Too Much to Lose
| Too Much to Lose | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Benny Mardones | ||||
| Released | 1981 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 43:01 | |||
| Label | Polydor Records | |||
| Producer | "The Wizard" Barry Mraz | |||
| Benny Mardones chronology | ||||
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Too Much to Lose is the third studio album from American rock and pop singer Benny Mardones, released in 1981. It would be Mardones' last studio album for eight years.
Background
The album was Mardones' second and final record for Polydor Records. After the success of the previous 1980 album Never Run, Never Hide (particularly the hit song "Into The Night"), expectations were high for Too Much To Lose. However, due to a variety of factors including disagreements at Polydor, the record was a commercial failure. Despite this, many fans of Mardones highlight songs such as "Shelia C", "Baby Don't" and "I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore".[1]
The majority of the songs were written by Mardones and American musician/singer Robert Tepper, who had previously co-wrote "Into The Night".[2]
For the album, a cover of the 1969 hit song "Oh Me Oh My" was recorded, originally performed by Scottish singer Lulu and written by Jim Doris. The other cover is the track "I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore", which was written by Bobby David and originally released in 1979 by Nancy Brooks.[3] The song would later be covered by American Southern rock band Blackfoot in 1990 for the album "Medicine Man".[4]
The album was produced by "The Wizard" Barry Mraz who produced Mardones' previous album.[5]
The album was recorded at Right Track Studios and was one of the first records to be recorded there since its move from 21st Street to 48th Street.[6]
"Sheila C." would later be re-recorded for Mardones' 2002 album A Journey Through Time.[7]
Release
The album remained out-of-print and only available on vinyl for many years. Today, the album can be purchased on CD via Mardones' current record label Warrior Records.[8]
Too Much to Lose was only released in America and featured a printed black and white inner sleeve.[5]
"Sheila C." was released as a single on both 7" and 12" vinyl, backed by the album track "This Time" as the b-side. It was released in New Zealand after "Into the Night" had become a top 30 hit.[9][10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sheila C." | Benny Mardones, Robert Tepper, Duane Evans | 5:26 |
| 2. | "This Time" | Benny Mardones, Robert Tepper | 6:16 |
| 3. | "The Dreamer" | Benny Mardones, Robert Tepper | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Till He Mentioned Your Name" | Benny Mardones, Robert Tepper | 5:12 |
| 5. | "Baby Don't" | Benny Mardones, Robert Tepper | 4:14 |
| 6. | "Treat You Right" | Benny Mardones, Robert Tepper | 5:34 |
| 7. | "I'm Not Gonna Cry Anymore" | Bobby David | 4:20 |
| 8. | "Oh Me Oh My" | Jim Doris | 7:19 |
Critical Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [11] |
| Starpulse |  [12] |
| Billboard | favorable[13] |
In the official American Billboard magazine of November 7, 1981, a positive review of Too Much to Lose was included under the 'Recommended LPs' section of the 'Pop' albums section. The review wrote "Mardones is an emotional kind of guy. His wailing echoes throughout "Too Much to Lose", while backing musicians provide solid support. Mardones has a wonderful, versatile voice that is shown off to its best advantage on such cuts as "Sheila C.", "Treat You Right" and "The Dreamer". All the songs on the album are about women, but it's these, with their loving, rather than bitter, sentiments that come across as the most sincere. Best cuts: Those cited, plus "Oh Me Oh My"."[13]
Personnel
- Benny Mardones - Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals
- Duane Evans - Composer
- Robert Tepper - Composer
- Gregg Gerson - Drums
- Bobby Tepper, Terry Bacon, Lars Hanson - Instruments
References
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- ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-journey-through-time-mw0000226271
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