the title track

The Unreleased & Legendary
'Dare You To Love Me' CD
(~1995 Warner Brothers)

This project was completed before the 'Epiphany' CD was released in 1996, and for some reason, Warner Brothers decided to disregard all of the hard work that Chaka (& others!!) put into the project by cancelling it's release. Warners then started to release several of the tracks on various soundtracks, and others appeared as the 'new songs' on 1996's 'Epiphany'. From what I've heard on the tracks that I've collected from this project, Chaka Khan had a great CD that was dumped in favor of a 'Best Of' CD.

CD Tracklisting

"Don't Take Back Your Love"

"Power"

shame on Warners for rejecting this masterpiece I think this is her strongest,most consistent album since 1981's What Cha Gonna Do For Me

how the hell are they gonna dump an entire 18-track album of NEW songs,in favor of a greatest hits CD featuring songs that 'real fans' already have? What's the logic in that? Chaka should have raised some hell

How can an unreleased CD have bonus tracks?

Damn never knew that. I remember when Epiphany came out and my mindset was

the same as you were saying why buy this when I already have most of the tracks.

These two singles are great. Don't Take Back Your Love had number 1 written all over it.

It goes to show you the mindset of labels back then. Labels were changing personnel

and merging and screwing a lot of artists around that time.

thedoorkeeper said:

How can an unreleased CD have bonus tracks?

lol...I don't know if those bonus tracks were part of the original tracklist,or if a bootlegger added those songs later

phunkdaddy said:

Damn never knew that. I remember when Epiphany came out and my mindset was

the same as you were saying why buy this when I already have most of the tracks.

These two singles are great. Don't Take Back Your Love had number 1 written all over it.

It goes to show you the mindset of labels back then. Labels were changing personnel

and merging and screwing a lot of artists around that time.

yeah,Warners was a mess at that time.Chaka got lost in the shuffle.

SoulAlive said:

phunkdaddy said:

Damn never knew that. I remember when Epiphany came out and my mindset was

the same as you were saying why buy this when I already have most of the tracks.

These two singles are great. Don't Take Back Your Love had number 1 written all over it.

It goes to show you the mindset of labels back then. Labels were changing personnel

and merging and screwing a lot of artists around that time.

yeah,Warners was a mess at that time.Chaka got lost in the shuffle.

A weird point for music in general, with Soundscan in place for almost 5 years, everything now was about sales and that week one number, AGE is a huge factor, plus there were changes in RB altogether and the radio, ALOT of RB artists were doing the whole HipHop mix thing, from Mariah to people like Brian Mcknight, even Toni Braxton at that time was starting to change. Prince was basically a done deal too, That was right around the time of the whole "Gold Experience" fiasco, which even though was a GOLD album for him, WB was tired of him and the headache he was causing, and really his beef was with old methods and he was bringing it all out on execs that had nothing to do with his early days, so it was just a bad time over there, confusion, change in the way that labels overall and radio were focusing on things etc...

And im not really surprised to see so many tracks shelved, especially in PRINCE world though he wasnt part of Chaka's record, he was part of Sheena Easton's "No Sound But a Heart" album that got shelved back in the later 80's even though a single was released too. And we cant forget the 3rd Mary Jane Girls record which got shelved though its said was complete because of Rick's issues with drugs and motown

OMG, this is excellent! It sounds so "fresh," even though it was recorded so long ago. (I guess that only goes to show how desperate I am seeking new stuff from Chaka!)

WILL THIS EVER BE RELEASED????

SoulAlive said:

how the hell are they gonna dump an entire 18-track album of NEW songs,in favor of a greatest hits CD featuring songs that 'real fans' already have? What's the logic in that? Chaka should have raised some hell

Long before the Dare You To Love Me album was rejected, there was an earlier fallout between Chaka & WB due to fact that the WB records execs wanted Chaka to do hip-hop soul tracks like what Mary J. Blige was doing at the time. Be as it may, Chaka definitely raised hell against that bullshit idea by telling them that if they wanted someone to sing like Mary, they should've gotten the real Mary.

lastdecember said:

SoulAlive said:

yeah,Warners was a mess at that time.Chaka got lost in the shuffle.

A weird point for music in general, with Soundscan in place for almost 5 years, everything now was about sales and that week one number, AGE is a huge factor, plus there were changes in RB altogether and the radio, ALOT of RB artists were doing the whole HipHop mix thing, from Mariah to people like Brian Mcknight, even Toni Braxton at that time was starting to change. Prince was basically a done deal too, That was right around the time of the whole "Gold Experience" fiasco, which even though was a GOLD album for him, WB was tired of him and the headache he was causing, and really his beef was with old methods and he was bringing it all out on execs that had nothing to do with his early days, so it was just a bad time over there, confusion, change in the way that labels overall and radio were focusing on things etc...

