Come to My Garden

Come to My Garden
Studio album by Minnie Riperton
Released	April 16, 1970
Recorded	November 24–26, 1969 Ter Mar Studios (Chicago, Illinois)
Genre	Soul, R&B
Label	GRT
Producer	Charles Stepney
Minnie Riperton chronology
Come to My Garden (1970) Perfect Angel (1974)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Come to My Garden is the debut solo album by Minnie Riperton -produced, arranged and orchestrated by Charles Stepney- released in 1970. It was re-released on CD in 1999. It peaked at number one hundred and sixty on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart in 1974.^[2] Some versions of the cd-release don't include the last track "Whenever, Wherever." Riperton said she wanted a sound like the great Dionne Warwick / Burt Bacharach collaborations for the album.

Minnie Riperton was presented as a solo artist by Ramsey Lewis on Saturday, December 26, 1970 at Chicago's famed London House. She performed several numbers from the album accompanied by Charles Stepney, the albums producer. Although commercially unsuccessful, Come to My Garden is considered a masterpiece by critics. "Les Fleurs" is probably the album's best known song and "Expecting" remains a favourite among fans.

The heavy rock aspect of Riperton's band Rotary Connection is absent here, replaced by lush orchestrations and a jazzy soft-pop feel that complements Riperton's magnificently expressive, multi-octave voice beautifully. The songs, mostly by Stepney and Riperton's husband Richard Rudolph, are mostly minor-key ballads, with alternately sorrowful and poetic lyrics. The singer / songwritery results recall early albums by Roberta Flack as well as the contemporary work by Riperton's future employer/mentor Stevie Wonder.

Track listing

Side 1

1. "Les Fleurs" (Charles Stepney, Richard Rudolph) – 3:18
2. "Completeness" (Stepney, Rose Johnson) – 3:32
3. "Come to My Garden" (Rudolph) – 3:19
4. "Memory Band" (Stepney) – 4:05
5. "Rainy Day in Centerville" (Stepney, Rudolph) – 5:22

Side 2

1. "Close Your Eyes and Remember" (Stepney, Rudolph) – 3:38
2. "Oh, By the Way" (Stepney, Rudolph) – 2:58
3. "Expecting" (Stepney, Jon Stocklin) – 3:51
4. "Only When I'm Dreaming" (Stepney, Sidney Barnes) – 3:24
5. "Whenever, Wherever" (Stepney, Johnson) – 3:34

^[3]

Personnel

• Backing Vocals - Elsa Harris, Kitty Hayward, Minnie Riperton
• Drums - Maurice White
• Guitar - Phil Upchurch
• Piano - Ramsey Lewis
• Arranged and Conductor - Charles Stepney
• Vocals - Minnie Riperton

^[4]

Later samples

• "Rainy Day in Centerville"
  • "Where Y'all At" by Nas from the album Hip Hop Is Dead

• "Only When I'm Dreaming"
  • "Hellucination" by Smif-n-Wessun from the album Dah Shinin'

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Minnie Riperton album charting by Allmusic
3. ^ Vinyl edition of Come to My Garden on discogs.com
4. ^ CD edition of Come to My Garden on discogs.com