Too Much to Lose
| Too Much to Lose | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Benny Mardones | ||||
| Released | 1981 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 43:01 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | "The Wizard" Barry Mraz | |||
| Benny Mardones chronology | ||||
| ||||
Too Much to Lose is the third studio album from American singer Benny Mardones, released in 1981. It was produced by "The Wizard" Barry Mraz.[1] The album was Mardones' last for eight years.
Background
After the success of 1980 album Never Run, Never Hide, and particularly the hit song "Into The Night", Mardones entered the studio to record his third studio album. It was recorded at Right Track Studios and was one of the first records to be recorded there since its move from 21st Street to 48th Street.[2] Although expectations were high for the album, disagreements at Polydor and other factors resulted in the commercial failure of Too Much to Lose when it was released in 1981. Despite this, many fans of Mardones highlight songs such as "Shelia C", "Baby Don't" and "I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore".[3]
The album's only single was "Sheila C". Much of the material on the album was written by Mardones and Robert Tepper, having previously wrote "Into The Night" together.[4] The album features a cover of Lulu's "Oh Me Oh My" and Nancy Brooks "I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore". "Sheila C." would later be re-recorded for Mardones' 2002 album A Journey Through Time.[5]
Release
Too Much to Lose was only released on vinyl in America only.[1] The album remained out-of-print for many years. Later, Warrior Records issued the album on CD for the first time.[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sheila C." | Benny Mardones, Robert Tepper, Duane Evans | 5:26 |
| 2. | "This Time" | Mardones, Tepper | 6:16 |
| 3. | "The Dreamer" | Mardones, Tepper | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Till He Mentioned Your Name" | Mardones, Tepper | 5:12 |
| 5. | "Baby Don't" | Mardones, Tepper | 4:14 |
| 6. | "Treat You Right" | Mardones, Tepper | 5:34 |
| 7. | "I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore" | Bobby David | 4:20 |
| 8. | "Oh Me Oh My" | Jim Doris | 7:19 |
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Starpulse |  [8] |
| Billboard | favorable[9] |
Upon release, Billboard included the album in the 'Pop' category of their 'Recommended LPs' section. The accompanying review commented: "Mardones is an emotional kind of guy. His wailing echoes throughout Too Much to Lose, while backing musicians provide solid support. Mardones has a wonderful, versatile voice that is shown off to its best advantage on such cuts as "Sheila C.", "Treat You Right" and "The Dreamer". All the songs on the album are about women, but it's these, with their loving, rather than bitter, sentiments that come across as the most sincere. Best cuts: Those cited, plus "Oh Me Oh My"."[9]
Personnel
- Benny Mardones - vocals
- Bobby Tepper, Terry Bacon, Lars Hanson - instruments
- Gregg Gerson - drums
References
- 1 2 "Benny Mardones - Too Much To Lose (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ↑ "drummer Gregg Gerson - Benny Mardones interview". Gregggerson.com. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ↑ "TooMuch". Benny Mardones. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ↑ "Images for Benny Mardones - Too Much To Lose". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-journey-through-time-mw0000226271
- ↑ "Warrior Records 2012". Warriorrecords.com. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ↑ "Too Much to Lose - Benny Mardones : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- ↑ "Too Much to Lose Album Review, Songs, Ratings". Starpulse.com. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
- 1 2 Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1981-11-07. Retrieved 2012-06-18.