Do You (album)

Summary

Do You is the sixth English-language studio album from Scottish singer Sheena Easton. It was originally released in November 1985 by EMI Records, and later reissued and remastered by One Way Records in 2000, with additional B-sides and extended mixes. The album was produced by Nile Rodgers. Not as successful as her previous album, Do You peaked at number 40 in the US, but was certified gold and featured the top 30 hit "Do It for Love".

Do You
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1985
StudioSkyline Studios, New York City
Genre
Length47:21
LabelEMI
ProducerNile Rodgers
Sheena Easton chronology
Todo Me Recuerda a Ti
(1984)
Do You
(1985)
No Sound But a Heart
(1987)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Overview edit

Having reached a peak of success with her previous album A Private Heaven, Easton's record company secured the services of top producer Nile Rodgers to work with her on the follow-up album. Rodgers himself was also riding a career high at the time as a producer having recently worked with Madonna on her top-selling album Like a Virgin.

Of the songs chosen, Rodgers composed two ("Magic of Love" and "Money Back Guarantee"), while hit singer/songwriters Adele Bertei and Junior Giscombe contributed "Do It for Love" and "Don't Turn Your Back" respectively. The latter was later featured in an episode of the Miami Vice television series in 1988. A cover of the Martha and the Vandellas 1967 hit "Jimmy Mack" was also included. The sound of the album was a departure from her pop sound and had a more dance/club feel. While a popular album with her fans, Easton was not happy with the results, later commenting: "Looking back, it was a huge mistake. I think as artists we just didn't gel and it's the album I'm most disappointed by."[2]

Released in November 1985, the album was preceded by the single "Do It for Love", which made the US top 30, peaking at number 29 in December.[3] The album entered the Billboard 200 on 23 November and a month later peaked at number 40 during a 19-week run.[4][5] By the end of the year, it was certified Gold by the RIAA.[6] Later singles released were: "Jimmy Mack" and "Magic of Love", the former peaking at number 65 in February 1986.[7] In her native UK, however, the album was unsuccessful. Easton puts this down to the British view that she had abandoned her country for success in America.[2] Neither the singles nor the album registered on the chart, with her only chart showing in 1985 being for the earlier single "Sugar Walls" at number 95.[8] Do You did however chart at number 32 in Japan and number 66 in Canada.[9][10]

The album received a favorable retrospective review by Allmusic, stating that "Easton consistently delivers driven, top-of-the-line performances, resulting in her sounding much more comfortable with dance material than on previous efforts". It lists the best songs as being the non-singles "Don't Break My Heart", "When the Lightning Strikes Again" and "Money Back Guarantee".[11]

On 23 February 2013, Edsel Records (UK) reissued and remastered Easton's A Private Heaven and Do You on CD with bonus tracks, with the latter including an extended version of "Jimmy Mack" that had never been included on any of her reissues.

Due to her next album No Sound But a Heart failing to achieve a release in the United States, Do You would be Easton's last widely available album in the U.S. until 1988's The Lover in Me.

Track listing edit

Side one

  1. "Do It for Love" (Adele Bertei, Mary Kessler) – 5:03
  2. "Don't Break My Heart" (Danny Ironstone, Tony Maiden, Mary Unobsky) – 3:47
  3. "Magic of Love" (Nile Rodgers) – 5:05
  4. "Don't Turn Your Back" (Gordon Gaynor, Mel Gaynor, Junior Giscombe) – 5:29
  5. "Jimmy Mack" (Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland) – 4:12

Side two

  1. "Can't Wait Till Tomorrow" (John Keller, Geoffrey Leib, Rick Neigher) – 4:47
  2. "Young Lions" (Dana Merino) – 4:54
  3. "Kisses" (Larry Nacht) – 4:03
  4. "Money Back Guarantee" (Martin Celay, Nile Rodgers) – 4:34
  5. "When The Lightning Strikes Again" (Dan Hartman, Charlie Midnight) – 5:10

The CD re-issue featured the following bonus tracks:

  1. "Do It for Love" (extended mix) (Bertei, Kesler) – 7:01
  2. "Can't Wait 'Till Tomorrow" (extended mix) (Keller, Leib, Neigher) – 5:20
  3. "Money Back Guarantee" (edited version) (Celay, Rodgers) – 4:03
  4. "Do It for Love" (instrumental) (Bertei, Kesler) – 4:50

The Edsel CD re-issue featured the following bonus tracks:

  1. "Do It for Love" (extended mix)
  2. "Can’t Wait Till Tomorrow" (extended mix)
  3. "Do It for Love" (instrumental)
  4. "Jimmy Mack" (extended version)

Personnel edit

Musicians edit

  • Sheena Easton – lead and backing vocals
  • Nile Rodgers – keyboards, guitars, bass, backing vocals
  • James Farber – keyboards
  • Rob Preuss – keyboards
  • Peter Scherer – keyboards
  • Kevin Jones – Synclavier programming
  • Martin Celay – guitars
  • Jimmy Bralower – drums
  • Stan Harrison – alto saxophone
  • Steve Elson – baritone saxophone
  • Lenny Pickett – tenor saxophone
  • Mac Gollehon – trumpet
  • Matt "Briz" Brislawn – backing vocals
  • Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals
  • Diane Garisto – backing vocals
  • Terri Gonzalez – backing vocals
  • Brenda White King – backing vocals
  • Curtis King – backing vocals
  • Frank Simms – backing vocals
  • George Simms – backing vocals
  • David Spinner – backing vocals
  • Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals
  • Norma Jean Wright – backing vocals

Production edit

  • Producer – Nile Rodgers
  • Recorded and mixed by James Farber at Skyline Studios (New York City)
  • Second engineers – Scott Ansell and Knut Bøhn
  • Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk (New York City)
  • Design – Tommy Steele at Steele Works
  • Artwork – Henry Marquez
  • Photography – Phillip Dixon
  • Background photography – Alan Dockery and Paul Maxon

Charts edit

Chart performance for Do You
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[12] 66
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[13] 32
US Billboard 200[14] 40

Certifications edit

Certifications for Do You
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[6] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ Do You at Allmusic
  2. ^ a b Button, Simon (April 2017). "Full of Easton Promise". Classic Pop magazine. No.28: 36–41. {{cite journal}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
  3. ^ "Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Top 200 Albums, November 23, 1985". Billboard. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Sheena Easton - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  6. ^ a b "American album certifications – Sheena Easton – Do You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Sheena Easton - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  9. ^ "シーナ・イーストンの作品". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  11. ^ "Do You - Sheena Easton | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0607". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  13. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  14. ^ "Sheena Easton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2023.