''Breakwater Cat'' is the tenth album by American singer

Thelma Houston Thelma Houston ( Jackson; born May 7, 1946) Retrieved . is an American singer. Beginning her recording career in the late 1960s, Houston scored a number-one hit record in 1977 with her recording of " Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the Gramm ...

, released in 1980 on

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...

. The 12" single "Suspicious Minds" became a popular club hit. ''Breakwater Cat'' contains five songs written by

Jimmy Webb Jimmy Layne Webb (born August 15, 1946) is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He has written numerous platinum-selling songs, including " Up, Up and Away", " By the Time I Get to Phoenix", " MacArthur Park", " Wichita Lineman", " Wo ...

, who was also the executive producer of the album.

Track listing

All songs were written by Jimmy Webb; except where indicated. # "Breakwater Cat" – 3:55 # "Long and Lasting Love" – 5:30 # "Before There Could Be Me" – 3:12 # "Gone" – 3:43 # "What Was That Song" – 4:19 # "

Suspicious Minds "Suspicious Minds" is a 1968 song written and first recorded by American songwriter Mark James. After this recording failed commercially, it was cut by Elvis Presley with producer Chips Moman, becoming a No. 1 song in 1969, and one of the most ...

" ( Mark James) – 4:15 # " Down the Backstairs of My Life" ( Eric Mercury, William Smith) – 3:00 # "Understand Your Man" (Alan Gordon) – 3:27 # "Lost and Found" (Daniel Moore) – 4:20 # "Something We May Never Know" (

Shelby Flint Shelby Flint (born September 17, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter who had two top-100 hits, " Angel on My Shoulder" in 1961 and "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" in 1966. Career Flint's single "I Will Love You" appeared in the Variety T.I.P.S ...

) – 3:38

Personnel

;Music * Thelma Houston – vocals *

Sonny Burke Joseph Francis "Sonny" Burke (March 22, 1914 – May 31, 1980) was an American musical arranger, composer, Big Band leader and producer. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University, where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke ...

– piano, arrangements * Matthew McCauley – string and horn arrangements *

David T. Walker David T. Walker (born June 25, 1941) is an American guitarist, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to numerous session musician duties since the early 1970s, Walker has issued fifteen albums in his own name. Career David T. Walker was born to ...

, Tim May, Steve Beckmeier, Carlos Rios,

Steve Hunter Stephen John Hunter (born June 14, 1948) is an American guitarist, primarily a session player. He has worked with Lou Reed and Alice Cooper, acquiring the moniker "The Deacon". Hunter first played with Mitch Ryder's Detroit, beginning a long a ...

Fred Tackett Fred Tackett (born August 30, 1945) is an American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Originally a session player on guitar, mandolin, and trumpet, he is best known as a member of the band Little Feat. In addition to his work with Little ...

, Greg Poree – guitar * David Shields, Eddie N. Watkins Jr.,

Keni Burke Kenneth M. "Keni" Burke (born September 28, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist who began his career with four siblings in the 1970s band the Five Stairsteps. Biography Five Stairsteps As a member ...

, Scott Edwards, Dennis Belfield, Reggie McBride – bass guitar *Gary Morse - steel guitar on "Something We May Never Know" *

Jerry Peters Jerry Peters is an American songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, conductor and arranger. He is best known for writing the hit songs "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely" and "Going In Circles" by The Friends of Distinction. Career Peters w ...

- keyboards * James Gadson – drums *

Jerry Hey Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's ''Thriller'', '' Rock with You'' ...

- horn * Paulinho da Costa – percussion *

Clydie King Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019) was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness ( ...

– backing vocals * Greg Wright – backing vocals * Oren Waters – backing vocals * Tom Kelly – backing vocals ;Production * James Gadson – producer * Michael Stewart – producer * Mike Vickers – assistant producer * Jimmy Webb – executive producer * Brian Christian – engineer * Frank "Cheech" D'Amici – engineer * Mark Linett – engineer * Rick Hart – engineer * Rick Ruggieri – engineer * Gribbitt! – art direction * Henry Vizcarra – art direction * Tim Bryant – art direction * Charles Veal, Jr. – contractor * Jerry Hoff – contractor * Sid Sharp – contractor * Lynne Morse – A&R coordinator * Linda Gerrity – production coordinator * Glenn Parsons - design * Gribbitt! - design * John Arrias – mixing * Ron Slenzak – photography

References

1980 albums Thelma Houston albums RCA Records albums {{1980s-pop-album-stub