''Merciless'' is the seventh studio album by American R&B singer Stephanie Mills. It was released in 1983 and Stephanie's second release on

Casablanca Records Casablanca Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Republic Records. Under its founder Neil Bogart, Casablanca was most successful during the disco era of the mid to late 1970s. The label current ...

. The album features two Billboard R&B hits in "Pilot Error", a cover version of

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

's "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" as well as "My Body" written by singer Luther Vandross. ''Merciless'' received a nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female at the 26th Grammy Awards in 1984.

Track listing

# "

How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" is a song by Prince. It is a ballad of romantic longing with some gospel elements. On his original recording of the song, which was released as the non-album B-side to his 1982 single "1999", Prince performs mo ...

" (

) - 4:12 # "Never Get Enough of You" (David Wolfert, Henry Gaffney) - 4:31 # " Eternal Love" ( Jay Asher,

Paul Jabara Paul Jabara, also known as Paul Frederick Jabara, (January 31, 1948 – September 29, 1992) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter of Lebanese ancestry, born in Brooklyn, New York. He wrote Donna Summer's Oscar-winning " Last Dance" from ...

) - 4:41 # "His Name is Michael" (featuring

Peggi Blu Peggi Blu is an American actress, singer and vocal coach. She is the 1986 "''Star Search Grand Champion (Female Vocalist)''" winner and the winner of the 2013 "Malibu Music Awards" ("''Vocal Coach of the Year''") award. She is best known as an ...

) (Cassandra Mills,

Michael Sembello Michael Andrew Sembello (born April 17, 1954) is an American singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sembello was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his 1983 song "M ...

, Stephanie Mills) - 3:18 # "Here I Am" (David Wolfert, Henry Gaffney) - 4:13 # "My Body" ( Luther Vandross) - 4:06 # "Do You Love Him?" (Barbara Morr, Betsy Durkin Matthes) - 3:47 # "Pilot Error" ( Peter Kingsbery) - 5:07 # "Since We've Been Together" (

Ralph Schuckett Ralph Schuckett (March 2, 1948 – April 4, 2021) was an American keyboardist, composer and songwriter known as one of the founding members of Todd Rundgren's band Utopia. He composed for film and television, including Pokémon, Sonic X, and A ...

, Richard Kleinberg) - 3:13 * track sourceStephanie Mills - Merciless (LP, Album)
discogs

Personnel

* Stephanie Mills – lead and backing vocals *

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

– keyboards, acoustic piano *

Richard Tee Richard Edward Tee (born Richard Edward Ten Ryk; November 24, 1943 – July 21, 1993) was an American pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger, who had several hundred studio credits and played on such notable hits as "In Your Eyes", " Sl ...

– keyboards, acoustic piano *

Johnny Mandel John Alfred Mandel (November 23, 1925June 29, 2020) was an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. The musicians he worked with include Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, Tony Benn ...

– synthesizers, arrangements (7) *

Danny Sembello Daniel Sembello (January 15, 1963 – August 15, 2015) was an American songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist. He produced recordings by artists including George Benson and Pebbles, and he had his compositions recorded by Chaka K ...

– synthesizers * Nyle Steiner – synthesizers *

Ian Underwood Ian Robertson Underwood (born May 22, 1939) is a woodwind and keyboards player, known for his work with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Biography Underwood graduated from The Choate School in 1957 and Yale University with a bachelo ...

– synthesizers * Ed Walsh – synthesizers *

Buzz Feiten Howard "Buzz" Feiten (born November 4, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, session musician, and luthier. He is best known as a lead and rhythm guitarist and for having patented a tuning system for guitars and similar instrument ...

– guitars * Carlos Rios – guitars * Thom Rotella - guitars *

– guitars, backing vocals * David Wolfert – guitars, arrangements (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9), BGV arrangements * Nathan East – bass * Neil Stubenhaus – bass *

Ed Greene Ed Greene is an American drummer and session musician. In 1971 he recorded with Donald Byrd (''Ethiopian Knights'', 1972), together with Thurman Green, Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Sample, Bobbye Porter Hall, David T. Walker, and W ...

– drums * John Robinson - drums *

Carlos Vega Carlos Vega (December 7, 1956 – April 7, 1998) was a Cuban-born Los Angeles-based session drummer best known for his performances with James Taylor. As a part of the L.A. studio scene from the late 1970s through the 1990s, Vega contributed to ...

– drums * Lenny Castro – percussion *

Victor Feldman Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...

– percussion * Eddie Karam – arrangements (7) *

– rhythm arrangements (9) * Frank Floyd – BGV arrangements *

– backing vocals * Lani Groves – backing vocals * Yvonne Lewis – backing vocals * Cruz Sembello – backing vocals * Myrna Smith – backing vocals Technical * John Arrais – engineer, mixing (1, 2, 3, 5-9), remixing (1, 2, 3, 5-9) * Phil Ramone – mixing (4) * Peter Chaiken – engineer * Lee DeCarlo – engineer *

Bradshaw Leigh Brad Leigh is an American Audio Engineer, known for having recorded and mixed many recordings including Billy Joel's ''River of Dreams'', Tracy Chapman's '' Matters of the Heart'' as well as Julian Lennon's ''Valotte'' and '' Secret Value of Da ...

– engineer * Brian McGee – engineer * Marie Ostrosky – engineer * Jay Rifkin – engineer *

Ted Jensen Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''. Biography T ...

– mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY) Production * Charles Koppleman – executive producer * Gary Klein – producer (1, 2, 3, 5-9) * David Wolfert – producer (1, 2, 3, 5-9) * Phil Ramone – producer (4) * Linda Gerrity – production coordinator * Glen Christensen – art direction, photography * Mac James – artwork, design * Bill King – inner sleeve photography * Cassandra Mills – cover concept * Stephanie Mills – cover concept * Frank DeCaro – LA contractor * Phil Medley – NY contractor

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1983 albums Stephanie Mills albums Albums arranged by Johnny Mandel Albums produced by Phil Ramone Albums produced by Gary Klein (producer) Casablanca Records albums