Winner in You

Winner in You
Studio album by Patti LaBelle
Released April 28, 1986
Recorded 1985–1986
Genre R&B, Pop
Length 44:48
Label MCA
Producer Patti LaBelle (executive), Richard Perry (tracks 1, 5, 6 & 8), Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer-Sager (tracks 2 & 9), Howie Rice (tracks 3 & 6), Budd Ellison (tracks 3, 4 & 6), Nick Johnson (track 7), Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson (track 10)
Patti LaBelle chronology

Patti
(1985)		 Winner in You
(1986)		 Be Yourself
(1989)
Singles from Winner in You
  1. "On My Own"
    Released: 1986
  2. "Oh, People"
    Released: 1986
  3. "Kiss Away the Pain"
    Released: 1986
  4. "Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight)"
    Released: 1987

Winner in You is the eighth studio album by American R&B singer Patti LaBelle, released April 28, 1986, on MCA Records. Recording sessions took place during 1985–1986. Production was handled by several record producers, including Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Nickolas Ashford, among others.

The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, as well as producing the US number-one hit single "On My Own". It was LaBelle's only album to chart outside of the United States, charting in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Upon its release, Winner in You received moderate reviews from music critics. The album has been certified 3x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Release and promotion

Singles

The first single to be released off of Winner in You was "On My Own", featuring Michael McDonald. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100[1] as well as the Billboard Hot R&B Songs and Adult Contemporary Songs.[1] It also charted internationally, peaking at number two in the UK Singles Chart, number one on the Canadian Singles Chart, number one in the Dutch Singles Chart,[2] number four in the New Zealand Singles Chart,[3] number fifteen in the Swedish Singles Chart,[4] and number twenty on the Austrian Singles Chart.[5]

The second single to be released was "Oh, People". It peaked at number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100[1] and number seven on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[1] It was the second single to chart internationally, peaking at thirty-one on the Dutch Singles Chart, and number thirty-six on the New Zealand Singles Chart. The third single to be released was "Kiss Away the Pain". It was not as successful as the two prior singles, only reaching number thirteen on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[1] The final single to be released was "Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight)", and it performed as well as "Kiss Away the Pain", reaching number thirteen on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles.[1]

Winner in You Tour

From 1986 to 1987, LaBelle toured Europe to promote her album.[6]

Reception

Commercial performance

The album peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200.[7] The album also entered at number thirty-one on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[8] It spent 29 weeks on the Billboard 200 and spent 33 weeks on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[9] On June 27, 1986, Winner in You was certified 3 x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of one million copies in the US.[10] Winner in You attained respectable international charting. In the Netherlands, it entered at number twenty-eight on the Mega Album Top 100.[11] In New Zealand, it entered at number ten on the Top 40 Albums.[12] In Sweden, it entered at number seventeen on the Albums Top 60.[13] In the United Kingdom, it entered at number thirty-four and peaked at number 30 on the UK Albums Chart.[14]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [15]
Robert Christgau B[16]
Rolling Stone (mixed)[17]
Wilson & Alroy's Record Reviews [18]

