The Lover in Me (album)

The album's title track was the first single from the album to be released, reaching #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #5 on Billboard's Hot Black Singles chart, and #15 on the UK Singles Chart. Other singles from the album include "Days Like This" (#35 on the US R&B chart, UK #43) and "101" (UK #54 US Dance #2). "101" was written for Easton by Prince under the pseudonym Joey Coco (as was album track "(Cool Love"). One last single was released in the US; "No Deposit, No Return", but failed to chart.

"Follow My Rainbow" made #16 on the Dutch and New Zealand singles chart. It is featured in an episode (Deliver Us from Evil) of Miami Vice in which Easton's character (Caitlin Davies-Crockett) is singing the song minutes before her character is eliminated.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Billboard magazine, December 1988: "The Lover In Me" shows Sheena Easton taking her career in a new direction. With production by L.A. & Babyface, Angela Winbush, Jellybean Benitez, and Prince, the album is smart, sexy, and soulful.

People magazine, December 5, 1988: Anyone who likes to see Maseratis used to plow snow or filet mignon ground into hamburger may like this record, in which Easton does a convincing imitation of a fourth-rate R&B singer. Maybe she got turned around by her collaboration with Prince, in which—during the U Got the Look video—she groveled around in a fashion that would have been humiliating to the most desperate starlet, let alone to a singer of Easton's stature and talent. Prince produced two of this album's 10 tracks (with little of the distinction he often shows on his own records), and the rest were done by such dance poppers as Babyface and Jellybean Benitez. Easton just blares away, fighting a losing battle against the rhythm backgrounds on the hotter tracks and sounding nondescript on the ballads, except Without You, where she sounds so much like Streisand it seems an outright imitation. That just accentuates the revolting developments of Easton's recent career.[2]

Rolling Stone magazine, 1989: "The Lover In Me" (MCA) by Sheena Easton has got to be one of the most satisfying comeback albums this year. A new label and a clearer musical vision stretches Easton's vocal gifts considerably. Adopting a genuine R&B dance mode, the album's material overall is quite strong and is destined to garner Easton many new fans. Of the L.A. & Babyface productions on the album, the hit title track, "Days Like This" and "No Deposit, No Return" are the standouts featuring the production duo's customary style. One of our favorites is the Angela Winbush penned and produced "Fire and Rain," a sultry, soulful and very Isley-ish slow number that we hope clicks at radio.

Side One

1. "No Deposit, No Return" (Babyface, Kayo, L.A. Reid, Daryl Simmons) 5:55
2. "The Lover in Me" (Babyface, Reid, Simmons) 5:02
3. "Follow My Rainbow" (Babyface) 4:55
4. "Without You" (Angela Winbush) 5:37
5. "If It's Meant to Last" (Danny Sembello, Allee Willis) 4:07

Side Two

1. "Days Like This" (Babyface, Reid, Simmons) 5:07
2. "One Love" (Babyface, Reid) 4:54
3. "101" (Joey Coco) 4:06
4. "Cool Love" (Coco) 4:03
5. "Fire and Rain" (Winbush) 5:56

2006 re-release bonus tracks

1. "The Lover in Me" (Extended Dub Version)
2. "Days Like This" (7' Version)
3. "101" (The Remix)
4. "No Deposit, No Return" (Radio Edit)

• Sheena Easton: lead vocals, backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 & 10)
• Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6 & 7 arranged, produced and mixed by L.A. Reid and Babyface; track 1 co-produced by Kayo. Recorded by Jon Gass. Kayo: bass (track 3), keyboards; Babyface: keyboards, backing vocals; L.A. Reid: drums, percussion; Larry Williams: saxophone (Track 2); The Deele: Rap (track 7). Karyn White (tracks 1, 2 & 6), Daryl Simmons (track 2) and Dee Bristol (track 7): backing vocals.
• Tracks 4 & 10 arranged and produced by Angela Winbush. Recorded by Mitch Bristol. Mixed by Jon Gass. Angela Winbush: acoustic piano, keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming; Jeff Lorber: synthesizers, drum programming; Tony Maiden and Danny Jacob: guitars; John Robinson: drums, percussion; Ray Griffin: tom-toms and synthesizers (track 10); Timothy B. Schmit: backing vocals (track 4).
• Track 5 arranged and produced by Jellybean Benitez. Recorded by Dave McNair and Eddy DeLena. Mixed by Dave McNair and Jellybean Benitez. Felicia Collins: guitars; Dave LeBolt and Ed Terry: synthesizers; Jellybean Benitez: drums, percussion; Alfa Anderson, Janice Pendarvis and Robin Clark: backing vocals.
• Tracks 8 & 9 arranged and produced by Prince; track 9 co-produced by David Leonard. Track 8 recorded by Susan Rogers; track 9 recorded by Eddie Miller. Mixed by David Leonard. Prince: all instruments and programming.