Workin' It Back

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Workin' It Back
Studio album by
Teddy Pendergrass
ReleasedDecember 4, 1985
Recorded1984–1985
Length37:09
LabelAsylum Records[1]
Producer
Teddy Pendergrass chronology
Love Language
(1984) 		Workin' It Back
(1985) 		Joy
(1988)
Singles from Workin' It Back
  1. "Love 4/2"
    Released: August 13, 1985
  2. "Let Me Be Closer"
    Released: February 6, 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB+[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]

Workin' It Back is a studio album by the American R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, released in 1985.[7][8] It was his second record for Asylum Records. The album didn't do nearly as well on the Billboard 200 as his last record, peaking at #96.[9] It did reach US R&B #6, only two spots lower than his previous album. The album spawned two singles, "Love 4/2" (#6 R&B) and "Let Me Be Closer" (#67 R&B), though none made the Billboard Hot 100. The album has been certified gold.[10]

Production[edit]

Pendergrass cowrote and coproduced two of the album's songs.[11]

Critical reception[edit]

The Globe and Mail wrote that "the spasmodic anguish of the final cut, 'Love Emergency', is the most innovative song on the album, with the backup male chorus growling a chant over the groove as the background to Pendergrass's vocal flights."[12] The Gazette thought that "even the Womacks can't raise a head of steam from the one-time Sound of Philadelphia."[13]

Track listing[edit]

  1. "Love 4/2" (Pendergrass, James Carter, Nathaniel Lee)
  2. "One of Us Fell in Love" (Adrian Baker, Eddie Seago)
  3. "Never Felt Like Dancin'" (Dennis Matkosky, Monty Seward)
  4. "Let Me Be Closer" (Pendergrass, Linda Creed, Dennis Matkosky, Bill Neale)
  5. "Lonely Color Blue" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)
  6. "Want You Back in My Life" (Glen Ballard, Clif Magness)
  7. "Workin' It Back" (Clif Magness, Ellen Schwartz, Roger Bruno)
  8. "Love Emergency" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)

Personnel[edit]

  • Teddy Pendergrass - vocals
  • Ron Jennings, Paul Jackson Jr., Bill Neale, Cecil Womack, Clif Magness - guitar
  • Neil Stubenhaus, Doug Grigsby, Cecil Womack - bass
  • Dennis Matkosky - keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming
  • Monty Seward - synthesized guitar
  • Larry Williams - bass synthesizer
  • Randy Kerber - acoustic and electric piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer
  • Alan Pasqua, Eddie "Gip" Noble, Linda Womack - keyboards
  • John Robinson, Raymond Pounds, James Gadson - drums
  • Michael Mason - drum overdubs
  • Paulinho da Costa - percussion
  • Joel Peskin - saxophone
  • Tenita Jordan, Lynn Davis, Shirley Jones, Stephanie Reach, Monty Seward, Tammie Taylor, Clydene Jackson, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Vanessa Townsell, The Womack Congregation - backing vocals

Charts[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Jet's Top 20 Albums". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. March 3, 1986 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ AllMusic review
  3. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Teddy Pendergrass". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 473.
  5. ^ Tucker, Ken (22 Dec 1985). "TEDDY PENDERGRASS Workin' It Back". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. H4.
  6. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 537.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon (January 14, 2010). "Teddy Pendergrass, R&B Soul Singer, Dies at 59" – via NYTimes.com.
  8. ^ "Teddy Pendergrass | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. ^ "Teddy Pendergrass". Billboard.
  10. ^ "RIP Teddy Pendergrass, 1950-2010 | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca.
  11. ^ "Teddy Pendergrass Says, 'Don't Feel Sorry For Me; Listen To My Songs'". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. June 23, 1986 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Lacey, Liam (2 Jan 1986). "INSIDE THE SLEEVE POP Workin' It Back Teddy Pendergrass". The Globe and Mail. p. C5.
  13. ^ Griffin, John (21 Nov 1985). "Teddy Pendergrass - Workin' It Back (Asylum)". The Gazette. p. D3.
  14. ^ "Teddy Pendergrass Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  15. ^ "Teddy Pendergrass Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  16. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
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