Special Things

1980 studio album by the Pointer Sisters
Special Things
Studio album by
the Pointer Sisters
ReleasedAugust 1, 1980
StudioStudio 55, Los Angeles, California
GenreR&B, pop, soul
LabelPlanet
ProducerRichard Perry
The Pointer Sisters chronology
Priority
(1979)
Special Things
(1980)
Black & White
(1981)
Singles from Special Things
  1. "He's So Shy"
    Released: July 23, 1980
  2. "Could I Be Dreaming"
    Released: 1980
  3. "We've Got the Power"
    Released: 1980
  4. "Where Did the Time Go?"
    Released: 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[2]

Special Things is a studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1980 on Planet Records.[2]

History

The album marked their third venture with producer Richard Perry and featured a more stylized R&B/pop production, launching the group into its most successful period. The album spawned their second top three gold-certified single, "He's So Shy". The album also contains minor hit "Could I Be Dreamin’" and two songs written by Burt Bacharach, "The Love Too Good to Last" and "Where Did the Time Go".

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Could I Be Dreaming"Anita Pointer, Trevor Lawrence, Marlo Henderson3:31
2."He's So Shy"Tom Snow, Cynthia Weil3:37
3."The Love Too Good to Last"Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen3:32
4."Evil"Geoffrey Leib, Larry Lingle3:19
5."Save This Night for Love"Ellison Chase, Bill Haberman, Art Jacobson3:25
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."We've Got the Power"Michael Brooks, Bob Esty4:53
7."Where Did the Time Go"Bacharach, Sager3:08
8."Special Things"Anita Pointer3:08
9."Here Is Where Your Love Belongs"Bill Champlin4:40
2010 remastered bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Movin' On"Anita Pointer, Ruth Pointer, June Pointer, Lawrence, Henderson3:19

Personnel

The Pointer Sisters

  • Anita Pointer – lead vocals (1, 3, 5, 8), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
  • June Pointer – lead vocals (2, 4, 6, 7), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
  • Ruth Pointer – lead vocals (9), backing vocals, vocal arrangements

Musicians

  • Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (1, 3-5, 7, 9), synthesizers (5), clavinet (6)
  • Tom Snow – keyboards (2), synthesizers (2), arrangements (2)
  • Lance Ong – synthesizers (3, 4)
  • Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming (5), synthesizers (8)
  • John Barnes – Fender Rhodes (6), keyboards (8)
  • Clarence McDonald – acoustic piano (6)
  • Burt Bacharach – horn arrangements (3), string arrangements (3, 7), keyboards (7)
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1, 3, 5, 9), guitar solo (4)
  • Tim May – guitar (2, 6, 8)
  • Ben Bridges – guitar (4)
  • Marlo Henderson – guitar (4, 5, 7)
  • Mark Goldenberg – guitar (6, 8)
  • David Williams – guitar (7, 9)
  • Nathan Watts – bass (1-5, 8, 9), percussion (5)
  • John Pierce – bass (6)
  • James Jamerson – bass (7)
  • Ollie E. Brown – drums (1, 3, 5)
  • James Gadson – drums (2, 6, 8)
  • Raymond Pounds – drums (4)
  • Ricky Lawson – drums (7, 9)
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1-4, 8)
  • Jay Hutson – alto flute (1), saxophone (4)
  • Don Myrick – alto flute (1), saxophone (4), alto sax solo (9)
  • Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (1, 4)
  • Dick Hyde – trombone (4)
  • Chuck Findley – trumpet (1), flugelhorn (1, 3)
  • Steve Madaio – trumpet (1, 4), flugelhorn (1)
  • Warren Looney – flugelhorn (3)
  • Larry Gittens – trumpet (4)
  • Gary Grant – trumpet (4)
  • Henry Sigismonti – French horn (1)
  • Trevor Lawrence – arrangements (1, 6, 9), horn arrangements (1, 4, 6, 7, 9), string arrangements (1, 5, 6, 9), conductor (1, 5, 6, 9), orchestration (3)
  • Sid Sharp – concertmaster (1, 3, 5-7, 9)

Production

  • Richard Perry – producer
  • Trevor Lawrence – associate producer
  • Gabe Veltri – recording
  • Tim Dennen – assistant engineer
  • Jim Küenzi – assistant engineer
  • Stephen Marcussen – assistant engineer
  • Raven Royce-Jordan – assistant engineer
  • James Guthrie – remixing
  • Mike Reese – mastering
  • Doug Sax – mastering
  • The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA) – mastering location
  • Daniel Kushnick – production coordinator
  • Michael Solomon – production coordinator
  • John Kosh – art direction, design
  • Aaron Rapoport – photography

Chart positions

Chart performance for Special Things
Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[3] 67
US Billboard 200[4] 34
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[5] 19

References

  1. ^ Hanson, Amy. Special Things review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  2. ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 550.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 235. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "The Pointer Sisters Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  5. ^ "The Pointer Sisters Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.

External links

  • Special Things at Discogs (list of releases)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Studio albums
Live albumsCompilation albumsSingles
Related articles
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz release group