Throwin' Down

Throwin' Down
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 13, 1982
Recorded1981-1982
StudioRecord Plant (Sausalito), Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Studios (Hollywood)
GenreFunk, soul, R&B
LabelGordy
ProducerRick James
Rick James chronology
Street Songs
(1981)
Throwin' Down
(1982)
Cold Blooded
(1983)
Singles from Throwin' Down
  1. "Dance Wit' Me"
    Released: April 22, 1982
  2. "Hard To Get"
    Released: 1982
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Robert ChristgauB+
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

Throwin' Down is the 6th studio album by Rick James, released in 1982 via the Gordy imprint of Motown Records. It peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. Although not as popular as Street Songs, Throwin' Down is certified gold by the RIAA. It was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album.

Production

Michael Walden, Roy Ayers, and Grace Slick appear on the album.

Critical reception

Robert Christgau wrote: "Stealing his licks from G. Clinton & Co. (or maybe himself, who cares anymore?), he's the nearest thing to a pop musician in the rock and roll sense that today's black charts—not to mention today's white charts—can offer." The Washington Post wrote that "the musical settings are clumsy reworkings of Parliament's funk and the Temptations' psychedelic soul."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Rick James, except where noted.

Side A

  1. "Dance Wit' Me" 7:16
  2. "Money Talks" 4:50
  3. "Teardrops" 4:49
  4. "Throwdown" 3:17

Side B

  1. "Standing on the Top" (with The Temptations) 3:51
  2. "Hard to Get" 4:07
  3. "Happy" (with Teena Marie) 5:29
  4. "She Blew My Mind (69 Times)" 4:11
  5. "My Love" (James, Le Roi Johnson) 2:53

2014 digital remaster bonus tracks / 2014 Complete Motown Albums bonus tracks

  1. "Standing on the Top" (Long Version) - 9:50
  2. "Hard to Get" (12" Instrumental) - 4:12
  3. "She Blew My Mind (69 Times)" (12" Extended Mix) - 6:30
  4. "She Blew My Mind (69 Times)" (12" Instrumental) - 7:28

Personnel

  • Rick James - vocals, guitars, bass guitar, harmonica, keyboards, synthesizers, Linn Drum programming, percussion
  • Daniel LeMelle - flute, saxophone, trumpet, string synthesizers, backing vocals
  • Levi Ruffin, Jr. - electric and acoustic piano, synthesizers, backing vocals
  • John McFee, Tom McDermott - guitars
  • Erskine Williams - piano
  • Oscar Alston - bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Lanise Hughes, Narada Michael Walden, Paul Hines - drums, percussion
  • Nate Hughes - percussion, handclaps, backing vocals
  • Roy Ayers, Donny Keider - vibraphone
  • Teena Marie - Duet Lead vocals on Happy.
  • Grace Slick, Jean Carn, Julia Tillman Waters, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Maxine Willard Waters, Patti Brooks, Tabby Johnson, Diane Nixon, Jeri Fields - backing vocals
  • Moses Johnson, JoAnne McDuffe, Lisa Sarna - handclaps, backing vocals
  • Aaron Dublin, "Bi"g John Main, "Jennifer", Ronald Byrd - handclaps
  • Karat Faye - Engineer @ Record Plant L.A.

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.



This page was last updated at 2023-12-21 08:47 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari