The Icon Is Love
Encyclopedia
The Icon Is Love is the nineteenth album by American
R&B singer Barry White
, which was released in 1994 on A&M Records
. The album represented a major comeback for White both critically and commercially, and went on to become easily his most successful album since his 1970s heyday. The Icon Is Love was White's seventh album to top the R&B chart
, and its peak of #20 on the pop chart
his highest placing there since 1977. It was also the first White album in 16 years to reach the UK
top 50. Likewise, lead single "Practice What You Preach" was White's biggest since 1977's "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me
" on both the R&B and pop charts.
Production credits were mainly shared by White variously with Gerald Levert
, Jack Perry, Tony Nicholas and Chuckii Booker. The Icon Is Love also includes two tracks ("I Only Want to Be with You" and "Come On") produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
and recorded at their Flyte Tyme studios in Minnesota
, which are the only tracks ever recorded by White on which he does not have at least a co-production credit. The album contains a remix of "Super Lover", from White's 1989 album The Man Is Back!
as a bonus track.
The Icon Is Love was the first White album since the 1970s to garner almost universal critical acclaim in terms both of the quality of the material and its contemporary production standards and sound. The album won the 1995 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Male
, and in 1996 was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best R&B Album
, losing out to TLC
's CrazySexyCool
. Its reputation has held up in the years since its release and it is generally cited as the best release of White's later career.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B singer Barry White
Barry White
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
, which was released in 1994 on A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. The album represented a major comeback for White both critically and commercially, and went on to become easily his most successful album since his 1970s heyday. The Icon Is Love was White's seventh album to top 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 its peak of #20 on the pop chart
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...
his highest placing there since 1977. It was also the first White album in 16 years to reach 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...
top 50. Likewise, lead single "Practice What You Preach" was White's biggest since 1977's "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me
It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me
"It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" was a hit song by Barry White. The song was written by Ekundayo Paris and Nelson Pigford. Similar to the initial reaction after first hearing his earlier hit "You're the First, the Last, My Everything", when those close to White heard the demo of "It's...
" on both the R&B and pop charts.
Production credits were mainly shared by White variously with Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert was an American R&B singer. Gerald Levert sang with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon in the R&B trio LeVert. He was also a part of LSG, an R&B supergroup comprising Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, and Levert...
, Jack Perry, Tony Nicholas and Chuckii Booker. The Icon Is Love also includes two tracks ("I Only Want to Be with You" and "Come On") produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
and recorded at their Flyte Tyme studios in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, which are the only tracks ever recorded by White on which he does not have at least a co-production credit. The album contains a remix of "Super Lover", from White's 1989 album The Man Is Back!
The Man Is Back!
The Man Is Back! is the self-produced seventeenth album by American R&B singer Barry White, which was released in 1989 on A&M Records. The first album of White's comeback phase, the album featured White incorporating a more contemporary production style while retaining the essential elements of his...
as a bonus track.
The Icon Is Love was the first White album since the 1970s to garner almost universal critical acclaim in terms both of the quality of the material and its contemporary production standards and sound. The album won the 1995 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Male
Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Male
The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul Album, Male See also Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year and Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Female...
, and in 1996 was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best R&B Album
Grammy Award for Best R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre...
, losing out to TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
's CrazySexyCool
CrazySexyCool
CrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American R&B group TLC, released by LaFace Records on November 15, 1994 in North America...
. Its reputation has held up in the years since its release and it is generally cited as the best release of White's later career.
Track listing
- "Practice What You Preach" (Barry White, Gerald LevertGerald LevertGerald Levert was an American R&B singer. Gerald Levert sang with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon in the R&B trio LeVert. He was also a part of LSG, an R&B supergroup comprising Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, and Levert...
, Edwin Nicholas) - 5:59 - "There It Is" (White, Levert, Nicholas) - 7:03
- "I Only Want to Be With You" (James Harris III, Terry LewisJimmy Jam and Terry LewisJames Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
, White) - 5:01 - "The Time Is Right" (White, Chuckii Booker) - 5:46
- "Baby's Home" (Barry Eastmond, Gary Brown, Jolyon Skinner) - 8:17
- "Come On" (Harris, Lewis, White, James Wright) - 5:50
- "Love Is the Icon" (White, Jack Perry) - 4:38
- "Sexy Undercover" (White, Booker) - 4:51
- "Don't You Want to Know?" (White, Michael Lovesmith) - 6:51
- "Whatever We Had, We Had" (White, Lovesmith) - 10:41
- "Super Lover (Undercover Mix)" (White, Perry, William Jones) - 5:49
Singles
- "Practice What You Preach" (US PopBillboard Hot 100The 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...
#18, US R&BHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot 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,...
#1, UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#20) - "Come On" (US Pop #87, US R&B #12)
- "I Only Want to Be with You" (UK #36)
- "There It Is" (US R&B #54)