Rejoice is an album by American vocal group the Emotions, issued in June 1977 by Columbia Records.[1] The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart. Rejoice has also been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.[2]
| Rejoice | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 10, 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1976 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Pop, disco, soul, R&B | |||
| Length | 38:48 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Maurice White | |||
| The Emotions chronology | ||||
| ||||
Overview
editThe album was produced by EWF leader Maurice White. When asked about his favorite non–Earth, Wind & Fire album, White replied: "The Emotions's Rejoice because it had a great vibe, a great ‘feel’. Yeah, I'm proud of that production."[3]
Rejoice also spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.[4]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| The Village Voice | C+[6] |
| The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul | [7] |
Ace Adams of the New York Daily News stated that the album "displays the growing talent of these rising stars."[8] People said: "This LP offers no messages, pretensions or sexual innuendos but simple romantic themes by four sisters, Wanda, Sheila, Pamela and Jeanette Hutchinson. Their tight harmonies and polished chords make them logical successors to the original Supremes. Producer Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire (with whom the girls have toured) provides lush arrangements and joins lead singer Wanda in a smoothly worked Key to My Heart."[9] Larry Rohter of The Washington Post wrote: "As much because of their material as the(ir) vocal style, the Emotions have been able to inject some life and excitement into a soul format that badly needed it."[10] Phyl Garland of Stereo Review proclaimed: "Though there is nothing here that is truly new in terms of musical format or content, "Rejoice" demonstrates what can be done within the limits of popular style when talent and imagination are applied." Garland described the girl group's performance as "thrice nice" and called Rejoice a "very good" album.[11] Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times commented: "Produced by Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White, the album has material that is ideal for the female vocal trio's mostly light, upbeat style. The arrangements, too, are skillfully tailored. Not much adventure here, but solid craftsmanship. That ought to count for something these days."[12]
Craig Lytle of AllMusic found that "the radiance the Emotions impart is heartwarming and uplifting... Their gospel roots bring a welcome spiritual feel to this album, which is a superb effort."[5]
Singles
editWith the LP came the single "Don't Ask My Neighbors" which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.[13] The other single released called Best of My Love", reached No. 1 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Songs charts.[14][15] "Best of My Love" won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals,[16] and an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single. "Best of My Love" has also been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Best of My Love" | Maurice White, Al McKay | 3:40 |
| 2. | "A Feeling Is" | Sheila Hutchinson | 3:36 |
| 3. | "A Long Way to Go" | Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil | 3:48 |
| 4. | "Key to My Heart" | Verdine White, Robert Wright | 5:21 |
| 5. | "Love's What's Happenin'" | Sheila Hutchinson | 3:18 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away" | Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Lani Groves | 4:41 |
| 7. | "Don't Ask My Neighbors" | Skip Scarborough | 4:26 |
| 8. | "Blessed" | Maurice White, Jerry Peters | 4:36 |
| 9. | "Rejoice" | Wanda Hutchinson, Keith Henderson, LaFayette Evans | 5:22 |
Personnel
editThe Emotions
- Wanda Hutchinson – vocals
- Sheila Hutchinson – vocals
- Pamela Hutchinson – vocals
- Jeanette Hutchinson – vocals
Musicians
- Clarence McDonald – piano, clavinet
- Marlo Henderson (tracks 2-3, 6, 9), Al McKay (1, 4-5, 7-8) – guitar
- David Shields (tracks 2-3, 6, 9), Verdine White (1, 4-5, 7-8) – bass
- James Gadson (tracks 2-3, 6, 9), Fred White (1, 4-5, 7-8) – drums
- Paulinho DaCosta – percussion
- Larry Dunn – synthesizer (tracks 1, 5)
- Maurice White – drums (tracks 7-8), additional vocals (4)
- Jerry Peters (track 8), Skip Scarborough (7) – electric piano
- George Bohanon, Louis Satterfield, Lew McCreary, George Thatcher – trombones
- Oscar Brashear, Steve Madaio, Chuck Findley – trumpets
- Alan Robinson, Marilyn Robinson, Vincent DeRosa, Sidney Muldrow, Richard Perissi – French horns
- Don Myrick – saxophones, flute
- Charles Veal, Jr. – concertmaster
- Israel Baker, Arnold Belnick, Janice Gower, Betty LaMagna, Dorothy Wade, Robert Sushel – violins
- Rollice Dale, Denyse Buffum, Paul Polivnick – violas
- Raymond Kelley, Selene Hurford, Dennis Karmazyn – cellos
- Dorothy Ashby – harp
- Tom Tom 84 (Thomas Washington) - horn and string arrangements[1]
Charts
edit| Chart (1977) | Peak [17] |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top LPs | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs | 1 |
- Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [17] |
US R&B [17] |
US Dan [17] |
UK [18] | ||
| 1977 | "Best of My Love" | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 |
| "Don't Ask My Neighbors" | 44 | 7 | — | — | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b The Emotions: Rejoice. Columbia Records. June 10, 1977.
- ^ "The Emotions: Rejoice". riaa.com. RIAA.
- ^ "MAURICE WHITE: STILL BURNING BRIGHT". bluesandsoul.com.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - 1977 Archive". billboard.com.
- ^ a b Lytle, Craig. Rejoice > review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "The Emotions: Rejoice". robertchristgau.com. The Village Voice.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 110.
- ^ Adams, Ace (July 22, 1977). "The Emotions: Rejoice". newspapers.com. New York Daily News. p. 56.
- ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Rejoice". people.com. August 15, 1977.
- ^ Rohter, Larry (July 24, 1977). "Emotions at the Top of the Charts". washingtonpost.com.
- ^ Garland, Phyl (December 1977). "The Emotions: Rejoice" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Vol. 39, no. 6. Stereo Review. p. 102.
- ^ Hilburn, Robert (October 2, 1977). "Pop Music". newspapers.com. Los Angeles Times. p. 510.
- ^ "The Emotions: Don't Ask My Neighbors (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ "The Emotions: Best of My Love (Hot 100)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ "The Emotions: Best of My Love (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ "The Emotions". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
- ^ a b c d "US Charts > The Emotions". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ^ "The Emotions". officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company.