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Solid (Ashford & Simpson album)

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Solid
Studio album by
Released1984
Studio
  • 39th Street Music, New York City
  • Blank Tape, New York City
  • Clinton Recording, New York City
  • Right Track, New York City
Genre
LabelCapitol
Producer
Ashford & Simpson chronology
High-Rise
(1983)
Solid
(1984)
Real Love
(1986)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB+[2]

Solid is the eleventh studio album recorded by American vocal duo Ashford & Simpson, released in 1984 on the Capitol label. The album features the song "Solid", which became the songwriting duo's biggest hit as performers.

Commercial performance

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The album peaked at No. 1 on the US R&B albums chart. It also reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200. The album's title track peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] Also featured are two other chart singles: "Outta the World" and "Babies".

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Solid"5:04
2."Outta the World"5:48
3."The Jungle" (from the Motion Picture Body Rock)2:51
4."Honey I Love You"3:58
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
5."Babies" 5:50
6."Closest to Love" (from the Motion Picture Body Rock)Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Phil Ramone, Phil Gladston4:10
7."Cherish Forever More" 3:48
8."Tonight We Escape" 3:14
1987 CD release – Solid...Plus Seven
No.TitleLength
9."Side Effect"4:10
10."It's a Rush"4:49
11."My Kinda Pick Me Up"3:14
12."Still Such a Thing"5:16
13."Make It Work Again"4:20
14."Mighty Mighty Love"4:47
15."Part 1: Working Man / Reprise: Working Man"3:03

Personnel

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  • Nickolas Ashford – vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 6, 9-12, 15)
  • Valerie Simpson – vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 6, 9-12, 15), synthesizers (1, 3, 5, 7, 8), basic keyboards (2), bass (2), acoustic piano (4, 9-15)
  • Ed Walsh – synthesizer programming (1, 5), synthesizers (3, 10, 13, 14)
  • Joseph Joubert – synthesizers (2, 7, 8), LinnDrum (2), synthesizer arrangements (2), synth sound effects (5), strings (8)
  • James Newton Howard – keyboards (6), drum programming (6)
  • Ray ChewYamaha electric piano (9-12), Oberheim OB-X (10), Fender Rhodes (13-15), clavinet (14)
  • Sid McGinnis – guitars (1, 3, 5, 9-12), side effects (9)
  • Eric Gale – guitars (13-15)
  • Francisco Centeno – bass (1, 3-5, 8-14)
  • Peter Cannarozzi – synth bass line (10)
  • Chris Parker – drums (1, 8, 13)
  • Brian Brake – drums (3)
  • James Doherty – LinnDrum (4), drum rolls (4)
  • Tim Cox – LinnDrum (7), drum rolls (7)
  • Yogi Horton – drums (9, 10, 12, 14, 15)
  • Steve Gadd – drums (11)
  • Jimmy Simpson – percussion (1)
  • Sammy Figueroa – percussion (4, 8)
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion (6, 9, 11, 12)
  • Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion (10, 13-15)
  • Vinny Della Rocca – saxophone (1, 4, 5)
  • Michael Brecker – sax solo (7)
  • Dave Tofani – alto sax solo (15)
  • Joe Mosello – trumpet (1, 4, 5)
  • George Young – horns (9, 11), horn solo (11)
  • Paul Riser – horns (12), strings (12)
  • Leon Pendarvis – horn arrangements (14, 15), string arrangements (15)
  • Sephra Herman – strings, copyist
  • Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 9, 11, 12, 15)
  • Ray Simpson – backing vocals (1)
  • Vivian Cherry – backing vocals (6, 10)

Production

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  • Ashford & Simpson – producers; horn, rhythm and vocal arrangements
  • James Newton Howard – producer (6)
  • Elliot Scheiner – producer (6)
  • Jimmy Simpson – co-producer, mixing
  • Tim Cox – recording engineer
  • Mick Cantarella – assistant engineer
  • Robert Harari – assistant engineer
  • Michael Mignone – assistant engineer
  • Joe Arlotta – additional vocal recording
  • Ed Rak – mixing
  • Mike Alaire – mix assistant
  • François Kervorkian – remixing (1, 2)
  • Ron St. Germain – remixing (1, 2)
  • Jack Skinner – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
  • Altamese Alston – album coordinator
  • Roy Kohara – art direction
  • John O'Brien – design, illustration
  • Bret Lopez – photography

Charts

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Chart (1984) Peak
position
US Billboard Top Pop Albums[4] 29
US Billboard Top Black Albums[4] 1
UK Albums Chart[3] 42
Singles
Year Single Peaks
US
[4]
US
R&B

[4]
US
Dan

[4]
UK
[3]
1984 "Solid" 12 1 15 3
1985 "Outta the World" 4 4
"Babies" 29 56

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ruhlmann, William. Solid review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e "US Charts > Ashford & Simpson". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-01.[failed verification]
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