Many of the funk bands that were big in the 1970s had a hard time surviving in the 1980s, especially if they were horn bands. Having a killer horn section was something that a lot of 1970s funk outfits prided themselves on, and it was no fun when, in the 1980s, they were told that their horns sound dated and that urban contemporary audiences only wanted to hear synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines. But Cameo, unlike many funk bands that emerged in the late '70s, really thrived in the 1980s. Lead singer/producer Larry Blackmon insisted on changing with the times, and he did so by making Cameo more high-tech and seeing to it that albums like 1985's Single Life and 1986's Word Up! were relevant to the urban contemporary and hip-hop scenes. Nonetheless, Cameo still sounded like Cameo; Word Up!, in fact, is one of its best albums. The wildly infectious title song was a major hit, and Cameo is equally captivating on other funk treasures that include "Fast, Fierce and Funny," "Back and Forth," and "Candy." To the young urban contemporary and hip-hop fans who bought Word Up! in 1986, Cameo's funk was fresh and cutting edge; and at the same time, slightly older fans that Cameo had won over in the late '70s were still buying its records. Both commercially and creatively, Word Up! was a major triumph for Cameo. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
Merv De Peyer (Keyboards), Larry Blackmon (Vocal Arrangement), Tomi Jenkins (Vocals), Dave Ogrin (Mixing), Dave Ogrin (Engineer), Peter Scherer (Synthesizer), Michael Burnett (Vocals (Background)), Sammy Merendino (Programming), Wilbur Morris (Vocals (Background)), Melvin Wells (Vocals (Background)), Aaron Mills (Guitar (Bass)), Eric Calvi (Engineer), Larry Blackmon (Drums), Peter Scherer (Synclavier Programming), Eric Calvi (Mixing), Kenni Hairston (Keyboards), Sammy Merendino (Drums), J. Rodriguez (Engineer), Charlie Singleton (Guitar), Toyce Anderson (Stylist), Larry Blackmon (Percussion), Paula Scher (Design), Larry Blackmon (Producer), Larry Blackmon (Horn Arrangements), Tomi Jenkins (Vocals (Background)), Patrick Buchanon (Guitar), Cameo (Vocal Arrangement), Randy Brecker (Saxophone), Matthew Kasha (Mixing), Nathan Leftenant (Vocals (Background)), Louis Levin (Direction), Michel Sauvage (Engineer), Michael Burnett (Guitar (Bass)), Melvin Wells (Saxophone), Eric Rehl (Keyboards), Robert Funk (Trombone), Matthew Casha (Engineer), Arno Hecht (Sax (Tenor)), Hollywood Paul Litteral (Trumpet), Merv DePyere (Keyboards), Larry Blackmon (Vocals (Background)), Crispin Cioe (Sax (Alto)), Henry Falco (Assistant Engineer), Larry Blackmon (Vocals), Michael Brecker (Saxophone), Crispin Cioe (Sax (Baritone)), Jerry Soloman (Engineer), Peter Scherer (Programming), Matthew Kasha (Engineer), David Krebs (Direction), Jose Rodriquez (Mastering), Alan Meyerson (Mixing), Bernard Wright (Keyboards), Bill Levy (Art Direction), Giovanni Hidalgo (Percussion), Larry Alexander (Engineer), Larry Blackmon (Guitar (Bass)), Charlie Singleton (Vocals (Background)), Cameo (Horn Arrangements), Duduka Da Fonseca (Percussion), Steve Leber (Direction), William "Willy Gunz" Morris (Vocals (Background)), Kevin Kendricks (Keyboards), Steve Thornton (Percussion), Sammy Merendino (Drum Programming)
Word Up! is a 1986 album by funk/R&B group Cameo. The title track was a smash-hit R&B/Dance single, and was their most commercially successful record which charted around the world.
This song was later covered by a number of bands, among them Gun (who had a top 10 hit in the UK with their version), Melanie Brown (for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Soundtrack) and Korn (for their Greatest Hits Vol. 1 Album).
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