El DeBarge (album)


El DeBarge is the self-titled debut album by El DeBarge. It was released in 1986 on Gordy Records and featured the three hit singles, "Who's Johnny," which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Love Always," which reached #43, and "Someone," which was a Top 20 Billboard A/C hit and made it to #70 on the Hot 100. Singer/actress Vanity featured on backing vocals on the track, "Secrets Of The Night". This album was certified by RIAA as gold in September, 1986, selling over 500,000 copies.

Track listing

  1. "Who's Johnny" – 4:11
  2. "Secrets Of The Night" – 4:20
  3. "I Wanna Hear It From My Heart" – 4:25
  4. "Someone" – 4:45
  5. "When Love Has Gone Away" – 3:08
  6. "Private Line" – 3:48
  7. "Love Always" – 5:32
  8. "Lost Without Her Love" – 4:35
  9. "Thrill Of The Chase" – 3:47
  10. "Don't Say It's Over" – 4:32

    Reception

Jason Elias of Allmusic rated El DeBarge two-and-a-half out of five stars. He stated: "While the setup and idea are still exciting on paper, is a disappointment." He also stated that "the majority of the tracks just don't do anything to enliven the product or accentuate his voice", and concluded by saying: "The fact that DeBarge didn't have a hand in producing or writing the songs all but made this ho-hum from the start."

Personnel

Michael McDonald - Background Vocals

Charts