Too Tough
Encyclopedia
Too Tough marks the fourth album released by recording artist Angela Bofill
. This would be her second release through Arista Records
with Narada Michael Walden
again at the production helm.
's second album for Arista Records, Too Tough, released in early 1983, performed better on the charts than her previous album, Something About You
did. The double entendre laced lead single and title track, "Too Tough" became a sizable dancefloor hit, spending four weeks at number two on the Billboard Dance chart. The title track also peaked at number five on the Billboard soul chart .Much of the remainder of the album features similar Dance-pop
songs and a few soulful ballads.
Angela Bofill
Angela Bofill is an American R&B vocalist and songwriter.Bofill was born to a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother; one of the first Latina singers to find success in the R&B market.She performed with Ricardo Marrero & the Group and Dance Theater of Harlem chorus prior to her 1978 debut album,...
. This would be her second release through Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
with Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
again at the production helm.
Reception
Angela BofillAngela Bofill
Angela Bofill is an American R&B vocalist and songwriter.Bofill was born to a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother; one of the first Latina singers to find success in the R&B market.She performed with Ricardo Marrero & the Group and Dance Theater of Harlem chorus prior to her 1978 debut album,...
's second album for Arista Records, Too Tough, released in early 1983, performed better on the charts than her previous album, Something About You
Something About You (Angela Bofill album)
Something About You marks the third album released by recording artist Angela Bofill in 1981. This would be her first direct release through Arista with Narada Michael Walden on production and Clive Davis on the executive side of things.-Reception:...
did. The double entendre laced lead single and title track, "Too Tough" became a sizable dancefloor hit, spending four weeks at number two on the Billboard Dance chart. The title track also peaked at number five on the Billboard soul chart .Much of the remainder of the album features similar Dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
songs and a few soulful ballads.
Track listing
- "Too Tough" (Jeffrey Cohen, Narada Michael WaldenNarada Michael WaldenNarada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
) (5:36) - "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (feat. Boz ScaggsBoz ScaggsWilliam Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
) (Nikolas Ashford, Valerie SimpsonAshford & SimpsonNickolas Ashford , and Valerie Simpson , were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists....
) (3:04) - "Tonight I Give In" (Lana Bogan, Donnie Shelton) (3:21)
- "You Could Come Take Me Home" (Cohen, Walden) (3:51)
- "Love You Too Much" (Gerard McMahonGerard McMahonGerard McMahon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer who specialises in creating music for films and TV...
) (3:56) - "Is This a Dream" (Angela BofillAngela BofillAngela Bofill is an American R&B vocalist and songwriter.Bofill was born to a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother; one of the first Latina singers to find success in the R&B market.She performed with Ricardo Marrero & the Group and Dance Theater of Harlem chorus prior to her 1978 debut album,...
, Danny Madden, Eva Lee, Steve Gaboury) (5:11) - "Song for a Rainy Day" (Bofill) (3:37)
- "I Can See It In Your Eyes" (Bofill, Madden, Lee, Gaboury) (3:31)
- "Accept Me (I'm Not a Girl Anymore)" (Bofill) (3:34)
- "Rainbow Inside My Heart" (Bofill) (3:44)
Personnel
- Angela BofillAngela BofillAngela Bofill is an American R&B vocalist and songwriter.Bofill was born to a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother; one of the first Latina singers to find success in the R&B market.She performed with Ricardo Marrero & the Group and Dance Theater of Harlem chorus prior to her 1978 debut album,...
: Lead and Backing Vocals - Narada Michael WaldenNarada Michael WaldenNarada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
- Drums, Keyboards, Percussion - Sheila EscovedoSheila E.Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
- Percussion - Nat Adderley, Jr.Nat Adderley, Jr.Nat Adderley, Jr. is an American pop and rhythm and blues music arranger and pianist who spent much of his music career arranging for Luther Vandross. The scion of a famed jazz family, his father Nat Adderley was a composer and jazz cornet and trumpet player, while his uncle Cannonball Adderley ...
, Steve Robbins, Frank Martin - Keyboards - Buddy WilliamsBuddy WilliamsHarold "Buddy" Williams was an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He was the first Australian born to record country music in Australia, three years after the New Zealand born Tex Morton had made his first recording session here in Australia...
, Steve FerroneSteve FerroneSteven "Steve" Ferrone is a British drummer.He was a member of the Average White Band, and has recorded and performed with numerous other high-profile acts, including Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Scritti Politti...
- Drums - Randy JacksonRandy JacksonRandall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
, Francisco Centeno - Bass - Corrado Rustici, Doc PowellDoc PowellDoc Powell is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He was born and raised in Spring Valley, New York. He attended college at University of Charleston....
, Peter Mauno - Guitar - Fred Barry, Tim Acosta, Wayne Wallace - Horns
- Marc Russo - Saxophone
- Brian Atkinson - Vibraphone
- Boz ScaggsBoz ScaggsWilliam Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
- Co-Lead vocals (Track 2) - Jim Gilstrap, John Lehman, Kelly Kool, Myrna Matthews - Backing Vocals
Charts
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 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... |
US R&B 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... |
||
| 1983 | Too Tough Too Tough Too Tough marks the fourth album released by recording artist Angela Bofill. This would be her second release through Arista Records with Narada Michael Walden again at the production helm.-Reception:... |
40 | 6 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 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 Dance |
||
| 1983 | "Too Tough" | — | 5 | 2 |
| "Tonight I Give In" | — | 12 | — | |