Lionel Richie: Can't Slow Down (Disc-1) CD Track Listing

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Lionel Richie Can't Slow Down (Disc-1) (1983)
Can't Slow Down (Deluxe Edition) - Disc 1 of 2\n2003 Motown Records\nOriginally Released 1983\nRemastered Deluxe Edition Released May 6, 2003\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: On Can't Slow Down, his second solo album, Lionel Richie ran with the sound and success of his eponymous debut, creating an album that was designed to be bigger and better. It's entirely possible that he took a cue from Michael Jackson's Thriller, which set out to win over listeners of every corner of the mainstream pop audience, because Richie does a similar thing with Can't Slow Down -- he plays to the MOR adult contemporary audience, to be sure, but he ups the ante on his dance numbers, creating grooves that are funkier, and he even adds a bit of rock with the sleek nocturnal menace of "Running With the Night," one of the best songs here. He doesn't swing for the fences like Michael did in 1982; he makes safe bets, which is more in his character. But safe bets do pay off, and with Can't Slow Down Richie reaped enormous dividends, earning not just his biggest hit, but his best album. He has less compunction about appearing as a pop singer this time around, which gives the preponderance of smooth ballads -- particularly "Penny Lover," "Hello," and the country-ish "Stuck on You" -- conviction, and the dance songs roll smooth and easy, never pushing the beats too hard and relying more on Richie's melodic hooks than the grooves, which is what helped make "All Night Long (All Night)" a massive hit. Indeed, five of these songs (all the aforementioned tunes) were huge hits, and since the record ran only eight songs, that's an astonishing ration. The short running time does suggest the record's main weakness, one that it shares with many early-'80s LPs -- the songs themselves run on a bit too long, padding out the running length of the entire album. This is only a problem on album tracks like "Love Will Find a Way," which are pleasant but a little tedious at their length, but since there are only three songs that aren't hits, it's a minor problem. All the hits showcase Lionel Richie at his best, as does Can't Slow Down as a whole. [In 2003, Can't Slow Down was reissued as part of Universal Chronicles' Deluxe Edition series, expanded to a full two-disc set. The first disc contains the 12" version of "All Night Long (All Night)" (but, curiously, not the single edit that was on the radio), the "Penny Lover" 7" single remix (not a notable difference), and 12" instrumental versions of "All Night Long" and "Running With the Night." Disc two is devoted to "demos, alternates, working masters and session jams," with alternate takes of every one of the eight songs, plus "Tell Me" from Lionel Richie, the unreleased "Ain't Sayin' No," and "Can't Find Love," which are the best things here, because they are solid unheard tunes. The rest are most decidedly working versions -- for instance, "All Night Long (All Night)" doesn't have finished lyrics, apart from the chorus, so it often sounds as if he's singing nonsense words and gibberish so he can just get the melody in place. They're interesting on one level, but they're not compelling, even for one listen, though they do serve a historical purpose for Lionel Richie collectors. Even if this second disc is rather monotonous, the package overall is very nicely done -- typical of Deluxe Edition reissues -- and will certainly please fans.] -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review (Standard Edition)\nAn ironic title for someone whose love ballads were king, October 12, 2000 \nReviewer: Small Town Indiana Boy (see more about me) from West Lafayette, Indiana USA \nBy the end of his years with the Commodores, Lionel Richie was really the leader of the band. Occasionally, they gave up some funk, but were better known as a vehicle for Richie's romantic love songs. Only time would tell when he went solo, and that did happen in the early '80s. His self-titled first album was a huge hit, even bigger than his music with the Commodores. But it wasn't until his second CAN'T SLOW DOWN, that Richie was put over the top. Spending more than a year on the charts, and spawning 5 top 10 hits, CAN'T SLOW DOWN was truly one of the biggest albums of the '80s, and interestingly enough, it proved that