United (Commodores album) explained
United is the 12th studio album by the Commodores, released on October 7, 1986 on Polydor Records.[1]
Overview
The album reached number 17 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. "Goin' to the Bank" and "Take It from Me" climbed to number two on Billboard's R&B singles charts. Another single, "United in Love," peaked at #22 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[2] [3] [4] [5]
Covers
The Commodores covered Peabo Bryson's "Let's Apologize" from his 1985 studio album Take No Prisoners.[6]
Personnel
Commodores
- Walter Orange – drums, lead vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10), backing vocals (4), arrangements (10)
- J.D. Nicholas – rap (1), lead vocals (2, 3, 4, 6-9), backing vocals (3, 4, 6)
- William King – keyboards, arrangements (7), BGV arrangements (7)
- Milan Williams – keyboards, arrangements (8), BGV arrangements (8)
Additional musicians
- Claude Gaudette – keyboards (1-4, 6), electronic programming (1-4, 6), arrangements (2, 3, 4, 6)
- Casey Young – special effects (1), keyboards (5, 9, 10), electronic programming (5, 9, 10)
- Greg Mathieson – keyboards (5, 10), arrangements (5, 9, 10)
- John Barnes – synthesizers (7, 8)
- Michael Boddicker – synthesizers (7, 8)
- Harold Hudson – synthesizers (7, 8), arrangements (7), BGV arrangements (7), backing vocals (7, 8)
- Sheldon Reynolds – guitars (1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10), arrangements (2, 6), guitar synthesizer (6), backing vocals (6, 7, 8)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (3, 5, 9, 10)
- Dann Huff – guitars (4)
- Michael Thompson – guitars (9)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (5, 7, 8, 10)
- Isaac Morris – arrangements (6), drum overdubs (7)
- Gary Herbig – saxophone solo (10)
- James Anthony Carmichael – arrangements (7, 8)
- Siedah Garrett – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 6), rap (1)
- Dennis Lambert – backing vocals (1, 2), BGV arrangements (1, 2, 3)
- Phil Perry – backing vocals (1, 2)
- Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals (1, 2)
- Julia Tillman Waters – backing vocals (3, 9, 10)
- Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals (3, 9, 10)
- Bill Champlin – backing vocals (5, 9, 10)
- Jason Scheff – backing vocals (9, 10)
Production
- Dennis Lambert – producer (1-4, 6)
- Jeremy Smith – producer (1, 2, 6), recording (1, 2, 3, 6), mixing (1-4, 6)
- Greg Mathieson – producer (5, 9, 10)
- James Anthony Carmichael – producer (7, 8)
- Lloyd Tolbert – assistant producer (7, 8)
- Milan Williams – producer (8)
- Paul Ericksen – assistant engineer (1, 2, 6), mixing (3, 4), recording (4)
- Mick Guzauski – recording (5, 9, 10), mixing (5, 9, 10)
- Bino Espinoza – assistant engineer (5, 10)
- Don Murray – assistant engineer (5, 10)
- Calvin Harris – recording (7, 8), mixing (7, 8)
- Fred Law – additional recording (7, 8)
- Karen Siegel – assistant engineer (7, 8)
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Lacquer (Los Angeles, California).
- Bill Levy – art direction
- John Kosh – package design
- Chris Callis – photography
Charts
Album
Notes and References
- Commodores: United. October 1986. Polydor Records.
- Web site: Commodores: United. https://web.archive.org/web/20180524090905/https://www.billboard.com/music/commodores/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-albums/song/376467. dead. May 24, 2018. Billboard.com.
- Web site: Commodores: Goin' To The Bank (Hot R&B Songs). https://web.archive.org/web/20180526150026/https://www.billboard.com/music/commodores/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-songs/song/369720. dead. May 26, 2018. Billboard.com.
- Web site: Commodores: United in Love (Adult Contemporary Songs). https://web.archive.org/web/20180524091013/https://www.billboard.com/music/commodores/chart-history/adult-contemporary/song/380181. dead. May 24, 2018. Billboard.com.
- Web site: Commodores: Take It From Me (Hot R&B Songs). https://web.archive.org/web/20180524090916/https://www.billboard.com/music/commodores/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-songs/song/369833. dead. May 24, 2018. Billboard.com.
- Web site: Let's Apologize by Peabo Bryson. secondhandsongs.com.
