New World Order (album)

New World Order is R&B/soul singer-songwriter Curtis Mayfield’s final studio album.[1] The album got to No. 24 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 44 on the UK Albums chart.[2][3]

New World Order
Studio album by Curtis Mayfield
Released	September 27, 1996
Genre	Funk, soul
Length	63:01
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Curtis Mayfield, Brian Fleming, Carlos Glover, Narada Michael Walden, James Fischer, Erik "E-Smooth" Hicks, Organized Noize, Daryl Simmons, Arnold Hennings
Curtis Mayfield chronology
Take It to the Streets (1990) New World Order (1996)

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]
Rolling Stone	[5]
The Independent	(favourable)[6]
New York Times	(favourable)[7]
Vibe	(favourable)[8]

New World Order was the only Curtis Mayfield album written, recorded and released after a life-changing accident in August 1990 left him paralyzed from the neck down. Mayfield continued to compose and sing, and his vocals were recorded, usually line-by-line, while he was lying on his back.[9]

AllMusic described the album as "a touching, moving comeback".[4] Rolling Stone called the LP "a triumphant return".[5]

New World Order was Grammy nominated for "Best R&B Album".[10] Both the album's title track and the song "Back to Living Again" were also Grammy nominated for "Best Male R&B Vocal Performance".[10]

Singles

New World Order got to No. 14 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart.[11] No One Knows About A Good Thing (You Don't Have To Cry) also rose to No. 21 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart.[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"New World Order"	5:36
2.	"Ms. Martha"	4:21
3.	"Back to Living Again"	5:11
4.	"No One Knows About a Good Thing (You Don't Have to Cry)"	5:19
5.	"Just a Little Bit of Love" (featuring Blaise Mayfield and Lisa Coates)	5:27
6.	"We People Who are Darker than Blue" (featuring Roger Troutman)	5:02
7.	"I Believe in You" (duet with Sandra St. Victor)	4:58
8.	"Here But I'm Gone"	5:18
9.	"It Was Love That We Needed"	4:14
10.	"The Got Dang Song"	5:17
11.	"The Girl I Find Stays On My Mind"	3:58
12.	"Let's Not Forget"	3:42
13.	"Oh So Beautiful" (featuring Erik "E Smooth" Hicks)	4:38

Personnel

• Curtis Mayfield - vocals
• Craig Love, Carlos Glover, Gary Thompson, Tomi Martin, Martin Terry - guitar
• Charles Pettaway, Preston Crump, Ralphe Armstrong, Ralph Stacey, George Grier, Lebrian Scott - bass
• Mavis Staples

Charts

Chart (1978)	Peak
US Billboard Top Soul LPs	24[2]
UK R&B Albums	7[13]
UK Albums	44[3]

References

1. Curtis Mayfield: New World Order. Warner Bros. Records. September 1996.
2. "Curtis Mayfield: New World Order (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
3. "Curtis Mayfield". officialcharts.com. Official Charts.
4. "Curtis Mayfield: New World Order". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
5. Coleman, Mark (November 14, 1996). "Curtis Mayfield: New World Order". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
6. Gill, Andy (January 31, 1997). "Pop Albums: Curtis Mayfield - New World Order". independent.co.uk. The Independent.
7. Pareles, Jon (September 29, 1996). "New Releases". nytimes.com. New York Times.
8. Light, Alan (November 1996). "Curtis Mayfield: New World Order". Vibe.
9. "Music World Mourns Death of Curtis Mayfield". Jet. Vol. 97 no. 6. Johnson Publishing Company. January 17, 2000. pp. 55–59. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
10. "Curtis Mayfield". grammy.com.
11. "Curtis Mayfield: New World Order (Adult R&B Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
12. "No One Knows About A Good Thing (You Don't Have To Cry)". billboard.com. Billboard.
13. "Curtis Mayfield: New World Order". officialcharts.com. Official Charts.