Give Me the Reason (Luther Vandross album)

Give Me the Reason is the fifth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released on September 19, 1986 issued by Epic Records. The album earned Vandross an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and a nomination for "Favorite Soul/R&B Album" in 1988, while the title track was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male at the 29th Grammy Awards.

Give Me the Reason
Studio album by
Luther Vandross
ReleasedSeptember 19, 1986
Recorded1985–1986
StudioAIR Studios Montserrat
(Montserrat)
Minot Sound
(White Plains, New York)
Westlake Recording Studios
(West Hollywood, California)
Genre
Length46:18
LabelEpic
Producer
Luther Vandross chronology
The Night I Fell in Love
(1985)		 Give Me the Reason
(1986)		 Any Love
(1988)
Singles from Give Me the Reason
  1. "Stop to Love"
    Released: August 1986
  2. "Give Me the Reason"
    Released: November 1986
  3. "I Really Didn't Mean It"
    Released: April 1987
  4. "There's Nothing Better Than Love"
    Released: 1987
  5. "So Amazing"
    Released: 1987
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Los Angeles Times(average)[3]
Robert ChristgauB[4]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]

The album also includes Vandross' first Billboard top-20 pop hit, "Stop to Love." It also marked a svelte, thinner Vandross due to a weight loss earlier in the year. The album went on to sell over 2 million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In addition to the title track and "Stop to Love," the album features three other hit singles: "So Amazing", "There's Nothing Better Than Love" (duet with Gregory Hines), and "I Didn't Really Meant It."

Track listing
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Stop To Love"Luther Vandross, Nat Adderley, Jr.5:19
2."See Me"Vandross, Marcus Miller5:29
3."I Gave It Up (When I Fell in Love)"Vandross, Miller4:45
4."So Amazing"Vandross3:41
5."Give Me the Reason" (from the soundtrack Ruthless People)Vandross, Adderley4:45
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."There's Nothing Better Than Love" (Duet with Gregory Hines)Vandross, Skip Anderson4:42
7."I Really Didn't Mean It"Vandross, Miller5:43
8."Because It's Really Love"Vandross6:13
9."Anyone Who Had a Heart"Burt Bacharach, Hal David5:45

Personnel
  • Luther Vandross – lead and backing vocals, vocal arrangements
  • Nat Adderley, Jr. – keyboards, synthesizers, string arrangements, rhythm and synthesizer arrangements (1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9), horn and string arrangements (4)
  • Marcus Miller – synthesizers, bass, rhythm and synthesizer arrangements (2, 3, 7), backing vocals
  • Jason Miles – synthesizer programming
  • Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar (1-6, 8, 9)
  • Doc Powell – guitar (1-6, 8, 9)
  • Ira Siegel – guitar (7)
  • Yogi Horton – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – congas, percussion
  • Kirk Whalum – saxophone solo (3, 9)
  • Paul Riser – horn and string arrangements (4)
  • John "Skip Anderson – rhythm arrangements (6)
  • David Lasley – backing vocals, vocal contractor
  • Kevin Owens – backing vocals
  • Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals, vocal contractor
  • Ava Cherry – alto vocals
  • Charlotte Crossley – alto vocals
  • Michelle Cobbs – alto vocals
  • Paulette McWilliams – alto vocals, vocal contractor
  • Alfa Anderson – soprano vocals
  • Lisa Fischer – soprano vocals
  • Cissy Houston – soprano vocals
  • Cheryl Lynn – soprano vocals
  • Myrna Smith-Schilling – soprano vocals

Production
  • Marcus Miller – producer
  • Luther Vandross – producer
  • Larkin Arnold – executive producer
  • Ray Bardani – engineer, mixing
  • Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Marsha Burns – production coordinator
  • George Corsillo – art direction, design
  • Matthew Rolston – photography
  • Shep Gordon – manager
  • Daniel S. Markus – manager
  • Alive Enterprises, Inc. – management company

Charts and certifications

References
  1. Give Me the Reason at AllMusic
  2. Kot, Greg (October 3, 1993). "The Best Of Vandross On Record". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  3. Grein, Paul (October 12, 1986). "Vandross: 'Tis the 'reason'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  4. Christgau, Robert. "CG: Luther Vandross". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  5. Aletti, Vince (March 12, 1987). "Give Me The Reason". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  6. Aletti, Vince (March 12, 1987). "Give Me The Reason". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  7. "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  8. "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  9. "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  10. "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  11. "British album certifications – Luther Vandross – Give Me the Reason". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Give Me the Reason in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  12. "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Give Me the Reason". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 



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