So Good (Mica Paris album)

So Good is the debut album by British recording artist Mica Paris. It was released on 27 August 1988 by 4th & B'way Records.

So Good
Studio album by Mica Paris
Released	27 August 1988
Recorded	1987–88
Genre	R&B soul
Length	41:38
Label	4th & B'way Island
Producer	L'Equipe Will Downing
Mica Paris chronology
So Good (1988) Contribution (1990)
Singles from So Good
"My One Temptation" Released: 1988 "Like Dreamers Do" Released: 1988 "Breathe Life into Me" Released: 1988 "Where Is the Love" Released: 1988

The album was a commercial success, peaking at number six on the UK Albums Chart and also appearing stateside on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. So Good was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting shipments of over 300,000 copies in the UK.

Four singles were released from the album, all of which reached the top-thirty of the UK Singles Chart. "My One Temptation" was chosen as the album's lead single, becoming a top-ten hit in the UK and also peaking within the top-twenty of the Irish Singles and US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. It was her first and remains her only entry on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album's fourth and final single is a cover of the Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway single "Where Is the Love" and features American singer-songwriter Will Downing.

Recording

Describing Paris as 'the greatest of British gospel/soul singers', studio engineer Richard Digby Smith recounted:[1]

'Mica was unsigned at the time but it was apparent very early on that this incredibly talented young lady was going places. Her temperament suggested a reluctance at times to perform in the studio and she certainly tested the patience of her manager, Viv Broughton as well as mine and Nicky's. "Don't feel like singing today" was her usual lament. "Time is money, Mica," was always Viv's response, "so you've got no choice. Now do us all a favour and get a vocal on this track". It was all a bit of a teasing game, good natured and at times quite hilarious. Mica would sulk into the studio, pick up the headphones, stand at the microphone and completely blow us all away with her powerfully passionate singing. Perfect intonation, the clearst of enunciation and so much soul. The tracks we recorded at Flame contributed to Mica's first album deal, So Good'[1]

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of R & B and Soul	[3]

So Good achieved generally positive reviews from critics. In a retrospective review, AllMusic editor, Alex Henderson praised Paris's "fine range", describing her as an 'earthy singer' and compared her to American singer Natalie Cole. Furthermore, he wrote that Paris 'is among the many noteworthy talents to come out of Britain's healthy R&B scene of the 1980s and '90s'. Henderson listed 'the haunting 'My One Temptation,' the jazz-influenced 'Sway (Dance the Blues Away)' and the sizzling 'Nothing Hits Your Heart like Soul Music'"' as the album's 'more noteworthy cuts' but commented that Where Is the Love'... makes it crystal clear that she's quite capable of depth' and 'does the most to test what Paris is truly made of'.

Commercial reception

So Good debuted and peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart,[4] dropping to number ten in its second week on the chart and falling out of the top ten the following week to number nineteen. Though So Good dropped out of the top forty in its sixth week to number forty-four it re-entered at number forty the following week, holding the position for two weeks. The album dropped out of and re-entered the top-forty a total of four times before accumulating a total of thirty-two weeks on the chart.[4] So Good was certified silver on 19 August 1988, gold on 8 September 1988 and platinum on 14 February 1989 by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[5]

In the US, So Good peaked at number eighty-six on the Billboard 200, accumulating a total of twenty-three weeks on the chart but found greater success on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, peaking at twenty-nine and accumulating a total of twenty-four weeks on the chart.[6]

Singles

"My One Temptation" was the first single released from the album and is Paris's biggest hit to date. It peaked at number fifteen in Ireland and number seven in the UK, where it accumulated a total of thirteen weeks on the singles chart.[7] In the US, the song was also a top ten hit on the US Billboard component Adult Contemporary chart peaking at number seven.[8] Furthermore, it peaked at number fifteen and number thirty-six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Songs charts respectively and remains Paris's only entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 where it reached number ninety-seven.[9][10][11]

Second and third singles, "Like Dreamers Do", featuring jazz musician Courtney Pine and "Breathe Life Into Me" both peaked within the top thirty of the UK Singles Chart[7][12] whilst the latter also reached the top thirty of the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (then titled "Hot Black Singles").[10]

Fourth and final single, "Where Is the Love" is a cover of the 1972 Grammy Award-winning Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway single written by Ralph MacDonald and William Salter. It became the album's second top-twenty hit in the UK and Paris's second and last appearance on the Irish Singles Chart where it peaked at number twenty-one.[7]

In the US, "Don't Give Me Up" was released, reaching number eighty-seven on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the week dated 9 December 1989.[13]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Mike Leeson and Peter Vale; except where indicated

1. "Like Dreamers Do" (Miles Waters, Peter Vale, Sue Shifrin) (featuring Courtney Pine)
2. "My One Temptation" (Mike Leeson, Miles Waters, Peter Vale)
3. "Nothing Hits Your Heart Like Soul Music"
4. "Sway (Dance The Blues Away)"
5. "Don't Give Me Up" (Mica Paris, Paul Powell)
6. "Breathe Life Into Me"
7. "I'd Hate To Love You"
8. "Great Impersonation"
9. "Where Is the Love" (featuring Will Downing)^
10. "So Good" (Miles Waters, Peter Vale, Sue Shifrin)

^Some releases feature the song "Words Into Action" in place of "Where Is the Love".

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14]	91
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[15]	38
UK Albums (OCC)[4]	6
US Billboard 200[16]	86
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[17]	29

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18]	Platinum	300,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Richard Digby Smith (26 March 2020). One, Two, Three, Four: The life and times of a recording studio engineer. Book Guild Publishing. ISBN 9781913208196. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
2. Henderson, Alex. "So Good – Mica Paris". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
3. Colin Larkin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R & B and Soul. Virgin Publishing. p. 253. ISBN 9780753502419. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
4. September 1988/7502/ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
5. "Certified Awards Search: Mica Paris" (To access, user must enter the search parameter "Mica Paris" and select "Search by: Keyword", with the other two set to "All"). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
6. "So Good – Mica Paris". Billboard.com. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
7. "The Official Charts Company – Mica Paris Discography". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
8. "Mica Paris Album & Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.com. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
9. "Mica Paris Album & Chart History (Dance)". Billboard.com. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
10. "Mica Paris Album & Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop)". Billboard.com. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
11. "Mica Paris Album & Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.com. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
12. "Mica Paris full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
13. "Mica Paris Album & Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.com. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
14. "Dutchcharts.nl – Mica Paris – So Good" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
15. "Charts.nz – Mica Paris – So Good". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
16. "Mica Paris Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
17. "Mica Paris Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
18. "British album certifications – Mica Paris – So Good". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type So Good in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.