Workin' Overtime

''Workin' Overtime'' is the eighteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on June 6, 1989, by Motown Records. Her first Motown album with new material since '' To Love Again'' (1981) after a short stint with RCA Records, Ross reunited with frequent collaborator Nile Rodgers, chief producer of her most successful album to date '' Diana'' (1980), to make this album which was an attempt to gear her to a much younger audience bringing in new jack swing productions and house music.

Upon its release, ''Workin' Overtime'' received negative reviews from music critics and failed commercially despite the title track reaching number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The album reached the top thirty in Sweden and the United Kingdom and peaked at number 116 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, earning the distinction of becoming the lowest-charting studio album of Ross' entire solo career. Additional singles "This House" and "Bottom Line" were issued, as well as a Shep Pettibone remix of "Paradise", but all failed to revive the album's sales. The album was supported by a concert tour, the ''Workin' Overtime World Tour''.

Background

Following the release of her album '' Red Hot Rhythm & Blues'' (1987), Ross gave birth to her son Ross and became pregnant with Evan, which caused her to go on a hiatus from work. "I stayed off work for about a year... I was having my babies, and during that time I spent a lot of time watching BET on television, the kids doing the hip-hop and so on... and, you know, I’m a risk taker," Ross said. Nathan, David
''The Soulful Divas: Personal Portraits of Over a Dozen Divine Divas, from Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin & Diana Ross to Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston & Janet Jackson''
Billboard Books, , Google Book Search, 1999.

''Workin' Overtime'' marked Ross' first Motown album with new material since '' To Love Again'' (1981), after Ross left the label for a then record breaking $20 million deal with RCA. Upon Diana's return to the label, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr. had sold the label to MCA Records and had positioned Jheryl Busby to the head of Motown. Ross was at first reluctant to return to her old label but Gordy promised her a lot in her return: Not only would Ross return to Motown as a recording act, but she would be the label's part-owner.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Ron Wynn wrote that "this album was the first product of that new contract, and the results weren't very encouraging. There were no moderate or even small hits, and the album quickly dropped off both the R&B and pop charts within a couple of weeks of its release. Ross sounded completely lost, and the production, arrangements, and compositions sounded weak and thin next to the dominant New Jack and hip-hop works."

Track listing

All songs produced by Nile Rodgers.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

;Performers

* Diana Ross – vocals, executive producer
*Christopher Max – backing vocals, synth programming
*Curtis King – backing vocals
*Dennis Collins – backing vocals
*Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals
*Lazet Michaels – backing vocals
*Peggy Taft – backing vocals
* Nile Rodgers – producer
* Andres Levin – synth programming
*Greg Smith – synth programming, mixing
*Richard Hilton – synth programming, engineer

;Design

*Herb Ritts – photography
*Sue Reilly – art direction, design

;Production

*Budd Tunick – coordinator
*Rene Bell – coordinator
*Tom Durack – engineer, mixing
*Keith Freedman – engineer, mixing
*Patrick Dillett – engineer
*David Michael Dill – engineer
*Paul Wertheimer – engineer
*Ed Brooks – engineer
*Karen Bohanon – engineer
*Katherine Miller – engineer
*Paul Angelli – engineer
* Bob Ludwig – mastering
*Frank Cardello – mixing

Charts

Certifications

References

External links

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1989 albums
Diana Ross albums
Motown albums
New jack swing albums
Albums produced by Nile Rodgers