Is this album worth buying?

Given past discussions on Lionel, I think the collective answer you'll get from prince.org is a resounding NO. I've never heard it myself; I only know the singles.

I actually owned this album at one time. Got rid of it in less than a year.
If you want to hear what Barry Manilow would sound like doing R & B, by all means indulge yourself.
Saleswise it was a monster but Lionel has never been as enjoyable as a solo artist as he was with the Commodores.

I like this album alot.My favorite songs are "You Are","Round And Round","You Mean More To Me","Tell Me" and "Serves You Right".

There are only two Lionel Richie solo albums that you should have: this one and the follow-up 'Can't Slow Down'.

I actually think this album is excellent. It's a good transition album for Lionel. To me, it contains the right amount of pop/funk/r&b for a crossover star.

I highly recommend it. Now, its no "Can't Slow Down", but its definitely not a bad album.

RipHer2Shreds said:

You must haven't paid attention....there are LOTS of Lionel Richie fans on the org. Most of us love the stuff pre-1992, but Lionel is a musical genius in his own right.

daPrettyman said:

I didn't say he doesn't have fans here, because certainly he does. I have a greatest hits set. But usually when his name comes up here, it's followed by comments like "sellout, "sucks without The Commodores," etc. As far as "lots of Lionel Richie fans on the org" go, I'll take your word for it. Usually the opposite are what make their voice heard on his post-Commodores material.

Early Lionel is essential, and I would say that this ranks right up there with Can't Slow Down and Dancing On The Ceiling, as far as quality goes. I would recommend buying it.

I am one of what appears to be the faithful few fans on the org , and I own this album, its not a bad album, its not as good as Can't Slow Down, but its better than Dancing on the Ceiling... @ least it is to me. So if you like Lionel (post Commodores), you will like his debut.

This album and Can't Slow Down are excellent. Every bit as good as the better Commodores (a few of which were uneven dogs).

I liked lionel's commodores years better as any commodore fan would
but his first two solo albums were pretty good especially this one
but dancing on the ceiling and subsequent solo projects either
weren't very good or plain just sucked particularly that time album.

phunkdaddy said:

I agree.The first two Lionel Richie solo albums are great.I didn't like 'Dancing On The Ceiling' and the albums that followed

Did James Anthony Carmichael do any good work outside of Lionel and the Commodores?

I have a greatest hits collection from him also. I like several of his solo songs but I see his solo career as much weaker than when he was with The Commodores which was some great stuff.

I agree with Daprettyman that Lionel is a great talent and I have great respect for Lionel and I like him also and have no bitterness towards him either. Mainly because, while he was busy being the black Barry Mannilow, funk by other artist was still dominating R&B radio, so he was basically doing his own thing and everyone else was still doing their's. It was totally different when the black Barbara Streisand brought her dull ass onto the scene. Not only was she doing weak stuff, but others were influenced by those huge sales and started making weak stuff too. Funk was no longer dominating like it was when Lionel went solo.

RipHer2Shreds said:

He did some great work with Atlantic Star and Rockie Robbins just to name a few. It's hard to top Radiant, Brilliance and Yours Forever from Atlantic Star and he did those 3.

daPrettyman said:

I knew about the Atlantic Starr stuff (I have both Radiant and Brilliant), which is how I found out he produced the Commodores. Don't know Rockie Robbins. Will look it up... Thanks

I agree with most of the people here that dislike Dancing on the Ceiling. It's not that the album is bad, but its an attempt to be too pop (to me anyway). Now, I do like some of Lionel's other stuff he did afterward. I really liked the Time album. Its a well thought out project. To me, its definitely a songwriters project and not a pop/r&b project. It didn't get a lot of airplay, nor did it chart well, but it is a great project.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Rockie Robbins' biggest hit was "You and Me". It can be found on this compilation:



The original album was entitled You and Me and is available on A&M REcords. It came out in 1980.

daPrettyman said:

The title track is truly the worst song he's ever done I also disliked "Say You Say Me".The only decent song I could find on that album is "Love Will Conquer All" (a rip-off of the superior "Love Will Find A Way").

SoulAlive said:

I have to agree with you. I cannot stand "Dancing on the Ceiling". Everything about that song is horrible. "Say You, Say Me" is right up there. Its just not as bad as DOTC. Now, I really like Love Will Conquer All, Deep River Woman, and Ballerina Girl. Se La is ok, but doesn't do it for me.

I find it interesting that he took a long break from recording after DOTC and released Back To Front (a GH compilation). Maybe he wasn't feeling too creative at the time. Though, I did like Do It To Me.

Can't Slow Down is his best solo album, sounds great back to back with Thriller IMO

alphastreet said:

Yes very much so!

PFunkjazz said:

+

I thought you no longer cared about artists whose albums members of TOTO played on?


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

The only thing I remember from Rockie Robbins is "I Believe In Love" from 1981.

I can tolerate "Dancing On The Ceiling". At least it's fast, even if it is pop. The worst thing he ever did was "Say You, Say Me".

vainandy said:

And Say You, Say Me will forever be to me the song that beat Miss Celie's Blues for the Oscar.

Is that the song where she's sitting in the juke joint and Shug is singing.....

Sister
You've been on my mind
Oh...sister
We're two of a kind
So....sister
Cause honey this shuggggg.....
Is feelin' fiiiiine.....

I like that one.

vainandy said:

That's the one.

vainandy said:

I only like say you, say me for the wild guitar part when the
song changes.

vainandy said:

that was his ultimate sellout song.Have you seen the video? It's gotta be one of the dumbest,cheesiest 80s music videos ever made.




I hate that song,too.I remember 'Black Beat' magazine wrote a review of this song,they said....."Say You,Say Me" Say what?? With this song,Lionel has become the black Barry Manilow"