Norma Jean (album)

Norma Jean
Studio album by Norma Jean Wright
Released July 1978
Recorded 1978 at The Power Station, New York City, New York
Genre Disco / Funk / R&B / Jazz / Samba
Length 34:38
Label Bearsville Records
Sequel
Producer Nile Rodgers,
Bernard Edwards
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Norma Jean is the debut, and only, solo studio album by American R&B singer Norma Jean Wright, released on Bearsville Records in 1978. The album was produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers of the band Chic, and was the project directly following the band's successful self-titled debut album Chic, which featured Wright on vocals.

Norma Jean includes the singles "Saturday", a US R&B Top 20 hit (#15) in July 1978, "Having A Party" and "Sorcerer", and was followed by non-album single "High Society" (R&B #19, January 1980), also produced by the Chic team. Another track from the album, "I Like Love," was later sampled in Solitaire's 2004 single "I Like Love (I Love Love)."

The album was reissued on CD with five bonus tracks by Sequel Records in 2000. The CD was soon out of print and commanded high prices on the collectors' market until reissued again in 2011 with the 7" versions of "Sorcerer" and "Having a Party" added.

The album's best-known original song is "Saturday", which besides being a club hit in its own right, has produced charting cover versions by East 57th St featuring Donna Allen (1997, UK #29), Joey Negro featuring Taka Boom (2000, UK #41) and 100% featuring Jennifer John (2004, UK #28).

Track listing

All tracks written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers unless otherwise noted.
Side A:

  1. "Saturday" (Carter, Edwards, Rodgers) - 6:06  Listen 
  2. "Having a Party" (Cooke) - 4:31
  3. "I Believe in You" (Dawkins, Whiteside) - 5:13

Side B:

  1. "Sorcerer" - 5:01
  2. "So I Get Hurt" - 4:50
  3. "This Is the Love" (Miller, Wright) - 3:09
  4. "I Like Love" - 5:48

Bonus tracks 2000 CD reissue:

  1. "Hold Me Lonely Boy" - 3:40
  2. "High Society" (12" Mix) - 6:09
  3. "Saturday Nite" (Single Mix) - 3:28
  4. "Sorcerer" (12" Mix) - 7:15
  5. "Having a Party" (12" Mix) (Cooke) - 5:45

Personnel

Production

References

  1. ↑ Norma Jean (album) at AllMusic