I never had this album before but I just got the CD yesterday and I can't believe how good this album is! After two excellent Chic-produced albums ('We Are Family' and 'Love Somebody Today'),the girls worked with producer Narada Michael Walden on this one and guess what? Some of his tracks sound just like Chic productions The opening song and title track is basically a "We Are Family" for the 80s.Other uptempo jams like "If You Really Want Me" and "Make A Move" sound as if Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers are right there in the studio with the girls.There's definitely a Chic influence here.

Interestingly,a few weird things happened when this album came out.In early 1981,the title track was released as the first single.Like their signature hit "We Are Family",it's a fun,bouncy dance track with a great message but oddly enough,it created a little controversy in some circles.Some folks in the black community felt that the term "All American" implied that the girls were trying to be White and weren't proud of their black heritage Some R&B stations even refused to play the song! The girls wanted to make a press statement but their label advised them against it,hoping the controversy would die down on its own.

Another odd thing happened when they released the second single "He's Just A Runaway".The song is an excellent pop/rock number with a vibrant arrangement....the type of song that could have easily crossed over to the pop charts if it had been promoted properly.It could have exposed the girls to a whole new audience and demonstrate that they were so much than a disco act.Unfortunately,their record label pursued an odd promotional strategy.They remixed the song in a reggae style (!!),retitled it "He's Just A Runaway (A Tribute To Bob Marley)",re-released it and watched it die a quick death.I never understood why they did this.The original version of the song is great....a pulsing,electro-rock track....similiar to songs like "Call Me" by Blondie.It could have been a crossover smash.I guess when the single didn't do very well,the label panicked and came up with a silly scheme to salvage the song? One thing that frustates me is,on all of the Sister Sledge compilations that I've seen,it always includes the inferior remixed version,instead of the amazing album version.

Who remembers this album?

Ah. You finally copped this one. What do you think about "Next Time You'll KNow"? That, along with "..Runaway" are my favorites off the album.

unkemptpueblo said:

"Next Time You'll Know" is great I like every song on this album

The intro to the song All American Girls sounds like a intro to a chic sound, a chic HIT!
But the melody is bit weak. Bernard and Nile would have made more out of this.

graecophilos said:

True. Their collaboration put Sledge Sister on the map.

I saw this album on my last vinyl dig in february. I will probably
pick it up next time i go.

The sledge sisters are looking hot on the album cover by the way.
[Edited 4/8/08 9:13am]

unkemptpueblo said:

...

Love this album (I like most of Narada's late 70's-early 80's productions)! My favorites are: "Next Time You'll Know", "Don't You Let Me Lose It", and "Happy Feelng"...




...

Thanks Soul! I'll be looking for this on e(V)il bay.

Good pick, Soul. Underrated album. This album always reminded me of Chic's early 80's work. How they were going more into a rock direction. I dug it. It didn't sell quite as much but u know...But I really dig the title track from this album. It got some pretty good airplay.

blackguitaristz said:

I like the way the first three songs all segue into each other,giving the album a 'party' vibe.

One question: was the song "If You Really Want Me" released as a single? It sounds so familiar to me.I swear,it must have gotten some airplay in my area.

blackguitaristz said:

Yeah,I can hear a Chic influence on this album.I'm guessing that the record company asked producer Narada Michael Walden not to stray too far from the sound they established for themselves with Chic.The title track is the same type of singalong "anthem" song that "We Are Family" and "Got To Love Somebody Today" were.On a few other tracks,the bass and guitar sounds just like Niles and Bernard.

SoulAlive said:

Yup, that's exactly what happened! In a 1980 interview with the UK magazine Blues and Soul , the interviewer asked Narada, "Are you going to try to take Sister Sledge away from that Chic sound?" and Narada replied, "the problem with doing that is that sound has sold them a great deal of records so far(laughs), -- so no, we're going to keep it to a rhythm-oriented, down to earth groove, though there are a few rock oriented numbers...."*


Btw, that's American Idol's Randy "Dawg" Jackson playing Bass on the record--
for this album, Narada and the other musicians called themselves "The Brother Sledge Band":

Narada Michael Walden: Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Produder
Randy Jackson: Basses
Corrrado "The Rod" Rusticci: Guitars
Bob Castell-Blanch: Guitars
Frank "Killer Bee" Martin: Keyboards








(* from "Narada Michael Walden: The Awakening Of The Supreme Musician",
Blues and Soul magazine, 1980)


...
[Edited 4/9/08 9:12am]

SoulAlive said:

Yeah but I can tell it wasn't Nile and Bernard. It wasn't smooth or slick enough. Plus it didn't have that locked pocket that it would have had with Chic's drummer Tony up in it. These cats were definately emulating Nile and Bernard's musicianship. Cuz that sound had dominated disco and pop for 3 years easy by the time they got around to that album. Randy was cool on bass and he gets props with me simply cuz he played with Journey for a spell but he CERTAINLY ain't no Bernard Edwards. I would have loved to have heard a Nile & Bernard production of the song "All American Girls".

blackguitaristz said:

Exactly. Nile & Benard playing style is so distinct.

paligap said:

wow Paligap...you got all the information! Thanks for posting that.

I've noticed that most of their albums have been remastered/reissued.So far,these are the ones that I have...

'We Are Family' (I bought this one in 90s)
'Love Somebody Today'
'All American Girls'


I'm thinking about getting the next two albums: 'The Sisters' (which they produced themselves) and 'Betcha Say That To All The Girls' (produced by George Duke).Are these albums any good? Anybody recommend them?

good lp you found there soulalive.

blackguitaristz said:

Indeed.

SPYZFAN1 said:

do you have any of their other albums?

The ladies!!!

"Happy feeling" is the best track on that album...

SunnySkies said:

Is that your favorite track? I really,really like the song "If You Really Want Me".It sounds so familiar to me....it must have a single.

Should I get the albums 'The Sisters' and 'Betcha Say That To All The Girls'? Do you recommend those?

SoulAlive said:

I would definitely get "The sisters", mainly because of "Jackie`s theme (there`s no stopping us now)" and "Grandma", which i KNOW you will like...

I remember the hit single from that album....a remake of Mary Well's "My Guy".I wasn't too impressed with it.I'll check out the album,though.

SoulAlive said:

A boring song.... I like the original "All the man that i need" though....

SunnySkies said:

Those are the two songs I know from this album.Are there any great uptempo tracks (besides the one you mentioned)?

SoulAlive said:

Thank you for the party
B.Y.O.B
Super bad sisters
Il macquillage lady

and the rest are kind of fillers....

I love "B.Y.O.B",that's a fun song Very catchy too.Heard it alot on the radio back in spring 1983.That was probably their last notable hit.