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]
Workin' It Back Released December 4, 1985 Recorded 1984–1985 Length 37 :09 Label Asylum Records [1] Producer
"Love 4/2" Released: August 13, 1985
"Let Me Be Closer" Released: February 6, 1986
Production
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Pendergrass cowrote and coproduced two of the album's songs.[11]
Critical reception
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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
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"Love 4/2" (Pendergrass, James Carter, Nathaniel Lee)
"One of Us Fell in Love" (Adrian Baker , Eddie Seago)
"Never Felt Like Dancin'" (Dennis Matkosky, Monty Seward)
"Let Me Be Closer" (Pendergrass, Linda Creed , Dennis Matkosky, Bill Neale)
"Lonely Color Blue" (Cecil Womack , Linda Womack )
"Want You Back in My Life" (Glen Ballard , Clif Magness)
"Workin' It Back" (Clif Magness, Ellen Schwartz, Roger Bruno)
"Love Emergency" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)
Personnel
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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
References
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^ "Jet's Top 20 Albums" . Jet . Johnson Publishing Company. March 3, 1986 – via Google Books.
^ AllMusic review
^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Teddy Pendergrass" . www.robertchristgau.com .
^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music . Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 473.
^ Tucker, Ken (22 Dec 1985). "TEDDY PENDERGRASS Workin' It Back". The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. H4.
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide . Random House. 1992. p. 537.
^ Pareles, Jon (January 14, 2010). "Teddy Pendergrass, R&B Soul Singer, Dies at 59" – via NYTimes.com.
^ "Teddy Pendergrass | Biography & History" . AllMusic .
^ "Teddy Pendergrass" . Billboard .
^ "RIP Teddy Pendergrass, 1950-2010 | Exclaim!" . exclaim.ca .
^ "Teddy Pendergrass Says, 'Don't Feel Sorry For Me; Listen To My Songs' " . Jet . Johnson Publishing Company. June 23, 1986 – via Google Books.
^ Lacey, Liam (2 Jan 1986). "INSIDE THE SLEEVE POP Workin' It Back Teddy Pendergrass". The Globe and Mail . p. C5.
^ Griffin, John (21 Nov 1985). "Teddy Pendergrass - Workin' It Back (Asylum)". The Gazette . p. D3.
^ "Teddy Pendergrass Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved July 13, 2021.
^ "Teddy Pendergrass Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved July 13, 2021.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1986" . Billboard . Retrieved July 13, 2021 .