What Cha' Gonna Do for Me

''What Cha' Gonna Do for Me'' is the Gold certified third solo album by American R&B/ funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1981.

Overview

Three singles were released from ''What Cha' Gonna Do'': the Beatles cover "We Can Work It Out" (US R&B #34), the McCrarys cover " Any Old Sunday" (#68) and the album's title track which became a number one hit on '' Billboard'' R&B Singles chart. On Billboard's charts, the album reached #3 on Black Albums, #33 on Jazz Albums, and #17 on Pop Albums. This would be Chaka's highest charting album until her 1980s-era breakthrough '' I Feel For You''. Its popularity among jazz audiences was likely due to the inclusion of the Dizzy Gillespie composition "Night In Tunisia" with a guest appearance by Gillespie himself as well as what today would be called a 'sample' of Charlie Parker's legendary four bar alto break from his 1946 recording of the title. Khan's vocal interpretation also features lyrics written by the singer herself. This album was nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female in 1981.Chaka Khan @ The Envelope Awards Database
(Page 2)

The instrumental intro to "Fate" has been sampled by a host of dance acts all through the 1990s and 2000s, most notably by Stardust on their 1998 hit single " Music Sounds Better With You" and a section of "I Know You I Live You" also features on "Bad Habit" by ATFC & Onephatdeeva feat. Lisa Milett.

Reissues

''What Cha' Gonna Do For Me'' has only been re-issued on CD in both Europe and Japan. The album has yet to see a CD release in the United States, but did become domestically available digitally shortly after Khan won multiple Grammys for her 2007 album '' Funk This''.

In 2016, Big Break Records re-issued the album as an expanded edition with special liner notes, rare photos, and containing three bonus tracks: "Only Once", "Lover's Touch" and "I Know You, I Live You (Remix)". Though the remix of "I Know You, I Live You" was previously released on '' Life Is a Dance: The Remix Project'', the other two were only available on 7" singles until the Big Break reissue. "Lover's Touch" was the B-Side of "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" in the US, and "Only Once" was the B-Side of "We Can Work It Out."

Track listing

Personnel

* Chaka Khan - vocals, background vocals
* Steve Ferrone – drums all tracks except 1, 6
* Anthony Jackson – bass all tracks except 1, 6
* David Williams – guitar all tracks except 1, 6
* Hamish Stuart – guitar all tracks except 1, 6
* Larry Williams - keyboards, flute, saxophone, synthesizer all tracks except 1, 6

Track 1: “We Can Work It Out”

Drums - Ray Pounds

Keyboards ll Synthesizer ini Moog Bass- Greg Phillinganes

Guitar – Mike Sembello

Percussion – Paulinho da Costa

Arranged By tring Arrangement– Arif Mardin

Horn Arrangement – Larry Williams

Horns rass, Reeds– Bill Reichenbach, Gary Grant, Kim Hutchcroft, Larry Hall, Larry Williams

Arranged By tring Arrangement– Arif Mardin

Concert Master - Gene Orloff

Track 2: “What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me”

Synthesizer – Bob Christianson

Percussion – Crusher Bennett

Tenor Saxophone enor Sax Solo Soloist – Michael Brecker

Arranged By orn Arrangement– Arif Mardin

Horns rass, Reeds– Barry Rodgers, Lou Delgatto, Lou Soloff, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker

Track 3, 10: “I Know You, I Live You”

Percussion – Crusher Bennett, Chaka Khan

Arranged By orn Arrangement Saxophone – Larry Williams

Trumpet – Jerry Hey

Track 4: “Any Old Sunday”

Flugelhorn – Randy Brecker

Track 5: “We Got Each Other”

Vocals uet Vocal– Mark Stevens

Arranged By orn Arrangement Saxophone – Larry Williams

Trumpet – Jerry Hey

Track 6: “And The Melody Still Lingers On (Night In Tunisia)”

Drums – Casey Scheuerell

Bass – Abraham Laboriel

Electric Piano – Ronnie Foster

Keyboards lavitar Solo, Break Synthesizer berheim Bells– Herbie Hancock

Percussion – Paulinho da Costa

Synthesizer ini Moog Bass, Prophet 5– David Foster

Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie

Track 7: "Night Moods"

Arranged By tring Arrangement– Arif Mardin

Concert Master - Gene Orloff

Track 8: “Heed The Warning”

Synthesizer oog Synthesizer Soloist olo– David Richards

Track 9: “Fate”

Clavinet – Richard Tee

Guitar uitar Solo Soloist – Hiram Bullock

Percussion – Crusher Bennett

Synthesizer – David Richards

Non-album tracks

* "Lover's Touch" — B-side of single "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" (WBS 49692) (Taylor) - 4:31
* "Only Once" — B-side of single "We Can Work It Out" (WBS 49759) (Ruff, Ruff, Kaplan) - 3:55

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

References

External links

*
What Cha' Gonna Do for Me
' at Discogs

{{Authority control

1981 albums
Chaka Khan albums
Albums produced by Arif Mardin
Warner Records albums