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Song Bird (Deniece Williams album)

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Song Bird
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 28, 1977
RecordedApril–July 1977
Studio
GenreR&B, soul, disco
Length37:25
LabelColumbia
ProducerMaurice White
Deniece Williams chronology
This Is Niecy
(1976)
Song Bird
(1977)
That's What Friends Are For
(1978)
Singles from Song Bird
  1. "Baby, Baby My Love's All for You"
    Released: October 1977

Song Bird is the second studio album by American singer Deniece Williams. It was produced by Maurice White and released on October 28, 1977, by Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 23 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 5 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart.[1][2]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Cashbox(favourable)[5]
Daily Express4/5[4]
Variety(favourable)[6]

With a four out of five rating, Simon Gage of Daily Express described Song Bird as being "filled with gorgeous songs that showcase her four-octave range to full effect."[4] John Rockwell of The New York Times stated: "Deniece Williams's “Song Bird” is a most appealing album for anyone who likes varied, skillful and sophisticated singing in the black pop area." He also added "One can't be more stylistically precise than that because it is a characteristic of Maurice White's production and Miss Williams's virtuousically diverse singing that her disk ambles all over the stylistic map. But instead of sounding diffuse, it sounds refreshingly varied."[7] Phyl Garland of Stereo Review commented: "Here she is fitted out with material that is even better than that on her fine first album. Producer Maurice White poured all of the proper stuff into this one; the arrangements are imaginative, and several name musicians supply smooth, unobtrusive instrumental backing. Ms. Williams is also a songwriter of notable talent, for she helped write some of the best tunes here."[8]

Singles

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"Baby, Baby My Love's All for You" rose to No. 13 upon the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs and No. 32 on the UK Pop singles chart.[9][10]

Covers

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Williams covered Ferlin Husky's "Time" on the album.[11]

Appearances in other media

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Williams performed "God Is Amazing" at the 1984 Grammy Awards.[12][13]

Track listing

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Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Time"Al McKay, Deniece Williams, Fred White, Jerry Peters, Marlo Henderson, Maurice White, Verdine White3:51
2."The Boy I Left Behind"Eric Eisner3:37
3."We Have Love for You"Al Johnson3:36
4."God Is Amazing"Deniece Williams4:00
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Baby, Baby My Love's All for You"Verdine White, Robert Wright4:09
6."Season"Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett3:38
7."Be Good to Me"Clarence McDonald, Deniece Williams, Fritz Baskett2:56
8."The Paper"Deniece Williams7:48

Personnel

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Production

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  • Producer – Maurice White
  • Co-Producer – Jerry Peters
  • Engineer – Warren Dewey
  • Assistant Engineer – Jack Rouben
  • Design – Nancy Donald
  • Photography – Kenneth McGowan

Charts

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Album
Year Chart Position
1977 US Billboard Top R&B Albums 23[1]
US Billboard 200 66
1978 UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums 5[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Deniece Williams: Songbird (Top R&B Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  2. ^ a b "Top British Soul Albums". Blues & Soul. No. 242. January 3, 1978.
  3. ^ "Deniece Williams: Song Bird". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
  4. ^ a b Gage, Simon. "Review: Deniece Williams - Song Bird (BBR)". express.co.uk. Daily Express.
  5. ^ "Albums". Cashbox. Vol. 39, no. 23. November 5, 1977. p. 24 – via archive.org.
  6. ^ "Music-Records: ELP, Cooper, Players, Wynne, Ramones, Trammps, Preston, Garrett, Chic, Roberts Top LPs". Variety. Vol. 289, no. 6. 14 December 1977. pp. 72, 78. ProQuest 1401322413.
  7. ^ Rockwell, John (December 30, 1977). "The Pop Life". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Garland, Phyl (April 1978). "Deniece Williams: Song Bird" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Vol. 40, no. 4. Stereo Review. p. 104.
  9. ^ "Deniece Williams". officialcharts.com. Official Charts.
  10. ^ "Deniece Williams: Baby, Baby My Love's All For You (Hot R&B Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  11. ^ "Deniece Williams: Time". cover.info.
  12. ^ "EXCLUSIVE! A Conversation with the Legendary Deniece Williams". sacculturalhub.com.
  13. ^ "SAVING GRACE: DENIECE WILLIAMS". lafocusnewspaper.com.