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El DeBarge is the debut album by El DeBarge. It was released in 1986 on Gordy Records (a sub-label of Motown) and featured the three hit singles, "Who's Johnny," which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Love Always," which reached #43, and "Someone," which was a Top 20 Billboard A/C hit and made it to #70 on the Hot 100.[1] Singer/actress Vanity featured on backing vocals on the track, "Secrets Of The Night". This album was certified by RIAA as gold in September, 1986, selling over 500,000 copies.[2]

El DeBarge
Studio album by El DeBarge
Released	July 14, 1986
Recorded	1985
Studio	Garden Rake Studio (Sherman Oaks, CA); Image Recording Studios, Studio 55 and Lion Share Recording Studio (Los Angeles, CA); Bill Schnee Studios (North Hollywood, CA); Conway Studios (Hollywood, CA)
Genre	R&B, soul
Label	Gordy
Producer	Peter Wolf, Jay Graydon
El DeBarge chronology
El DeBarge (1986) Gemini (1989)

Track listing

1. "Who's Johnny" (Peter Wolf, Ina Wolf) – 4:11
2. "Secrets Of The Night" (Albert Hammond, Diane Warren) – 4:20
3. "I Wanna Hear It From My Heart" (Warren) – 4:25
4. "Someone" (Jay Graydon, Mark Mueller, Robbie Nevil) – 4:45
5. "When Love Has Gone Away" (Jack Conrad, Larry Henley) – 3:08
6. "Private Line" (Diane Warren) – 3:48
7. "Love Always" (Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts, Carole Bayer-Sager) – 5:32
8. "Lost Without Her Love" (Randy Goodrum, Graydon) – 4:35
9. "Thrill Of The Chase" (Alan Roy Scott, Roy Freeland, Gary Pickus) – 3:47
10. "Don't Say It's Over" (Diane Warren) – 4:32

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]
Tom Hull – on the Web	B+ ()[5]

Jason Elias of AllMusic stated: "While the setup and idea are still exciting on paper, [the album] is a disappointment." He also stated that "the majority of the [...] tracks just don't do anything to enliven the product or accentuate his voice," and concluded by writing that "the fact that DeBarge didn't have a hand in producing or writing the songs all but made this ho-hum from the start."

Personnel

• El DeBarge – lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (1, 3, 5–8, 10)
• Peter Wolf – various instruments (1, 3, 10), arrangements (1, 3, 10)
• Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (2), arrangements (2, 6), select instruments (6, 9), Fender Rhodes (7), Yamaha DX7 (7)
• Laythan Armor – additional synthesizer programming (2)
• David Boruff – additional synthesizer programming (2), saxophone (2, 6)
• Jay Graydon – all instruments (4), arrangements (4, 5, 8, 9), select instruments [synthesizers, guitar] (5, 8, 9)
• David Foster – select instruments (5), additional synthesizer (7)
• Randy Goodrum – select instruments (5, 8)
• Burt Bacharach – additional synthesizer (7), arrangements (7)
• Michael Boddicker – select instruments (9)
• Dann Huff – guitar (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10)
• Marty Walsh – guitar (7)
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass (7)
• Mike Baird – select instruments [presumably drums] (5, 9)
• John Robinson – drums (7)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (7)
• Ernie Watts – alto sax solo (10)
• Robbie Nevil – arrangements (4)
• Carole Bayer Sager – arrangements (7)
• Siedah Garrett – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Dennis Lambert – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Michael McDonald – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Phil Perry – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Julia Waters – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Oren Waters – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Ina Wolf – backing vocals (1, 3, 10)
• Vanity – backing vocals (2)
• Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals (6)
• Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (6)
• Bunny Hull – backing vocals (6)
• Tom Kelly – backing vocals (6)
• Richard Page – backing vocals (8)

Production

• Peter Wolf – producer (1, 3, 10)
• Robbie Buchanan – producer (2, 6)
• Jay Graydon – producer (4, 5, 8, 9), recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
• Burt Bacharach – producer (7)
• Carole Bayer Sager – producer (7)
• Toby Jones – executive producer
• Brian Malouf – recording (1, 3, 10), mixing (1, 3, 10)
• Barney Perkins – recording (2, 6), remixing (2, 6)
• Ian Eales – recording (4, 5, 8, 9)
• Dennis Mackay – mixing (4, 5, 8, 9), additional engineer (6)
• Michael Bowman – assistant engineer (1, 3, 10)
• Dan Garcia – assistant engineer (1, 3, 10)
• Stephen Krause – assistant engineer (1, 3, 10)
• Glen Holquin – assistant engineer (2)
• Craig Miller – assistant engineer (2)
• Mike Ross – additional engineer (6)
• Gail Pierson – album coordinator
• Johnny Lee – art direction
• Janet Levinson – design
• Greg Gorman – photography

Studios

• Recorded at Garden Rake Studio (Sherman Oaks, CA); Image Recording Studios, Studio 55 and Lion Share Recording Studio (Los Angeles, CA); Bill Schnee Studios (North Hollywood, CA); Conway Studios (Hollywood, CA).
• Mixed at Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, CA); Conway Studios, Studio 55 and Lion Share Recording Studio.
• Tracks 2 & 6 remixed at Yamaha International Recording (Glendale, CA).

Charts

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[9]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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