My Melody
Studio album by
Deniece Williams
ReleasedMarch 13, 1981
Recorded1980-1981
StudioSigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia
Genre
Length39:13
LabelARC//Columbia
Producer
Deniece Williams chronology
When Love Comes Calling
(1979)		 My Melody
(1981)		 Niecy
(1982)

My Melody is the fifth studio album by American singer Deniece Williams, released in March 1981 by ARC/Columbia Records.[1] The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart.[2] My Melody was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.[3]

Overview

"Silly" and "What Two Can Do" were released as singles with each peaking at No. 11 and No. 17, respectively, on the Billboard R&B singles chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]

Andrew Hamilton of AllMusic declared: "Deniece's heavenly soprano is as impressive as ever under the guidance of producer Thom Bell. The sweet Philly sound architect keeps Williams' expressive, high-range vocals under wraps, transforming her into a bel canto singer on eight delightful selections."[4] The Philadelphia Inquirer opined that "although her roots are R&B, Miss Williams transcends easy categorisation with this collection of material and her versatile presentation."[5] Stephen Holden of The New York Times found that "My Melody, Miss Williams's fourth solo album, is an inspired collaboration with Thom Bell, the Philadelphia songwriter and producer whose hits with the Stylistics and the Spinners in the early 70's epitomized pop-soul elegance."[7] Phyl Garland of Stereo Review scribed "several of the songs have a comfortable, nestling down quality that makes the album, if not one of her best, at least easy to enjoy."[8]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."My Melody"Thom Bell, Deniece Williams4:12
2."It's Your Conscience"Thom Bell, Deniece Williams4:53
3."Silly"Fritz Baskett, Clarence McDonald, Deniece Williams5:56
4."Strangers"Fritz Baskett, Clarence McDonald, Deniece Williams6:26
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."What Two Can Do"Thom Bell, Deniece Williams3:50
6."You're All That Matters"Thom Bell, Preston Glass, Alan Glass, Deniece Williams5:17
7."Suspicious"Thom Bell, Deniece Williams4:14
8."Sweet Surrender"Thom Bell, Deniece Williams4:21

Charts

Singles – Billboard
Year Single Chart Position
1981 "It's Your Conscience" Soul Singles 45 US
1981 "Silly" Hot 100 53 US
1981 "Silly" Soul Singles 11 US
1981 "What Two Can Do" Soul Singles 17 US

Personnel

Musicians

  • Deniece Williams – lead vocals
  • Thom Bell – keyboards, backing vocals, arrangements and conductor
  • George Merrill – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Bobby Eli – guitars
  • Bill Neale – guitars
  • Bob Babbitt – bass
  • Charles Collins – drums
  • Ed Shea – percussion
  • Larry Washington – percussion
  • Don Renaldo – strings, horns
  • Carl Helm – backing vocals

Production

  • Producers – Thom Bell and Deniece Williams
  • Production Coordination – JoDee Omar and Bo Ryan
  • Rhythm Tracks and Vocals engineered by Jim Gallagher and Don Murray.
  • Strings and Horns engineered by Jim Gallagher and Arthur Stoppe.
  • Mixed by Don Murray at Monterey Sound Studios (Glendale, CA).
  • Mastered by Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
  • Art Direction – Desmond Strobel
  • Photography – Charles William Bush
  • Fashions – Ann Taylor
  • Management – Alan Mink and Sherwin Bash at BNB Associates, Ltd.

[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Deniece Williams: My Melody". 45worlds.com.
  2. ↑ "Deniece Williams: My Melody (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  3. ↑ "Deniece Williams: My Melody". riaa.com. RIAA.
  4. 1 2 Hamilton, Andrew. "Deniece Williams: My Melody". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
  5. 1 2 "Deniece Williams: My Melody". newspapers.com. The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 29, 1981. p. 80.
  6. ↑ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 766.
  7. ↑ Holden, Stephen (April 26, 1981). "TWO TASTEFULLY OPULENT RELEASES". The New York Times.
  8. ↑ Garland, Phyl (August 1981). "Denice Williams: My Melody" (PDF). Vol. 46, no. 8. Stereo Review. p. 83. Retrieved July 17, 2023. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  9. ↑ "Deniece Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Deniece Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
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