Lionel can create some great grooves if he chose to. The biggest hit, "All Night Long", topped the charts for 4 weeks, and was even performed by Richie at the Olympics. More calypso than funk, it was still a great tune to move the feet to. The album's other hit dance song was the synthesizer-drenched "Running With The Night", which is better in the shorter, single version. The 6-minute album incarnation runs a little too long. However, the other 3 hits were, you guessed it, romantic ballads, further indicating where Lionel's talent really lay. "Hello" was another #1 hit, thanks to a popular video on MTV, followed by the slight country tinge of "Stuck On You", and the sentimental "Penny Lover". While the critics may have been against Lionel Richie for most of his career, it's easy to find poetry in simplicity, and that is Lionel's legacy: helping to make people say those three little words a little easier to do. With that in mind, CAN'T SLOW DOWN showed that Lionel, love him or leave him, was a force to be reckoned with in the 1980s pop scene. While his old band would certainly slow down with the years, Lionel Richie was just getting warmed up at this point. But he did a damn good job at making himself ready. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review (Standard Edition)\nLose Yourself in Wild Romance, May 2, 2000 \nReviewer: Randall Nathaniel from Santa Rosa, California \nIF you're in love, wanting to be in love, or just recklessly passionate, this is the album for the champagne afficionado. Oftentimes, after slipping into white slacks and a glass of chablis, I listen to Love Will Find A Way as the sun embrace the horizon. On All Night Long, his harmonies ubdulate like the waves of Malibu lit only by starlight and the dancing flames of a tiki-torch beach party. If there's a song I can only share with my best friends, this is it. And of course, who could forget the timeless Penny Lover? Like ice on fire, this song melts your heart into romantic submission. In closing, prepare this album for the next spring fling with your penny lover. "Don't make me cry baby" \n\nHalf.com Album Notes\nPersonnel includes: Lionel Richie (vocals, arranger, piano, synthesizer); David Cochrane (guitar, vocodor, synthesizer, programming, background vocals); Darrell Jones, Carlos Rios (guitars, background vocals); Steve Lukather, Louie Shelton, Mitch Holder, Tim May (guitar); Fred Tackett (acoustic guitar); John Hobbs (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Reginald "Sonny" Burke (Fender Rhodes piano); David Foster (keyboards, bass); Michael Boddicker (synthesizers, emulator, vocoder); Greg Phillinganes (synthesizer); Nathan East, Joe Chemay, Abraham Laboriel (bass); Paul Leim, John Robinson, Jeff Porcaro (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Richard Marx, Deborah Thomas (background vocals).\n\nProducers: Lionel Richie, James Anthony Carmichael, David Foster.\nCompilation producers: Harry Weinger, Lionel Richie.\nEngineers include: Calvin Harris, Larry Fergusson, Humberto Gatica.\n\nRecorded at Oceanway Recording Studios and Sunset Sounds Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California in 1983. \n\nOriginally released on Motown (6059). Includes liner notes by Steven Ivory.\n\nMr Richie's brand of silky-smooth macho soul was the butt of some critics during the early 80s. A plethora of handsome studs with great voices, whopping great medallions, who just wanted to lurve all night long followed Richie. Yet another album crammed with hit singles, it was one of the 80s sales phenomena both in the USA and the UK - as was "Hello." Corny but delicious, and unashamedly romantic, and consequently, more couples have danced to his "All Night Long (All Night)" than any other - and then 16 million couples went out and bought it.\n\nHalf.com Additional Info Regarding Deluxe Edition\nDisc 2 contains an untitled hidden track following "Hello".\n\nQ Magazine (05/01/2000)\nIncluded in Q Magazine's Best Soul Albums Of All Time\n\nQ Magazine (10/99, p.161) Included in Q Magazine's Best Motown Records Of All Time ...Production values are high, his songwriting craft is at its peak and at least one track the global smash 'All Night Long' is an anthem to good times that makes the heart sing and feet twitch... YEAR: 1983
This rock cd contains 12 tracks and runs 65min 5sec.
Freedb: b90f3f0c
Buy: from Amazon.com

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