Winner in You received average reviews from critics. Ron Wynn on Allmusic gave the album three out of five stars.[15] Wynn claims this is the album that made LaBelle's solo career. He enjoys the songs "Oh, People" and "Kiss Away the Pain", which he believed needed to chart higher on the Billboard Top 40. Robert Christgau gave the album a B,[16] praising the duet with Michael McDonald as well as LaBelle's singing abilities. Christgau also compliments her and her family's songwriting abilities. He believes this is how LaBelle became a multi-platinum solo artist. Christgau did not like the earlier part of the album, claiming she "doesn't start out with such surefire goods". Overall, he says the "beats and tunes kick in till you could care less what organ she's singing through." Kim Farber of Billboard gave the album a mixed review,[17] claiming it to be inconsistent. He believes album was not a "hands-down winner so many anticipated," saying how none of the fast tracks have a "jump." Ferber, although, praises her singing ability and says that is the only thing that saved the album. He said the ballads were well-written, and enjoyed "On My Own", saying the song is "something real" and likes the song "Oh, People" even more.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Oh, People"  Andy Goldmark, Bruce Roberts 5:19
2. "On My Own" (With Michael McDonald)Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer-Sager 4:50
3. "Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight)"  Howie Rice, Alan Rich 4:58
4. "Kiss Away the Pain"  Alex Brown, Ron Kersey 4:28
5. "Twisted"  Roy Freeland, Bill LaBounty 3:54
6. "You're Mine Tonight"  Dorothy Sea Gazeley, Howie Rice, Alan Rich 3:38
7. "Finally We're Back Together"  Chuck Jackson, Nick Johnson 5:49
8. "Beat My Heart Like a Drum"  Steve George, John Lang, Richard Page 3:50
9. "Sleep With Me Tonight"  Burt Bacharach, Neil Diamond, Carole Bayer-Sager 3:44
10. "There's a Winner in You"  Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson 4:18

Personnel and Production[19]

Recording Studios

Charts and certifications

Chart positions

Chart (1986) Peak
position
Netherlands (Mega Album Top 100)[11] 28
New Zealand (RIANZ)[12] 10
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 17
UK Albums (The Official Charts Company)[14] 30
US Billboard 200[20] 1
US Top R&B Albums (Billboard)[21] 1

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[10] Platinum 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Preceded by
Control by Janet Jackson		 US Billboard 200 number-one album[22][23]
July 19-August 2, 1986 		Succeeded by
Top Gun by Various artists
Preceded by
Control by Janet Jackson		 US Top R&B Albums number-one album[24][25]
June 14-August 9, 1986 		Succeeded by
Love Zone by Billy Ocean

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "allmusic ((( Winner in You - Patti LaBelle > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  2. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl - Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald - On My Own". Dutch Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  3. ↑ "charts.org.nz - Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald - On My Own". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  4. ↑ "swedishcharts.com - Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald - On My Own". Sverigetopplistan. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald - On My Own - austriancharts.at". Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  6. ↑ George, Nelson (October 11, 1986). "The Rhythm and the Blues". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media) 98 (41): 30. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Albums Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. May 24, 1986. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Top Hip-Hop and R&B Albums & Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. May 24, 1986. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Winner in You - Patti LaBelle". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "American album certifications – Patti LaBelle – Winner in You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 1, 2011. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Dutchcharts.nl – Patti LaBelle – Winner in You". Mega Album Top 100 (in Dutch). Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Charts.org.nz – Patti LaBelle – Winner in You". Top 40 Albums. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Swedishcharts.com – Patti LaBelle – Winner in You". Albums Top 60. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Chart Stats – Patti LaBelle – Winner in You". UK Albums Chart. Chart Stats. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Wynn, Ron. "Winner in You - Patti LaBelle". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Christgau, Robert. "CG: Patti LaBelle". Robert Christgau. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Farber, Jon (June 19, 1986). "Patti LaBelle: Winner in You". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on July 3, 2007. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Labelle". Wilson & Alroy's Record Reviews. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  19. ↑ Production, Personnel and Studio Information at discogs
  20. ↑ "Patti LaBelle Album & Song Chart History". Billboard 200 for Patti LaBelle. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Patti LaBelle Album & Song Chart History". Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Patti LaBelle. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Albums Chart". Billboard 200. Prometheus Global Media. July 12, 1986. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Music Albums. Top 200 Albums & Music Albums Chart". Billboard 200. Prometheus Global Media. August 2, 1986. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Music Albums. Top 200 Albums & Music Albums Chart". Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Prometheus Global Media. June 14, 1986. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Music Albums. Top 200 Albums & Music Albums Chart". Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Prometheus Global Media. August 9, 1986. Retrieved June 28, 2011.