''Starchild'' is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer

Teena Marie Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the sta ...

, released on November 11, 1984 by

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

. Following the relative commercial failure of her previous album, ''

Robbery Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...

'', ''Starchild'' became the highest-selling album of Marie's career. It peaked at #9 on the US Black Albums chart and #31 on the Billboard Albums chart. It was

certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...

Gold by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

on April 1, 1985. The album's success was driven by lead single "

Lovergirl "Lovergirl" is a song by American singer Teena Marie from her sixth studio album, '' Starchild'' (1984). Written, composed and produced by Marie, the song was released as the lead single from ''Starchild'' in October 1984. It was Marie's first hit ...

" which become a major US hit, reaching #4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and her only top 30 hit on that chart. Marie also received a nomination for

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards ...

for the single at the 27th Grammy Awards-her second nomination in that category. The album was written and produced by Marie, with contributions from

Leon Ware Leon Ware (February 16, 1940 – February 23, 2017) was an American songwriter, producer, composer, and singer. Besides a solo career as a performer, Ware was best known for producing hits for other artists including Michael Jackson, Quincy ...

and

Narada Michael Walden Narada Michael Walden ( ; Michael Walden; born April 23, 1952) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy. He began his career as a drummer, working primarily in the jazz ...

. The track "My Dear Mr. Gaye" is a tribute to

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

, who had been fatally shot and killed by his father on April 1, 1984. It was re-released by SoulMusic Records in 2012 as an Expanded Edition, containing 5 mixes as bonus tracks (see track listing below).

Track listing

All songs written by Teena Marie, except where noted. # "

" – 4:54 # "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party" (Bendrix, Marie) – 5:44 # "Out on a Limb" – 6:37 # "Alibi" (Marie, Fred Mirza) – 5:23 # "Jammin" – 5:52 # "Starchild" – 5:35 # "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)" (Duet With Ronnie McNeir) – 5:07 # "My Dear Mr. Gaye" (Marie, Penny "P.J." Johnson,

) – 5:28 # "Light" – 1:17 ;Expanded Edition #

" (US Single Edit) - 3:59

# "Lovergirl" (US Special 12" Dance Mix) - 5:53 # "Lovergirl" (US Single - Instrumental) - 6:10 # "Jammin'" (Dance Mix - Long Version) - 8:20 # "Out on a Limb" (US 12" Single Edit) - 5:31

Personnel

Credits for ''Starchild'' adapted from

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

Walter Afanasieff Walter Afanasieff (born Vladimir Nikitich Afanasyev; February 10, 1958), formerly nicknamed Baby Love in the 1980s, is an American record producer and songwriter of Russian-Chinese descent. He was a collaborator with Mariah Carey on her first ...

- synthesizer *Larkin Arnold - executive producer *Bobby Brooks - engineer, mixing *Pattie Brooks - voices *Wyman Brown - synthesizer *Rick Butz - assistant engineer *Darren Carmichael - synthesizer * Paulinho Da Costa - percussion *

Nathan East Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass player and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degr ...

- bass *Elmer Flores - assistant engineer *Dave Frazier - engineer *

James Gadson James Gadson ( James Edward Gadson; born June 17, 1939) is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B. He is also a singer and ...

- drums *

Preston Glass Preston Glass (born January 9, 1960) is an American musician, songwriter and producer. Glass is the winner of six BMI Awards. He has also worked several famous artists such as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Kenny G, Natalie Cole and ...

- guitar *Billy Griffin - vocals, backing vocals *Bernie Grundman - mastering *Mickey Hearn - vocals, backing vocals, voices *

Dann Huff Dann Lee Huff (born November 15, 1960) is an American record producer and songwriter. For his work as a producer in the country music genre, he has won several awards, including the ''Musician of the Year'' award in 2001, 2004, and 2016 at the Co ...

- guitar *

James Jamerson, Jr. James Jamerson Jr. (born James L. Jamerson III; August 24, 1957 – March 23, 2016) was an American bass player and noted studio musician. During his over three-decades long career he recorded with Bob Dylan, Tavares, The Temptations, and many more. ...

- bass *Jill Jones - vocals, backing vocals *

Randy Kerber Randy Kerber (born September 25, 1958) is an American composer, orchestrator and keyboard player, who has had a prolific career in the world of cinema.SeRandy Kerberat the IMDb Kerber was born in Encino, California. He began his first national t ...

- piano, synthesizer *Deni King - assistant engineer *Gary Lane - art direction *Teena Marie - arranger, cover art, cover art concept, drum machine, guitar, percussion, piano, producer, programming, synthesizer, vocals, voices *Yvette Marine - vocals, backing vocals, voices *Tom McDermott - guitar *Allen McGrier - bass, drum machine, programming, vocals *Richard McKernan - assistant engineer *Ronnie McNeir - vocals *Fred Mirza - synthesizer *Moreno - assistant engineer *P.J. - cover art concept, backing vocals, voices *Dan Radlauer - synthesizer * John Robinson - drums *Corrado Rustici - guitar *Ron Slenzak - photography *T.O. - voices *Dave Taylor - guitar *Julia Tillman Waters - vocals, backing vocals *Gary Wagner - assistant engineer *

- drums * David T. Walker - guitar *

- vocals, backing vocals *

Ernie Watts Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's ...

- saxophone, soloist *Michael White - drums *Tim Wild - airbrushing, artwork *Maxine Willard Waters - vocals, backing vocals

Singles

*"Lovergirl" #4 US Pop Singles/ #9 US Black Singles *"Jammin'" #81 US Pop Singles/ #45 US Black Singles *"Out on a Limb" #56 US Black Singles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Starchild (Teena Marie Album) 1984 albums Teena Marie albums Epic Records albums Freestyle music albums