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Funky Divas

 
Album Review: Funky Divas

  • Artist: En Vogue
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: September 01, 1992
  • Total Time: 52:18
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

The 1990s was a time when hip-hop infused with R&B became pop music, and at the forefront of this movement was En Vogue. Their most commercially and critically successful album, Funky Divas, stands as one of the best pop/R&B albums to emerge from that time, incorporating soul, hip-hop, pop, dance, and rock to create one of the era's most diverse, dazzling, and exciting pieces of work. The album, which is basically free of filler, scored no less than five hit singles, three of which became Top Ten pop hits. Additionally, several other album tracks became dance hits and received considerable airplay as well. These include the unstoppable "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)," which combined perfect harmonies, street sass, and 1990s female assertion to create one of the biggest hits of 1992, as well as a catch phrase which became ubiquitous in popular culture. Other hits include their sophisticated, shimmering Top Ten remake of "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," a ghetto love fable initially popularized by Aretha Franklin, the doo wop good-feelin' "Give It Up Turn It Loose," the jazzy "Love Don't Love You," and the hard rock smash "Free Your Mind." The last was a hit which, following the summer of the Los Angeles riots, struck a chord with national audiences by coaxing people to let down their guards about racism and prejudice. Other highlights include the great opener "This Is Your Life," the hip-hop tracks "Hip Hop Lover" and "It Ain't Over Till the Fat Lady Sings," the house track "What Is Love," the sexy, Middle Eastern-influenced "Desire," and their wonderful, should-have-been-a-hit version of Curtis Mayfield's "Hooked on Your Love." Combining sass, elegance, and class with amazing vocals and perfect production, this delightful set stands as one of the 1990s definitive pop albums. ~ Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
This Is Your Life (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (5:05)
My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (4:42)
Hip Hop Lover (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (5:13)
Free Your Mind (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (4:52)
Desire (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (4:01)
Giving Him Something He Can Feel (Lyrics) Curtis Mayfield En Vogue (3:56)
It Ain't over Till the Fat Lady Sings (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (4:13)
Give It up, Turn It Loose (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (5:13)
Yesterday (Lyrics) John Lennon, Paul McCartney En Vogue (2:30)
Hooked on Your Love (Lyrics) Curtis Mayfield En Vogue (3:35)
Love Don't Love You (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (3:56)
What Is Love (Lyrics) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (4:19)
Thanks (Prayer) Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy En Vogue (:43)

Credits

En Vogue (Main Performer), Jon Bendich (Percussion), Chuckii Booker (Talking), Steve Counter (Engineer), Terry Ellis (Vocals), Terry Ellis (Vocals (Background)), Michael Fellows (Drums), Denzil Foster (Arranger), Denzil Foster (Keyboards), Denzil Foster (Programming), Denzil Foster (Talking), Denzil Foster (Producer), Denzil Foster (Executive Producer), Denzil Foster (Drum Machine), Brian Gardner (Mastering), Wayne Jackson (Rap), Maxine Jones (Vocals), Maxine Jones (Vocals (Background)), Ken Kessie (Mixing), Thomas McElroy (Arranger), Thomas McElroy (Keyboards), Thomas McElroy (Programming), Thomas McElroy (Talking), Thomas McElroy (Producer), Thomas McElroy (Executive Producer), Thomas McElroy (Drum Machine), Peter Michael (Percussion), Michael Semanick (Engineer), Juan Escovedo (Percussion), Cindy Herron (Vocals), Cindy Herron (Vocals (Background)), John Jackson (Assistant Engineer), Dawn Robinson (Vocals), Dawn Robinson (Vocals (Background)), Neill King (Engineer), Elizabeth Barrett (Art Direction), Chris Mondt (Trombone), Les Harris (Saxophone), Kay Arbuckle (Production Coordination), Tony George (Trumpet), Reisig (Photography), Taylor (Photography), Jinx Jones (Bass), Jinx Jones (Guitar), Larry Anderson (Design)
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Wikipedia: Funky Divas
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Funky Divas
Studio album by En Vogue
Released March 28, 1992
Recorded 1991-1992
Genre R&B, new jack swing, funk, hip hop
Length 52:18
Label Eastwest Records
Producer Thomas McElroy, Denzil Foster
Professional reviews
En Vogue chronology
Born to Sing
(1990)
Funky Divas
(1992)
EV3
(1997)

Funky Divas was En Vogue's second album which was released in 1992. The album became their best selling LP to-date, shifting over 5 million copies worldwide. The lead single, "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)", became an instant hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard's Hot 100 and No.4 in the UK. The accompanying video for "My Lovin'" won 2 MTV Video Music Awards.

The second single, a cover of Aretha Franklin's "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (from the Sparkle soundtrack), also became a Top 10 hit in the US Hot 100 (and also their 5th No.1 single in the US R&B listings). Another Franklin/Sparkle song, "Hooked on Your Love", is also present.

The third single, the rock-infused "Free Your Mind", became another international hit (Top 10 US, Top 20 UK). The video for "Free Your Mind" was considered ground-breaking for many,[who?] and won no less than 3 MTV Video Music Awards in 1993.

By the time the fourth single, "Give It Up, Turn It Loose", was released in early 1993, the Funky Divas LP was already certified three times Platinum in the US by the RIAA. A fifth single, "Love Don't Love You", was also released and peaked inside the US Top 40.

The fifth and final single released from Funky Divas was "Love Don't Love You", but the version released is neither the original album version, nor the U.K reissue remixed album version, but a completely different remix. The video for "Love Don't Love You" consists of clips from previous En Vogue videos "Giving Him Something He Can Feel", "Lies", "Free Your Mind", and "You Don't Have To Worry".

Unlike En Vogue's first album, Born to Sing, Funky Divas includes solo songs by each of the group's members:

Although this is the only En Vogue album that does not contain any songs written by the group, Funky Divas remains En Vogue's signature L.P. A second edition containing the later hits "Runaway Love" and "Whatta Man" was released in the UK in 1994. This edition of Funky Divas also includes remixed versions of "Hip Hop Lover", "It Ain't over Till the Fat Lady Sings", and "Love Don't Love You", along with slightly altered artwork in the CD booklet.

The album also includes a soulful rendition of The Beatles classic hit "Yesterday".

Track listing

# Title Length Lead
1. "This Is Your Life" 5:05 Terry (with spoken words by En Vogue)
2. "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" 4:42 Maxine/Dawn
3. "Hip Hop Lover" 5:13 Maxine/Terry (with backup vocals by Dawn)
4. "Free Your Mind" 4:52 En Vogue (with opening notes by Terry)
5. "Desire" 4:01 Cindy (with backup vocals by Terry)
6. "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" 3:56 Dawn
7. "It Ain't over Till the Fat Lady Sings" 4:13 Dawn (with singing roles by Maxine)
8. "Give It Up, Turn It Loose" 5:13 Maxine (with spoken words by En Vogue)
9. "Yesterday" 2:30 Cindy
10. "Hooked on Your Love" 3:35 Terry
11. "Love Don't Love You" 3:56 Terry/Cindy
12. "What Is Love" 4:19 Maxine/Cindy (with spoken words by Terry)
13. "Thanks (Prayer)" 0:43 Cindy (with backup vocals by En Vogue)

References


 
 
Learn More
Funky Divas, Vol. 2 (2002 Album by Various Artists)
Funky Divas [WEA] (1999 Album by Various Artists)
Born to Sing (1990 Album by En Vogue)

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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