| What Cha' Gonna Do for Me | |
| Type: | studio album |
| Artist: | Chaka Khan |
| Cover: | WhatChaGonnaDoForMe.jpg |
| Released: | April 15, 1981 |
| Recorded: | 1980 |
| Length: | 42:04 |
| Label: | Warner Bros. |
| Producer: | Arif Mardin |
| Prev Title: | Naughty |
| Prev Year: | 1980 |
| Next Title: | Camouflage (with Rufus) |
| Next Year: | 1981 |
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.
Three singles were released from What Cha' Gonna Do: the Beatles cover "We Can Work It Out" (US R&B #34), the McCrarys cover "Any Old Sunday" (#68) and the album's title track which became a number one hit on Billboard R&B Singles chart. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #3 on Black Albums, #33 on Jazz Albums, and #17 on Pop Albums. This would be Chaka's highest-charting album until her 1980s-era breakthrough I Feel For You. Its popularity among jazz audiences was likely due to the inclusion of the Dizzy Gillespie composition "Night In Tunisia" with a guest appearance by Gillespie himself as well as what today would be called a 'sample' of Charlie Parker's legendary four bar alto break from his 1946 recording of the title. Khan's vocal interpretation also features lyrics written by the singer herself.[1] This album was nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female in 1981.[2]
The instrumental intro to "Fate" has been sampled by a host of dance acts all through the 1990s and 2000s, most notably by Stardust on their 1998 hit single "Music Sounds Better With You" and a section of "I Know You I Live You" also features on "Bad Habit" by ATFC & Onephatdeeva feat. Lisa Milett.
What Cha' Gonna Do For Me has only been re-issued on CD in both Europe and Japan. The album has yet to see a CD release in the United States, but did become domestically available digitally shortly after Khan won multiple Grammys for her 2007 album Funk This.
In 2016, Big Break Records re-issued the album as an expanded edition with special liner notes, rare photos, and containing three bonus tracks: "Only Once", "Lover's Touch" and "I Know You, I Live You (Remix)". Though the remix of "I Know You, I Live You" was previously released on , the other two were only available on 7" singles until the Big Break reissue. "Lover's Touch" was the B-Side of "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" in the US, and "Only Once" was the B-Side of "We Can Work It Out."
Track 1: “We Can Work It Out”
Drums - Ray Pounds
Keyboards [All], Synthesizer [Mini Moog Bass] - Greg Phillinganes
Guitar – Mike Sembello
Percussion – Paulinho da Costa
Horn Arrangement – Larry Williams
Horns [Brass, Reeds] – Bill Reichenbach, Gary Grant, Kim Hutchcroft, Larry Hall, Larry Williams
Arranged by [String Arrangement] – Arif Mardin
Concert Master - Gene Orloff
Track 2: “What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me”
Synthesizer – Bob Christianson
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax Solo], Soloist – Michael Brecker
Arranged by [Horn Arrangement] – Arif Mardin
Horns [Brass, Reeds] – Barry Rogers, Lou Delgatto, Lou Soloff, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker
Track 3, 10: “I Know You, I Live You”
Percussion – Crusher Bennett, Chaka Khan
Arranged by [Horn Arrangement], Saxophone – Larry Williams
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Track 4: “Any Old Sunday”
Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker
Track 5: “We Got Each Other”
Vocals [Duet Vocal] – Mark Stevens
Arranged by [Horn Arrangement], Saxophone – Larry Williams
Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Track 6: “And The Melody Still Lingers On (Night In Tunisia)”
Drums – Casey Scheuerell
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Electric Piano – Ronnie Foster
Keyboards [Clavitar Solo, Break], Synthesizer [Oberheim Bells] – Herbie Hancock
Percussion – Paulinho da Costa
Synthesizer [Mini Moog Bass, Prophet 5] – David Foster
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie
Track 7: "Night Moods"
Arranged by [String Arrangement] – Arif Mardin
Concert Master - Gene Orloff
Track 8: “Heed The Warning”
Synthesizer [Moog Synthesizer], Soloist [Solo] – David Richards
Track 9: “Fate”
Clavinet – Richard Tee
Guitar [Guitar Solo], Soloist – Hiram Bullock
Percussion – Crusher Bennett
Synthesizer – David Richards