And im not really surprised to see so many tracks shelved, especially in PRINCE world though he wasnt part of Chaka's record, he was part of Sheena Easton's "No Sound But a Heart" album that got shelved back in the later 80's even though a single was released too. And we cant forget the 3rd Mary Jane Girls record which got shelved though its said was complete because of Rick's issues with drugs and motown

I remember because I was calling the record store damn near every week waiting

on the release of that album and I would keep getting told that it was pushed back.

Some of the tracks if not nearly all was given to one of Rick's other proteges Val Young.

phunkdaddy said:

lastdecember said:

A weird point for music in general, with Soundscan in place for almost 5 years, everything now was about sales and that week one number, AGE is a huge factor, plus there were changes in RB altogether and the radio, ALOT of RB artists were doing the whole HipHop mix thing, from Mariah to people like Brian Mcknight, even Toni Braxton at that time was starting to change. Prince was basically a done deal too, That was right around the time of the whole "Gold Experience" fiasco, which even though was a GOLD album for him, WB was tired of him and the headache he was causing, and really his beef was with old methods and he was bringing it all out on execs that had nothing to do with his early days, so it was just a bad time over there, confusion, change in the way that labels overall and radio were focusing on things etc...

And im not really surprised to see so many tracks shelved, especially in PRINCE world though he wasnt part of Chaka's record, he was part of Sheena Easton's "No Sound But a Heart" album that got shelved back in the later 80's even though a single was released too. And we cant forget the 3rd Mary Jane Girls record which got shelved though its said was complete because of Rick's issues with drugs and motown

I remember because I was calling the record store damn near every week waiting

on the release of that album and I would keep getting told that it was pushed back.

Some of the tracks if not nearly all was given to one of Rick's other proteges Val Young.

I used to post on the Motown message boards and several fans,including myself,kept mentioning that unreleased Mary Jane Girls album We wanted Motown to take it out of the vaults and finally release it.It is titled Conversation.It was never released because Rick was feuding with Motown at the time.He was getting ready to leave the label and wanted to take the girls with him,but Motown wouldn't allow it.When he left,the girls broke up and the cancelled album remains unreleased.It's such a shame because the Mary Jane Girls were at the height of their popularity.A third album had the potential to be a relaly big hit.

I was hoping that this would be a big year for Chaka,with a new album and all.Has anyone heard any word on her new album?

FormerlyKnownAs said:

OMG, this is excellent! It sounds so "fresh," even though it was recorded so long ago. (I guess that only goes to show how desperate I am seeking new stuff from Chaka!)

WILL THIS EVER BE RELEASED????

Many of these songs have already been released on various projects.Still,it would be nice if this entire album was finally released.When Chaka left Warners,she said that she would like to find a way to get this album released somehow.

SoulAlive said:

I was hoping that this would be a big year for Chaka,with a new album and all.Has anyone heard any word on her new album?

I'm assuming the album will be out by the end of the year. she recently had a contest on her website where someone will get a chance to attend the listening party for her CD in a few weeks but you had to make a donation to her foundation. The winner was announced a few days ago. So, now she has to release the CD this year because she certainly cant tell the winner of the contest that the CD has been delayed again, therefore, there will be no listening party for him to attend, as promised.

SoulAlive said:

FormerlyKnownAs said:

OMG, this is excellent! It sounds so "fresh," even though it was recorded so long ago. (I guess that only goes to show how desperate I am seeking new stuff from Chaka!)

WILL THIS EVER BE RELEASED????

Many of these songs have already been released on various projects.Still,it would be nice if this entire album was finally released.When Chaka left Warners,she said that she would like to find a way to get this album released somehow.

When asked about having "Dare You To Love Me" released a few years ago, she said she wasn't interested. She just wanted to move on to new things. So unless a label like Expansion Records can purchase the rights to the album then, no, it will probably never be released in it's entirety.

Oh how I WISH I could have this in studio quality

I never understood why Warners did that either.

Bring her profile back up with a hits CD and appearances on various compilations.. for what? Now there is no album to release because you picked it apart for all those other discs!

It reminds me of what Donna Summer went through in 1981.She spent that entire summer recording an 18-track 2-LP set titled I'm A Rainbow but when she submitted it to her record company,they rejected it.Can you imagine recording 18 new tracks (!) and having it all rejected?? She described the ordeal as "sorta like having a miscarriage".As was the case with Chaka,a few songs were released on other projects: "Highway Runner" was on the 1982 'Fast Times At Ridgemont High' soundtrack and "Romeo" appeared on the 1983 'Flashdance' movie soundtrack.Finally,in 1996,they took the album out of the vaults and released it.

but since the Chicago album and the Donna Summer album was finally released (many years later),I wonder is there any hope for Chaka's album? :hmmm: I could see a label like Rhino Records being interested in putting it out.

