''Workin' It Back'' is a studio album by the American R&B singer

Teddy Pendergrass Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter. He was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. Pendergrass spent most of his life in the Philadelphia area, and initially rose to musi ...

, released in 1985. It was his second record for

Asylum Records Asylum Records is an American record label, founded in 1971 by David Geffen and partner Elliot Roberts. It was taken over by Warner Communications (now the Warner Music Group) in 1972, and later merged with Elektra Records to become Elektra/Asylu ...

. The album didn't do nearly as well on the ''Billboard'' 200 as his last record, peaking at #96. It did reach US R&B #6, only two spots lower than his previous album. The album spawned two singles, "Love 4/2" (#6 R&B) and "Let Me Be Closer" (#67 R&B), though none made the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album has been certified gold.

Production

Pendergrass cowrote and coproduced two of the album's songs.

Critical reception

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'' wrote that "the spasmodic anguish of the final cut, 'Love Emergency', is the most innovative song on the album, with the backup male chorus growling a chant over the groove as the background to Pendergrass's vocal flights." '' The Gazette'' thought that "even the Womacks can't raise a head of steam from the one-time Sound of Philadelphia."

Track listing

#"Love 4/2" (Pendergrass, James Carter, Nathaniel Lee) #"One of Us Fell in Love" ( Adrian Baker, Eddie Seago) #"Never Felt Like Dancin'" (Dennis Matkosky, Monty Seward) #"Let Me Be Closer" (Pendergrass,

Linda Creed Linda Diane Creed (December 6, 1948 – April 10, 1986), also known by her married name Linda Epstein, was an American songwriter and lyricist who teamed up with Thom Bell to produce some of the most successful Philadelphia soul groups of the 1 ...

, Dennis Matkosky, Bill Neale) #"Lonely Color Blue" (

Cecil Womack Cecil Dale Womack (September 25, 1947 – January 25, 2013) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was one of the musical Womack brothers, and had success both as a songwriter and recording artist, notably with his wife Lind ...

Linda Womack Linda Womack (née Cooke; born April 25, 1953), now known as Zeriiya Zekkariyas, is an American singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of soul singer Sam Cooke. She later had a successful career as half of the duo Womack & Womack with her hu ...

) #"Want You Back in My Life" (

Glen Ballard Basil Glen Ballard Jr. (born May 1, 1953) is an American songwriter, lyricist, and record producer. He is best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's 1995 album '' Jagged Little Pill'', which won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Alb ...

, Clif Magness) #"Workin' It Back" (Clif Magness, Ellen Schwartz, Roger Bruno) #"Love Emergency" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)

Personnel

*Teddy Pendergrass - vocals *Ron Jennings, Paul Jackson Jr., Bill Neale,

, Clif Magness - guitar * Neil Stubenhaus, Doug Grigsby, Cecil Womack - bass *Dennis Matkosky - keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming *Monty Seward - synthesized guitar *Larry Williams - bass synthesizer *

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 ...

- acoustic and electric piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer *

Alan Pasqua Alan Pasqua (born June 28, 1952) is an American rock and jazz pianist. He studied at Indiana University and the New England Conservatory of Music. His album ''Standards'' with drummer Peter Erskine was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008. As a ...

, Eddie "Gip" Noble,

- keyboards * John Robinson, Raymond Pounds,

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 *Michael Mason - drum overdubs * Paulinho da Costa - percussion *Joel Peskin - saxophone *Tenita Jordan, Lynn Davis, Shirley Jones, Stephanie Reach, Monty Seward, Tammie Taylor, Clydene Jackson, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Vanessa Townsell, The Womack Congregation - backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control Teddy Pendergrass albums 1985 albums Albums produced by Glen Ballard Asylum Records albums