Can't Slow Down (Lionel Richie album)

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Can't Slow Down
File:Richieslow.jpg
Studio album by Lionel Richie
Released October 11, 1983
Recorded March–September 1983
Genre Dance-pop,[1] R&B, pop[2]
Length 40:56
Label Motown
Producer James Anthony Carmichael, Lionel Richie, David Foster
Lionel Richie chronology
Lionel Richie
(1982)Lionel Richie1982		 Can't Slow Down
(1983)		 Dancing on the Ceiling
(1986)Dancing on the Ceiling1986
Singles from Can't Slow Down
  1. "All Night Long (All Night)"
    Released: August 31, 1983
  2. "Running with the Night"
    Released: November 1983
  3. "Hello"
    Released: February 13, 1984
  4. "Stuck on You"
    Released: May 1, 1984
  5. "Penny Lover"
    Released: September 30, 1984

Can't Slow Down is the second solo album by American recording artist Lionel Richie. It was released on October 11, 1983 by Motown Records.

Critical reception

In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "B+" and called it a "surprisingly solid" improvement, particularly with respect to Richie's ballad singing. He felt that its "jumpy international dance-pop" suits Richie more than the Commodores' funk had and predicted that, considering his "well-established appeal to white people," Can't Slow Down has the potential to become a "mini-Thriller".[1] Don Shewey of Rolling Stone magazine gave the album four out of five stars and said that, although the ballads are monotonous, Richie successfully broadens his music for different listeners and draws on contemporary artists such as Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson: "if you can't innovate, imitate. And the more honest they are about their sources, the better."[3]

In a retrospective review for Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it four-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote that Richie took a conservative, melodic hook-based approach on an album whose hits showed him at his best and whose only weakness was a short running time.[4] In 1999, Q magazine included Can't Slow Down on its list of the best Motown records of all time and stated, "Production values are high, his songwriting craft is at its peak and at least one track - the global smash 'All Night Long' - is an anthem to good times that makes the heart sing and feet twitch".[5]

Commercial performance

The album reached #1 on the Billboard album chart.[6] It also spent 59 consecutive weeks inside the Top 10 (including the entire year of 1984) and a total of 160 weeks (over three years) on the Billboard 200.[citation needed] After being the third best-selling album of 1984, it went on to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1985, beating out such heavyweight contenders as Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen and Purple Rain by Prince. By 1986 the album had sold 15 million copies,[7] eventually selling over 20 million.[8]

Can't Slow Down achieved the feat of having every single released hit the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Two songs, "Hello" and "All Night Long (All Night)", both went to #1. Other hits include "Stuck on You" (US #3), "Running With the Night" (US #7), and "Penny Lover" (US #8).[citation needed] The ballad "The Only One" was a significant song from the album which was never released as a single, yet remains a popular staple of Richie's live performances.

The single "Stuck on You" also reached #24 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart (now Hot Country Songs).[citation needed]

20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

On May 6, 2003, a 2-CD Deluxe Edition of the album was released in conjunction of the 20th anniversary of the album's original release date. This version included several mixes originally included on various singles from the album at the end of the first CD, including instrumental versions of the 12-inch extended mixes of "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Running with the Night". Disc 2 showcased demo or alternate versions of all tracks from the original album, plus additional unfinished songs from the same sessions, all previously unreleased.

Track listing

Original album (1983)
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Can't Slow Down"   Lionel Richie, David Cochrane 4:43
2. "All Night Long (All Night)"   L. Richie 6:25
3. "Penny Lover"   L. Richie, Brenda Harvey-Richie 5:34
4. "Stuck on You"   L. Richie 3:13
5. "Love Will Find A Way"   L. Richie, Greg Phillinganes 6:16
6. "The Only One"   L. Richie, David Foster 4:21
7. "Running with the Night"   L. Richie, Cynthia Weil 6:01
8. "Hello"   L. Richie 4:14
20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks (2003)
No. Title Writer(s) Length
9. "All Night Long (All Night)" (12-inch Version) L. Richie 6:42
10. "Penny Lover" (7-inch Single Remix) L. Richie, B. Harvey-Richie 3:48
11. "All Night Long (All Night)" (12-inch B-Side Instrumental Version) L. Richie 6:43
12. "Running With The Night" (12-inch B-Side Instrumental Version) L. Richie, C. Weil 6:57
20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition CD2 (2003)
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Can't Slow Down" (Alternate Version) L. Richie, David Cochrane 4:55
2. "Ain't No Sayin' No" (Unfinished Demo) L. Richie, G. Phillinganes 4:57
3. "Tell Me" (Unfinished Demo) L. Richie, D. Foster 4:57
4. "All Night Long (All Night)" (Original Demo Version) L. Richie 7:20
5. "Penny Lover" (Alternate Version) L. Richie, B. Harvey-Richie 6:24
6. "Stuck On You" (Original Demo Version) L. Richie 3:00
7. "Can't Find Love" (Unfinished Demo) L. Richie 5:50
8. "Love Will Find A Way" (Original Demo Version) L. Richie, G. Phillinganes 6:35
9. "The Only One" (Original Demo Version) L. Richie, D. Foster 4:28
10. "The Groove" (Instrumental Interlude) L. Richie 1:15
11. "Running With The Night" (Undubbed Version) L. Richie, C. Weil 6:14
12. "Hello" (Original Demo Version) L. Richie 4:26
13. "Blues" (Outro)   1:12

Personnel

Charts

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Chart (1983–1984) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 1
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 55
UK Albums Chart 1
Australian Albums Chart 1
Media Control Charts 2

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[9] Diamond 1,000,000
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[10] Platinum 50,608[10]
France (SNEP)[11] Gold 357,000[12]
Germany (BVMI)[13] Gold 250,000
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[14] Platinum 20,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] 3× Platinum 900,000
United States (RIAA)[16] Diamond 10,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Allmusic review
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Album chart positions from allmusic.com Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "FinlandLionel_RichieCan.27t_Slow_DownalbumCertRef" defined multiple times with different content
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select LIONEL RICHIE and click OK
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Can't Slow Down in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Preceded by Billboard 200 number-one album
December 3–23, 1983		 Succeeded by
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Preceded by UK number one album
November 12, 1983 – November 18, 1983
March 31, 1984 – April 13, 1984		 Succeeded by
Colour by Numbers by Culture Club
Now That's What I Call Music II by Various Artists
Preceded by
Throbbin' '84 by Various artists
 Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
June 18 – July 8, 1984		 Succeeded by
Breaking Hearts by Elton John
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