Lionel Richie (album)

Lionel Richie
Studio album by Lionel Richie
Released October 6, 1982
Recorded 1981–1982
Genre R&B , disco, soul
Length 38:27
Label Motown
Producer James Anthony Carmichael, Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie chronology
Lionel Richie
(1982)
Can't Slow Down
(1983)
Singles from Lionel Richie
  1. "Truly"
    Released: September 1982
  2. "You Are"
    Released: January 1983
  3. "My Love"
    Released: April 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauC+[2]
Rolling Stone[3]

Lionel Richie is the eponymous debut solo studio album by Lionel Richie. It was recorded and released while Richie was still a member of the Commodores. He would leave the group shortly after. It was released on October 6, 1982 on Motown Records. The first single, "Truly", topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single "You Are" reached number four, and "My Love" reached number five. The album was also a hit, reaching number one on the Cashbox albums chart on December 11, 1982.[4]

In 2003, Lionel Richie was re-released as part of a remaster series that saw two additional tracks added to the overall package. A solo version of "Endless Love" and an instrumental version of "You Are" now round out the CD.

As well as featuring English musician Thomas Dolby on synthesizers, Joe Walsh provided the guitar solo for the song "Wandering Stranger". It was his first album appearance since playing all tracks on John Entwistle's fifth solo album, Too Late the Hero.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Serves You Right"  
5:14
2. "Wandering Stranger"  Richie 5:38
3. "Tell Me"  
5:32
4. "My Love"  Richie 4:08
5. "Round and Round"  
  • David Cochrane
  • Richie
4:57
6. "Truly"  Richie 3:26
7. "You Are"  
  • Brenda Harvey-Richie
  • Richie
5:05
8. "You Mean More to Me"  Richie 3:08
9. "Just Put Some Love in Your Heart"  Richie 1:27

In popular culture

In a Season 3 episode of Friends, Chandler is seen holding a copy of this album and singing "Endless Love". The song was not a part of this release; however, the song now appears on the 2003 remastered edition as one of two bonus tracks (as a solo performance only). At the time, "Endless Love" was available only on the original soundtrack to the movie of the same name, Endless Love, starring Brooke Shields.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Discogs.[5]

Musicians

Horns, strings and woodwinds

Charts

Chart positions

Chart (1982-1983) Peak
position
Dutch Albums Chart[6] 21
New Zealand Albums Chart[7] 3
Swedish Albums Chart[8] 41
UK Albums Chart[9] 9
US Billboard 200[10] 3

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[12] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

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