7, 8, 10), electric piano (5, 9), clavinet (6)
• James Newton Howard – electric piano (1-4, 7), clavinet (2, 8), ARP synthesizer (2, 9), organ (5, 6), acoustic piano (6), celesta (9)
• David Wolfert – acoustic guitar (1, 7), electric guitars (1-7), guitars (8)
• Cooker Lo Presti – bass
• Kirk Bruner – drums (1-8), percussion (2, 4), cuica (4), talking drum (6), backing vocals (9)
• King Errisson – congas (2, 5, 8)
• Don Diego Gujo – cowbell (8)
• Morton K. Salt – percussion (9)
• Trevor Lawrence – tenor saxophone (3, 6, 8), horn arrangements (3, 6, 8), string arrangements (3, 5, 7, 10), soprano saxophone (5), baritone saxophone (6, 8), alto saxophone (10)
• John Rotella – baritone saxophone (3)
• Gene Dinwiddie – tenor saxophone (6, 8)
• Lew McCreary – trombone (3)
• Steve Madaio – trumpet (3, 6, 8)
• Vini Poncia – backing vocals (1, 2, 7, 9)
• The Rhinestones – backing vocals (2)
• David Lasley – backing vocals (6)
• Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (6)
• Brie Howard – backing vocals (9)

Production

• Executive Producer – Richard Perry
• Producer – Vini Poncia
• Engineer – Bob Schaper
• Assistant Engineer – Reed Stanley
• Recorded at Sunset Sound (Los Angeles, CA) and A&R Studios (New York, NY).
• Remixed by Bill Schnee at Sound Labs (Hollywood, CA).
• Art Direction – Bob Heimall
• Design – Arton Associates
• Illustration – Pacific Eye & Ear
• Photography – Ed Caraeff