Head over Heels (Paula Abdul album)

Head over Heels
Studio album by Paula Abdul
Released June 13, 1995 (1995-06-13)
Recorded 1994-1995
Genre
Length
  • 64:28
  • 73:35 (Japan)
Label
Producer
Paula Abdul chronology
Spellbound
(1991)Spellbound1991		 Head over Heels
(1995)		 Greatest Hits
(2000)Greatest Hits2000
Singles from Head Over Heels
  1. "My Love Is for Real"
    Released: May 30, 1995
  2. "Crazy Cool"
    Released: August 22, 1995
  3. "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up"
    Released: January 9, 1996

Head over Heels is the third studio album released by American singer Paula Abdul on June 13, 1995 under Virgin Records. The album features the singles "My Love Is for Real", "Crazy Cool" and "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up".

Background

Head over Heels was released after Abdul's four-year hiatus while battling bulimia. The album was considered Abdul's comeback album, intended to bring her back into the limelight, but it would be the last album Abdul would release before her second hiatus from music.

Head over Heels showcased a new direction and style of music for Abdul, including a more R&B and "sensual" feeling to her songs. The first single released from the album, "My Love Is for Real", was a taster of her new-found sound, however reviews were mixed.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[2]
Rolling Stone[3]

Head over Heels received mixed reviews. Many reviewers claimed it diverted from Abdul's pop music roots, however some reviews said the album was Abdul's most creative and exciting work to date. The iTunes review of the album was mixed, saying that Head over Heels included songs which "lack strong hooks" yet praised the album for being "more mature and seductive than previous efforts". The review mainly concentrated on the length of the album and how it "spends too much time on lesser songs".

Commercial performance

Head over Heels did not do as well as Abdul's previous albums in terms of chart performance and sales. It was Abdul's weakest selling album to date, only going gold; it was also Abdul's lowest peaking album on the Billboard 200 to date, peaking at #18, and it quickly fell off the charts soon after. The album managed to become her lowest selling studio album (in terms of international sales) in her career. After the relative failure of the album, Abdul left the music scene and ventured into acting and returned to choreographing.

Three singles were released from Head over Heels. The first single, "My Love is for Real", was the only Top 40 single in this album, peaking at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following single, "Crazy Cool" peaked at #58, probably due to bad publicity about the song and its video. However, both of them were more successful on the U.S. dance charts, with the former topping it (her only song to do so). The last single from the album "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up" tanked and peaked at #12 on Bubbling Under Hot 100. A fourth single, "If I Were Your Girl" was due to be released, but was cancelled after disappointing album sales and the failure of "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up".

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Crazy Cool"Peter Lord • Sandra St. Victor • V. Jeffrey SmithLord • Smith4:42
2."My Love Is for Real" (with Ofra Haza)Abdul • Rhett LawrenceLawrence5:20
3."Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up" (with Color Me Badd)Byran Abrahms • Mark Calderon • Howie Tee • Kevin Thornton • Curtis "Fitz" Williams • Elliot WolffWolff3:53
4."Love Don't Come Easy"Abdul • Robb Boldt • Da'Count • Howard Hersh • Iky Levi • Eric MonsantyHersh • Levy • Boldt • Cha'n André • Da' Count • Monsanty4:07
5."If I Were Your Girl"Crystal Bernard • LawrenceLawrence3:55
6."Sexy Thoughts"Boldt • Hersh • LevyHersh • Levy • Boldt4:09
7."The Choice Is Yours"Arnold Hennings • Debra KillingsHennings • Dallas Austin4:48
8."Ho-Down"Abdul • Boldt • Calloway • Da'Count • Gaskill • Greer • Hersh • Mills • WolffWolff • Hersh • Levy • Boldt4:23
9."Under the Influence"Worthy Davis • Oliver LeiberLeiber4:29
10."I Never Knew It"Daryl SimmonsSimmons4:26
11."Get Your Groove On"Hersh • Levy • BoldtHersh • Levy • Boldt4:02
12."Missing You"Bernadette CooperLawrence3:52
13."It's All About Feeling Good"Abdul • Hersh • Levy • BoldtHersh • Levy • Boldt3:46
14."Cry for Me"Tim MinerMiner3:38
Total length:64:28

Personnel

Adapted From AllMusic[4]

  • Paula Abdul – all Vocals
  • Bryan Abrams, Cha'n Andre, Robb Boldt, Robbie J. Brown, Mark Calderon, Cindy & Janie Cruse, Valerie & Worthy Davis, Bruce DeShazer, Ofra Haza, Marva King, Tanya Smith, Sandra St. Victor, Kevin Thornton, Sam Watters, Monalisa Young – Backing Vocals
  • Dallas Austin – Multi-Instruments
  • Charlie Barnett – Percussion
  • Rocky Bryant – Keyboards, Synthesizers, Drums, Percussion
  • Keith Carlock – Drums, Percussion
  • Vince Denham – Tenor Sax
  • Walt Fowler, Ralph Rickert, Dan Savant – Trumpet
  • Ronnie Garrett, Tracy Wormworth – Bass
  • Grant Geissman – Banjo
  • Lili Haydn – Violin
  • Howard Hersh, Peter Lord Moreland, John Andrew Shreiner, V. Jeffrey Smith – Keyboards
  • Eric Jorgenson – Trombone
  • Shaun LaBelle – Electric Bass, Synthesizers
  • John Leftwich – Horns
  • Oliver Leiber – Keyboards, Synthesizers, Guitars, Electric Sitar, Drums, Percussion
  • Iki Levy – Percussion
  • Keith Lewis – Percussion & Various Programming
  • Karl Messerschmidt – Tuba
  • Tim Miner – Electric Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
  • Michael Patterson – Synthesizers
  • Paul Peterson – Electric Piano
  • Harihar Rao – Sitar, Tamboura
  • John Shanks, Andy Timmons, Bill Wiseman – Guitars
  • Rick Sheppard – Synthesizers, Samples
  • Daryl Simmons – Keyboards, Programming, Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
  • Ralph Stacey – Electric & Bass Guitars
  • Gerri Sutyak – Cello
  • Albert Wing – Tenor & Alto Sax, Clarinet

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Entertainment Weekly review
  3. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  4. ↑ Personnel list at allmusic
  5. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Paula Abdul – Head over Heels". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 7768". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paula Abdul – Head over Heels" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Head over Heels – Oricon", Oricon (in Japanese), retrieved February 21, 2009
  9. ↑ "Paula Abdul | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Paula Abdul Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  11. ↑ "American album certifications – Paula Abdul – Head over Heels". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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