SoulAlive said:

but since the Chicago album and the Donna Summer album was finally released (many years later),I wonder is there any hope for Chaka's album? :hmmm: I could see a label like Rhino Records being interested in putting it out.

They probably would do if Chaka had something new coming out? Thats when they may do it. Again though, if the tracklist you posted is correct, the songs sound all over the place (both in style and recording dates). As I said, "Power" sounds around 1990. I'd be surprised if it was 1993 let alone 1995? Who knows....

SoulAlive said:

how the hell are they gonna dump an entire 18-track album of NEW songs,in favor of a greatest hits CD featuring songs that 'real fans' already have? What's the logic in that? Chaka should have raised some hell

Research and read the history of Warner Brothers Inc... not good people, the brothers or the men who came after them. (SMH)

thesexofit said:

As mentioned, some of these tracks have quietly been released on various unrelated projects. I have "Power" and "You and I are one" from an Olympic album for example, whilst "Rasberry" is off my "The songs Chage and Aska" various artist album.It reminds me abit when Warners also refused to release Chicago's rather good "Stone of Sisyphus" album in 1993. A track here and there got released over the years until It was eventually released about 15 years later or something (through Rhino), but the fire was gone by then and nobody cared LOL.Anyway, "Power" is a cool track. Sounds dated for 1995 though. Sounds very 1990 to me.

And I think that was part of the problem the label had is that most of the tracks weren't contemporary enough. They wanted the record to sound like it was recorded in 1995, not 1985. Pirior to "I Feel For You", Chaka and Arif were in the studio doing what they wanted to do, not paying attention to what was happening at radio. After 1983's self-titled album didn't do well, the label told her she had to give them a contemporary album that the young kids were going to buy. That's where "I Feel For You" came in. After that album and "Destiny", she just kinda went back to doing the music she wanted to do, thus, the lack of interest and support from the label.

kitbradley said:

thesexofit said:

As mentioned, some of these tracks have quietly been released on various unrelated projects. I have "Power" and "You and I are one" from an Olympic album for example, whilst "Rasberry" is off my "The songs Chage and Aska" various artist album.It reminds me abit when Warners also refused to release Chicago's rather good "Stone of Sisyphus" album in 1993. A track here and there got released over the years until It was eventually released about 15 years later or something (through Rhino), but the fire was gone by then and nobody cared LOL.Anyway, "Power" is a cool track. Sounds dated for 1995 though. Sounds very 1990 to me.

And I think that was part of the problem the label had is that most of the tracks weren't contemporary enough. They wanted the record to sound like it was recorded in 1995, not 1985. Pirior to "I Feel For You", Chaka and Arif were in the studio doing what they wanted to do, not paying attention to what was happening at radio. After 1983's self-titled album didn't do well, the label told her she had to give them a contemporary album that the young kids were going to buy. That's where "I Feel For You" came in. After that album and "Destiny", she just kinda went back to doing the music she wanted to do, thus, the lack of interest and support from the label.

I truly despise the I Feel For You album I know it was extremely successful,but that's not the way I like to hear Chaka.The only soulful thing about that record is Chaka's voice....the music is cold and formulaic.The same goes for Destiny.I prefer Chaka in a more soulful setting.

SoulAlive said:

kitbradley said:

And I think that was part of the problem the label had is that most of the tracks weren't contemporary enough. They wanted the record to sound like it was recorded in 1995, not 1985. Pirior to "I Feel For You", Chaka and Arif were in the studio doing what they wanted to do, not paying attention to what was happening at radio. After 1983's self-titled album didn't do well, the label told her she had to give them a contemporary album that the young kids were going to buy. That's where "I Feel For You" came in. After that album and "Destiny", she just kinda went back to doing the music she wanted to do, thus, the lack of interest and support from the label.

I truly despise the I Feel For You album I know it was extremely successful,but that's not the way I like to hear Chaka.The only soulful thing about that record is Chaka's voice....the music is cold and formulaic.The same goes for Destiny.I prefer Chaka in a more soulful setting.

I

LOVE

I feel for you

SoulAlive said:

I truly despise the I Feel For You album I know it was extremely successful,but that's not the way I like to hear Chaka.The only soulful thing about that record is Chaka's voice....the music is cold and formulaic.The same goes for Destiny.I prefer Chaka in a more soulful setting.

Scooting chair >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> away from Soul.