Why Do Fools Fall in Love (album)

Why Do Fools Fall in Love is the twelfth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 14, 1981 on the RCA label. It was Ross' first of six albums released by the label during the decade. It reached #15 in the United States (#4 R&B), #17 in the United Kingdom and the top ten in Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love
Studio album by
Diana Ross
ReleasedSeptember 14, 1981
Recorded1980–1981
Genre
Length35:46
Label
ProducerDiana Ross
Diana Ross chronology
All the Great Hits
(1981)		 Why Do Fools Fall in Love
(1981)		 Silk Electric
(1982)
Singles from Why Do Fools Fall in Love
  1. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
    Released: September 25, 1981
  2. "Mirror Mirror"
    Released: December 11, 1981
  3. "Work That Body"
    Released: March 19, 1982
  4. "It's Never Too Late"
    Released: July 1982
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[2]

Background

Why Do Fools Fall in Love was the first album Ross recorded after leaving the Motown label, when she signed a $20 million deal with RCA. Originally, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were slated to produce the follow-up to the platinum Diana album. However, their schedules were filled with commitments to also produce Debbie Harry's solo debut, Johnny Mathis and another Chic album. Ross had given her word to RCA president, Robert Summers to deliver an album for the 1981 holiday selling season.

The album was the first to be produced by the singer herself, and it became her second RIAA-certified platinum album.[lower-alpha 1] It was also certified gold in the UK and Canada.

Ross embarked on a world tour in support of the album.

The album was remastered and re-released on September 2, 2014 by Funky Town Grooves, with bonus material.[3]

Singles

The album includes the US top 10 hits "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" - a cover of the 1950s Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers classic - and the rock-flavoured "Mirror Mirror".

It also includes "Work That Body", co-written by Ross with Paul Jabara and Ray Chew which was a top 10 hit in the UK and top 15 in the Netherlands. "It's Never Too Late" was also released as a single in some international territories.

Also included on the album is a solo version of "Endless Love", which was a number one duet with Lionel Richie from earlier that year, as well as a version of another 1950s rock & roll classic, "Sweet Nothings" originally recorded by Brenda Lee.

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Why Do Fools Fall in Love"Frankie Lymon, Morris Levy2:53
2."Sweet Surrender"Leonard Stack, Cheryl Christiansen4:09
3."Mirror Mirror"Michael Sembello, Dennis Matkosky6:08
4."Endless Love"Lionel Richie4:56
5."It's Never Too Late"Dan Hartman3:19
6."Think I'm in Love"L. Cheryl Taylor4:15
7."Sweet Nothings"Ronnie Self, Dub Albritton3:00
8."Two Can Make It"Dean Pitchford, Tom Snow3:24
9."Work That Body"Diana Ross, Paul Jabara, Ray Chew5:01

2014 Expanded Edition Bonus Tracks (Funky Town Grooves)

No.TitleLength
10."Mirror Mirror" (7" Mix)3:59
11."Mirror Mirror" (7" Alternate Version)4:06
12."Work That Body" (7" Mix)3:34
13."Work That Body" (12" Mix)6:31
14."Work That Body" (Extended Remix)6:22
15."Endless Love" (Edited Version)3:46
Total length:1:05:24

Personnel

Musicians
  • Diana Ross – lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (1-4, 6-9)
  • Rob Mounsey – piano (1)
  • Ray Chew – Rhodes (1, 6), acoustic piano (2-5, 7, 8, 9), arrangements (2-5, 8, 9)
  • Pat Rebillot – acoustic piano (4)
  • Ed Walsh – synthesizer (4)
  • Leon Pendarvis – Rhodes (5, 7), arrangements (7)
  • Ron Frangipane – acoustic piano (6), synthesizer (6), arrangements (6)
  • Bob Kulick – guitar (1), electric guitar (3)
  • Eric Gale – electric guitar (1, 2, 5-8) rhythm guitar (3)
  • Jeff Mironov – electric guitar (1, 4-7, 9) rhythm guitar (3)
  • Neil Jason – bass guitar (1, 3-7, 9)
  • Francisco Centeno – bass guitar (2, 8)
  • Yogi Horton – drums (all tracks)
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9)
  • George Young – tenor saxophone (1)
  • Don Brooks – harmonica (2)
  • Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone (7)
  • Bert DeCoteaux – horn and string arrangements (1)
  • Paul Riser – horn and string arrangements (2, 4, 5, 6, 8)
  • Randy Brecker – horn arrangements (3, 7)
  • Lamar Alsop – concertmaster (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8)
  • Lionel Richie – lead and backing vocals (4)
  • Margaret Dorn - backing vocals (5, 9)
  • Leata Galloway – backing vocals (5, 9)
  • Millie Whiteside – backing vocals (5, 9)

Production
  • Producer – Diana Ross
  • Production assistance – Sephra Herman
  • Production manager – Matt Murphy
  • Engineer – Larry Alexander
  • Assistant engineer – Dave Greenberg
  • Recorded at the Power Station (New York, NY).
  • Mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Inside photography – Claude Mougin
  • Cover photo – Douglas Kirkland

Charts
Chart (1981/82) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 47
Canada Albums 33
Japan Albums Chart 28
Netherlands Chart 8
Sweden Chart 6
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) 17
United States (Billboard 200)[5] 15
United States (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums) 4

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[6] Gold 50,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[7] Gold 25,000[7]
United Kingdom (BPI)[8] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[9] Platinum 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Notes
  1. This is misleading, since Motown was inconsistent to joining the RIAA for most of their 1960s and 1970s releases. She would have considerably more certifications.

References
  1. AllMusic review
  2. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. ISBN 9780743201698.
  3. "Why Do Fools Fall In Love (Expanded Edition)". FunkyTownGrooves.com. FunkyTownGrooves.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 259. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Diana Ross – Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  6. "Canadian album certifications – Diana Ross – Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Music Canada.
  7. "Diana Ross" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  8. "British album certifications – Diana Ross – Why Do Fools Fall in Love". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Why Do Fools Fall in Love in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  9. "American album certifications – Diana Ross – Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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