Characters (album)

Characters
Studio album by Stevie Wonder
Released	November 6, 1987
Recorded	1987
Genre	Pop, R&B, Soul, dance-pop, synthpop, blues, hip hop
Length	61:33
Label	Motown
Producer	Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder chronology
In Square Circle (1985) Characters (1987) Jungle Fever (1991)
Singles from Characters
"Skeletons" Released: July 1987 "You Will Know" Released: March 1988 "Get It" Released: May 1988

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]
Robert Christgau	(A-) [3]

Characters is the Grammy-nominated twenty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released by Motown Records on November 6, 1987 (see 1987 in music) in North America. Although highly anticipated like its predecessor, In Square Circle (1985) upon its release, the album received mixed reviews from critics, and debuted at number 17 on the US Billboard 200, becoming his first album since Music of My Mind not to reach the top ten of the charts. In the UK, the album debuted at number thirty-three on the UK Albums Chart, being his lowest charting album in comparison to his previous efforts.

It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for seven weeks, and spawned six singles including "Get It", "Skeletons" and the ballad "You Will Know" that had attained Billboard R&B chart success.

Overview

This album was Stevie Wonder's first to miss the Top Five on the Billboard charts, and yielded the hit R&B singles: Skeletons, Get It (featuring Michael Jackson who, at the time, was riding high with the success of his Bad album), and the R&B ballad, You Will Know.

Awards and nominations

The album earned Wonder three Grammy Award nominations, one for the album itself, in the category of Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

To promote the album, Wonder performed a one-hour special on MTV with the same name in which he performed unreleased material as well as a duet with Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Track listing

All songs written by Stevie Wonder except where noted.

Side A

1. "You Will Know" - 5:00
2. "Dark 'N' Lovely" (Gary Byrd, Wonder) - 4:39
3. "In Your Corner" - 4:30
4. "With Each Beat of My Heart" - 5:28
5. "One of a Kind" - 5:10

Side B

1. "Skeletons" - 5:24
2. "Get It" (Wonder, Michael Jackson) (featuring Michael Jackson) - 4:31
3. "Galaxy Paradise" - 3:52
4. "Cryin' Through the Night" - 5:48
5. "Free" - 4:12

Bonus CD tracks

11. "Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down" (featuring B.B. King & Stevie Ray Vaughan) - 5:20

12. "My Eyes Don't Cry" - 7:05

Personnel

• Michael Jackson – Performer
• Stevie Ray Vaughan- Performer
• B.B. King- Performer
• Gary Olazabal – Engineer, Associate Producer, Mixing
• Stevie Wonder – Arranger, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer
• Recorded at Different Fur Studios, San Francisco

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1987 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B albums of 1988 (U.S.)

References

1. ^ Ruhlmann, William. Characters (album) at Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
2. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/characters-19880128
3. ^ Christgau, Robert. Consumer Guide Reviews: Characters. The Village Voice. Retrieved 2011-06-27.