Menagerie (album)
Encyclopedia
Menagerie is the sixth studio album by American
R&B singer Bill Withers
, released in 1977 on the Columbia
label.
", "Better Off Dead" or "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)". The arrangements are also generally upbeat and breezy, with "I Want to Spend the Night" and "Tender Things" having a distinct Latin feel, and "Lovely Night for Dancing" and "She Wants To (Get On Down)" showing disco influences. The lead single "Lovely Day
" has gone on to become one of Withers' signature songs, particularly in the UK
, where it was a top 10 hit both on its original release and again in a remixed version in 1988.
Menagerie peaked at #16 on the R&B chart
and #39 on the Billboard 200
. It was Withers' biggest-selling album in the UK
, where it reached #27.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B singer Bill Withers
Bill Withers
William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...
, released in 1977 on the Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
label.
Reception
Menagerie is overall more uptempo and less introspective in feel than Withers' previous albums. None of the songs tackle intensely personal emotions of the kind which lent a dark edge to earlier Withers tracks such as "Use MeUse Me (song)
"Use Me" is a song composed and originally recorded by Bill Withers, and was included on his 1972 album Still Bill. It is his second-biggest hit in the United States, released in September 1972, and later reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
", "Better Off Dead" or "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)". The arrangements are also generally upbeat and breezy, with "I Want to Spend the Night" and "Tender Things" having a distinct Latin feel, and "Lovely Night for Dancing" and "She Wants To (Get On Down)" showing disco influences. The lead single "Lovely Day
Lovely Day (song)
"Lovely Day" is a song by American soul and R&B singer Bill Withers. Published in 1977 , the song was written by Withers and Skip Scarborough and appears on Withers' 1978 album Menagerie....
" has gone on to become one of Withers' signature songs, particularly in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it was a top 10 hit both on its original release and again in a remixed version in 1988.
Menagerie peaked at #16 on the R&B chart
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
and #39 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. It was Withers' biggest-selling album in the UK
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, where it reached #27.
Track listing
- "Lovely DayLovely Day (song)"Lovely Day" is a song by American soul and R&B singer Bill Withers. Published in 1977 , the song was written by Withers and Skip Scarborough and appears on Withers' 1978 album Menagerie....
" (Bill Withers, Skip ScarboroughSkip ScarboroughSkip Scarborough was a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, best known for romantic ballads.-Biography:Born Clarence Alexander Scarborough in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he lived in Los Angeles most of his life....
) – 4:15 - "I Want to Spend the Night" (Withers) – 3:41
- "Lovely Night for Dancing" (Withers) – 5:51
- "Then You Smile at Me" (Withers, Clarence McDonald) – 4:54
- "She Wants To (Get On Down)" (Withers, L. Nash) – 3:15
- "It Ain't Because of Me Baby" (Withers, M. Jones) – 3:31
- "Tender Things" (Withers) – 5:02
- "Wintertime" (Cliff Coulter) – 3:17
- "Let Me Be the One You Need" (Withers, Scarborough) – 4:44
Personnel
- Bill WithersBill WithersWilliam Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands"...
– Lead Vocals, Guitar - Clarence McDonald, Cliff Coulter, Dean Grant – Keyboards
- Ray Parker, Jr.Ray Parker, Jr.Ray Erskine Parker, Jr. , is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording artist. Parker is known for writing and performing the theme song to the motion picture Ghostbusters, for his solo hits, and performing with his band Raydio as well as the late Barry White.-Early life and...
– Guitar - Jerry KnightJerry KnightJerry Knight was an American R&B vocalist and bassist in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Along with Ray Parker Jr., he was a founding member of the group Raydio, singing vocals on their early hit, "Jack and Jill"...
, Keni BurkeKeni BurkeKenneth M. Burke , better known as Keni Burke, is an American R&B, soul, funk, and jazz singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist who began his career as a member of the 1970s soul outfit, the Five Stairsteps.-Five Stairsteps:As a member of the Five Stairsteps, Burke wrote the...
– Bass - Russ KunkelRuss KunkelRussell Kunkel , also known as Russ Kunkel, is an American drummer and producer who has worked as a session musician with a number of well-known artists.Kunkel was born in Pittsburgh, PA...
– Drums, Shaker - Ralph McDonald – Percussion
- Alvin Taylor – Drums
- Mike Jones – Synthesizer
- Charles Veal – Concert master
- Pat Hodges, Denita James, Jessica Smith – Background vocals
Charts
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Pop Albums Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
39 |
| Billboard Top Soul Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
16 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
US A/C Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
||
| 1977 | "Lovely Day" | 30 | 6 | 25 |
| 1978 | "Lovely Night for Dancing" | — | 75 | — |