''Somebody's Watching Me'' is the debut studio album by singer-songwriter
Rockwell, released in 1984 on
Motown
Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
. It features the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
(with
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
on vocals in the chorus), as well as the US top 40 hit "
Obscene Phone Caller"; however, the next two singles, the power ballad "Knife" and a cover of
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
' "
Taxman
"Taxman" is a song by English rock band the Beatles, from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. Written by the group's lead guitarist, George Harrison, with some lyrical assistance from John Lennon, it protests against the higher level of progressive ...
", failed to reach the top 40.
Background
After being kicked out of the house by his father,
Motown
Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
founder
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), also known as Berry Gordy Jr., is an American retired record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record label and i ...
, Kennedy Gordy moved in with
Ray Singleton
Raynoma Mayberry Liles Gordy Singleton (March 8, 1937 – November 11, 2016) was an American R&B producer, songwriter, and vocalist perhaps best known for her association with ex-husband, Berry Gordy during the early days of Motown when she ...
, Gordy's ex-wife. While living there, the younger Gordy began working on some music. Seeing the youngster's potential, Singleton successfully lobbied to get Kennedy a staff writing job at Jobete.
One night, Singleton overheard Kennedy working on the track, "Somebody's Watching Me" and believed it was a song worthy of recording. When Motown staff producer Curtis Anthony Nolen took an interest in the song, he was hired as the producer on the project. While working on the song in the studio, Kennedy got the idea to get
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
to sing on the track. Without indicating his plans, Kennedy picked Jackson up and drove him into the studio. Once Jackson was in the studio, Kennedy asked him to record the chorus with him. Jackson agreed.
Once the track was mixed, Singleton could not wait to play it for Berry Gordy, who thought one of the voices sounded familiar, but could not identify it. When Gordy found out it was Michael Jackson, he was elated.
Not wanting the Gordy name to influence the outcome of the song (his half-brother Kerry Gordy, recorded under his own name five years earlier without success), Kennedy decided to use the name
Rockwell on the record. The title cut was one of the biggest singles of 1984 and both the album and single were certified Gold. It was easily the most successful record by a Gordy as a recording artist. Rockwell now gained an exalted position among the Gordy offspring.
In mid-2021, the full album was released on iTunes for the first time. A deluxe edition was also released, containing additional extended and instrumental mixes, as well as a new remix of the title track.
Reception
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's Rick A. Bueche called the record "an impressive debut set with an emphasis on rock instrumentals".
Track listing
Deluxe edition bonus tracks
#"Somebody's Watching Me" (John Morales M+M Extended Mix) – 7:06
#"Obscene Phone Caller" (12" Version) – 4:33
#"Change Your Ways" (12" Version) – 5:53
#"Runaway" (12" Version) – 5:36
#"Somebody's Watching Me" (12" Instrumental) – 5:27
#"Obscene Phone Caller" (12" Instrumental) – 5:20
#"Taxman" (Instrumental) – 3:53
#"Change Your Ways" (12" Instrumental) – 5:53
#"Wasting Away" (Instrumental) – 3:58
#"Foreign Country" (12" Instrumental) – 6:02
Notes
An up-tempo version of "Knife" was released by another Motown artist, Monalisa Young. She also appears on this album as a background vocalist.
Personnel
*
Rockwell – lead vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, drums, percussion
*
Teri DeSario
Teri Lynn DeSario (born November 27, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter from Miami, Florida.
Career
DeSario worked within several music genres out of high school. She was a vocalist and played both recorder and harp from 1970–1977 with ...
, Norman Dozier, Oma Drake, Marva Holcolm,
Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun (né Jackson; born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter and bassist. He is known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of the ...
,
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
, Lyndie White, Monalisa Young and Terry Young – backing vocals
*Nicholas Brown and Thomas J. Parker – electric guitar
*Dave Cochran – bass guitar
*Norman Dozier,
Russell Ferrante
Yellowjackets is an American jazz fusion band founded in 1977 in Los Angeles, California.
History
In 1977, guitarist Robben Ford, for his first solo album, recruited keyboardist Russell Ferrante, electric bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer ...
, Jim Foeber, Gregg Karukas, Michael Lang, Anthony Santosusso and
Randy Waldman
Randy Waldman (born September 8, 1955, Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor. He has frequently collaborated with Barbra Streisand, serving as her pianist and conductor since 1984. Waldman has ...
– keyboards, synthesizers
*
Ricky Lawson
William Riser III (November 8, 1954 – December 23, 2013), better known as Ricky Lawson or Ricky Remo, was an American drummer and composer. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he worked extensively as a session musician, collaborating with Stev ...
, Phillip Madayag and Anthony Santosusso – drums, percussion
Production
*Producer: Curtis Anthony Nolen for Super Three Productions
*Recorded at Mars Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California
*Recording engineers: Arne Frager, Joe Q. Hall, Scott Skidmore, Booker T. Jones III
*Mixed by Arne Frager, Curtis Anthony Nolen,
Rockwell, Joe Q. Hall, Steve Smith
*Mastering engineer: John Matousek
*Art direction: Johnny Lee
*Design: Janet Levinson
*Visual consultant: Nancy Leiviska
*Executive producer:
Ray Singleton
Raynoma Mayberry Liles Gordy Singleton (March 8, 1937 – November 11, 2016) was an American R&B producer, songwriter, and vocalist perhaps best known for her association with ex-husband, Berry Gordy during the early days of Motown when she ...
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
1984 debut albums
Rockwell (musician) albums
Motown albums