United (Commodores album)

United is the 12th studio album by the Commodores, released on October 7, 1986 on Polydor Records.[3]

United
Studio album by Commodores
Released	October 7, 1986
Recorded	1986
Studio	Motown Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California) Conway Studios and Soundcastle (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Funk, soul, R&B
Length	38:22
Label	Polydor
Producer	Dennis Lambert
Commodores chronology
Nightshift (1985) United (1986) Rock Solid (1988)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
People	(favourable)[2]

Overview

The album rose to number 17 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. "Goin' to the Bank" and "Take It from Me" climbed to number two on Billboard's R&B singles charts. Another single, "United in Love," peaked at #22 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[4][5][6][7]

Covers

The Commodores covered Peabo Bryson's "Let's Apologize" from his 1985 studio album Take No Prisoners.[8]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Goin' to the Bank"	Andy Goldmark, Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde	4:19
2.	"Take It from Me"	Andy Goldmark, Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde	4:00
3.	"United in Love"	Pam Reswick, Steve Werfel	4:27
4.	"Can't Dance All Night"	Jimmy Scott, Richard Feldman	3:58
5.	"You're the Only Woman I Need"	Mike Leeson, Peter Vale	4:43
6.	"Land of the Dreamer"	Dennis Lambert, J.D. Nicholas, Sheldon Reynolds	4:43
7.	"Talk to Me"	Harold Hudson, Shirley King, William King	4:44
8.	"I Wanna Rock You"	Karen "K-Dean" Cover, Milan Williams	5:24
9.	"Let's Apologize"	Billy Steinberg, Gary Usher, Tom Kelly	3:50
10.	"Serious Love"	Van Ross Redding, Harold Hudson, Walter Orange	4:02

[3]

Personnel

• Walter Orange – lead vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10), backing vocals (4), arrangements (10)
• J.D. Nicholas – rap (1), lead vocals (2, 3, 4, 6-9), backing vocals (3, 4, 6)
• Claude Gaudette – keyboards (1-4, 6), electronic programming (1-4, 6), arrangements (2, 3, 4, 6)
• Casey Young – special effects (1), keyboards (5, 9, 10), electronic programming (5, 9, 10)
• Greg Mathieson – keyboards (5, 10), arrangements (5, 9, 10)
• John Barnes – synthesizers (7, 8)
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizers (7, 8)
• Harold Hudson – synthesizers (7, 8), arrangements (7), BGV arrangements (7), backing vocals (7, 8)
• Sheldon Reynolds – guitar (1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10), arrangements (2, 6), guitar synthesizer (6), backing vocals (6, 7, 8)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (3, 5, 9, 10)
• Dann Huff – guitar (4)
• Michael Thompson – guitar (9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (5, 7, 8, 10)
• Isaac Morris – arrangements (6), drum overdubs (7)
• Gary Herbig – saxophone solo (10)
• James Anthony Carmichael – arrangements (7, 8)
• William King – arrangements (7), BGV arrangements (7)
• Milan Williams – arrangements (8), BGV arrangements (8)
• Siedah Garrett – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 6), rap (1)
• Dennis Lambert – backing vocals (1, 2), BGV arrangements (1, 2, 3)
• Phil Perry – backing vocals (1, 2)
• Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals (1, 2)
• Julia Tillman Waters – backing vocals (3, 9, 10)
• Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals (3, 9, 10)
• Bill Champlin – backing vocals (5, 9, 10)
• Jason Scheff – backing vocals (9, 10)

Production

• Dennis Lambert – producer (1-4, 6)
• Jeremy Smith – producer (1, 2, 6), recording (1, 2, 3, 6), mixing (1-4, 6)
• Greg Mathieson – producer (5, 9, 10)
• James Anthony Carmichael – producer (7, 8)
• Lloyd Tolbert – assistant producer (7, 8)
• Milan Williams – producer (8)
• Paul Ericksen – assistant engineer (1, 2, 6), mixing (3, 4), recording (4)
• Mick Guzauski – recording (5, 9, 10), mixing (5, 9, 10)
• Bino Espinoza – assistant engineer (5, 10)
• Don Murray – assistant engineer (5, 10)
• Calvin Harris – recording (7, 8), mixing (7, 8)
• Fred Law – additional recording (7, 8)
• Karen Siegel – assistant engineer (7, 8)
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Lacquer (Los Angeles, California).
• Bill Levy – art direction
• John Kosh – package design
• Chris Callis – photography

References

1. Henderson, Alex. "Commodores: United". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
2. "Picks and Pans Review: United". people.com. People. December 1, 1986.
3. Commodores: United. Polydor Records. October 1986.
4. "Commodores: United". Billboard.com.
5. "Commodores: Goin' To The Bank (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard.com.
6. "Commodores: United in Love (Adult Contemporary Songs)". Billboard.com.
7. "Commodores: Take It From Me (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard.com.
8. "Let's Apologize by Peabo Bryson". secondhandsongs.com.