Word Up! (album)

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ReleasedSeptember 9, 1986 (1986-09-09)
Recorded1985–1986
Studio
  • Quad Recording
  • Counter Point
  • Power Station
  • Sound Ideas (New York City)
GenreFunk[1]
Word Up!
Studio album by
Cameo
ReleasedSeptember 9, 1986 (1986-09-09)
Recorded1985–1986
Studio
  • Quad Recording
  • Counter Point
  • Power Station
  • Sound Ideas (New York City)
GenreFunk[1]
Length34:46
LabelAtlanta Artists
ProducerLarry Blackmon
Cameo chronology
Single Life
(1985)		 Word Up!
(1986)		 Machismo
(1988)
Singles from Word Up!
  1. "Word Up!"
    Released: July 1986
  2. "Candy"
    Released: October 21, 1986
  3. "Back and Forth"
    Released: February 24, 1987
  4. "She's Mine"
    Released: June 1987
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[1]
The Village VoiceB[2]

Word Up! is the 13th studio album by American funk group Cameo, released in 1986.[3] The album reached number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, number 8 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 1 million copies. It took Cameo to their highest level of popularity, and solidified them as one of the most successful bands of the 1980s.[4] The album includes three of their biggest hit singles, "Word Up!", "Candy", and "Back and Forth".

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Word Up!"
4:21
2."Candy"
  • Blackmon
  • Jenkins
5:39
3."Back and Forth"
  • Kevin Kendrick
  • Nathan Leftenant
  • Blackmon
  • Jenkins
6:33
4."Don't Be Lonely"
  • Blackmon
  • Jenkins
  • Kendrick
  • Willie Morris
5:19
5."She's Mine"
  • Blackmon
  • Leftenant
  • Antonio Matthews
  • Ray Malloy
4:37
6."Fast, Fierce & Funny"
  • Blackmon
  • Jenkins
  • Leftenant
4:09
7."You Can Have the World"
  • Blackmon
  • Jenkins
  • Leftenant
4:38
  • Tracks 1–3, 6 and 7 published by All Seeing Eye Music-Better Days Music.
  • Tracks 4 and 5 published by All Seeing Eye Music-Better Days Music-Better Nights Music.

Personnel

Cameo

  • Larry Blackmon – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitar, drums, percussion, horn and vocal arrangements
  • Tomi Jenkins – lead vocals, backing vocals, horn and vocal arrangements
  • Nathan Leftenant – backing vocals, horn and vocal arrangements

Additional musicians

  • Merv De Peyer – keyboards
  • Kenni Hairston – keyboards
  • Kevin Kendrick – keyboards
  • Eric Rehl – keyboards
  • Bernard Wright – keyboards
  • Peter Scherer – Synclavier programming
  • Pat Buchanan – guitars
  • Charlie Singleton – guitars, backing vocals
  • Michael Burnett – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Aaron Mills – bass guitar
  • Sammy Merendino – drum programming
  • Duduka Da Fonseca – percussion
  • Giovanni Hidalgo – percussion
  • Steve Thornton – percussion
  • Melvin Wells – saxophone, backing vocals
  • Michael Brecker – tenor sax solo (2, 4, 5)
  • Randy Brecker – trumpet
  • Willie Morris – backing vocals

Uptown Horns

  • Crispin Cioe – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
  • Arno Hecht – tenor saxophone
  • Bob Funk – trombone
  • Paul Litteral – trumpet

Production

  • Larry Blackmon – producer
  • Larry Alexander – recording engineer
  • Matthew Kasha – recording engineer, mix engineer
  • Eric Calvi – recording engineer, mix engineer
  • Michel Sauvage – recording engineer
  • Jerry Solomon – recording engineer
  • Alan Meyerson – mix engineer
  • Dave Ogrin – mix engineer
  • Henry Falco – assistant engineer
  • José Rodriguez – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
  • David Krebs – direction
  • Steve Leber – direction
  • Louis Levin – direction
  • Bill Levy – art direction
  • Paula Scher – design
  • Chris Callas – photography
  • Toyce Anderson – stylist
  • John Dellaria – hair, make-up
  • Valerie Dray - make-up
  • Jean Paul Gaultier – clothes

Critical reception

Accolades

Word Up! was ranked number 5 among the "Albums of the Year" by NME.[5]

Charts

Certifications

References

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