Rainbow Connection IV
| Rainbow Connection IV | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 17, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | Fort Knox Studio (Los Angeles, California) | |||
| Genre | Funk, soul, disco | |||
| Length | 44:30 | |||
| Label | Whitfield | |||
| Producer | Norman Whitfield | |||
| Rose Royce chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Rainbow Connection IV | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Smash Hits | 8/10[2] |
| The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul | [3] |
Rainbow Connection IV is the fourth album by the funk band Rose Royce, released on the Whitfield label in 1979.[4] It was produced by Norman Whitfield. This would be the last album to include lead singer Gwen Dickey before she left the group to embark on a solo career.
History
The album peaked at #22 on the R&B albums chart. It also reached #74 on the Billboard 200. Two singles were released from the album, "Is It Love You're After" and "What You Waitin' For". "Is It Love You're After" peaked at #31 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. It was more successful on the UK Singles Chart, reaching #13. "What You Waitin' For" failed to chart. The album was digitally remastered and reissued on CD in 2010 by Wounded Bird Records.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wonder Where You Are Tonight" | Robert Daniels | 3:37 |
| 2. | "Is It Love You're After" | Miles Gregory | 5:01 |
| 3. | "Shine Your Light" | Robert Daniels | 5:26 |
| 4. | "What You Waitin' For" | Norman Whitfield | 8:54 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Bad Mother Funker" | Norman Whitfield | 4:41 |
| 6. | "You Can't Run From Yourself" | Norman Whitfield | 5:43 |
| 7. | "Lock It Down" | Miles Gregory | 5:59 |
| 8. | "Pazazz" | Michael Nash | 4:47 |
Personnel
- Rose Royce
- Gwen Dickey – lead vocals
- Kenny Copeland – trumpet, lead vocals
- Kenji Brown – guitar, lead vocals
- Lequeint "Duke" Jobe – bass, vocals
- Michael Nash – keyboards
- Henry Garner – drums, vocals
- Freddie Dunn – trumpet
- Michael Moore – saxophone
- Terry Santiel – congas
- Additional musicians
- Walter Downing – clavinet, Rhodes piano
- Lafayette Trey Stone, Isy Martin, Wah Wah Watson – guitar
- Jack Ashford – tambourine, cowbell
Production
- Norman Whitfield – producer, arranger, mixing engineer, album concept
- Michael Nash – producer ("Pazazz")
- Bruce Miller – string and horn arrangements
- Leanard Jackson, Steve Smith – recording engineer, mixing engineer
- Norman Moore – cover design
- Scott Hensell – photography
- Tim Bryant/Gribbitt! – art direction
- Bill Whitfield – album coordinator
Charts
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top LPs[5] | 74 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs[5] | 22 |
| UK Albums Chart[6] | 72 |
- Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [5] |
US R&B [5] |
UK [6] | ||
| 1979 | "Is It Love You're After" | 105 | 31 | 13 |
| "What You Waitin' For" | — | — | — | |
References
- ^ Henderson, Alex. Rainbow Connection IV review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-05-08.
- ^ Starr, Red. "Albums". Smash Hits. No. September 20 – October 3, 1979. p. 25.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 286.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (2001). Funk. Backbeat Books. p. 278.
- ^ a b c d "US Charts > Rose Royce". Allmusic. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
- ^ a b "UK Charts > Rose Royce". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
External links
- Rainbow Connection IV at Discogs (list of releases)