''Classic Moments'' is a studio album by American singer
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman.
LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul".
She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
. It was her second full-length release with
Island Def Jam's Def Soul Classics imprint and released on June 21, 2005 in the United States. The album features LaBelle's renditions of modern pop, soul and R&B songs, mostly ballads, including her versions of "
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" is a song written by Miles Gregory and originally recorded by Rose Royce. It was produced by former Motown songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield for Whitfield Records. Lead vocals were sung by Gwen Dickey a ...
", "
She's Out of My Life", "
Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" and "
I'll Stand by You".
Released a year after LaBelle's previous album, ''
Timeless Journey'' (2004), it peaked at number 24 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 and number five on
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, while her version of
Aretha and
Carolyn Franklin's "
Ain't No Way", a duet with
Mary J. Blige, entered the R&B charts peaking at number sixty-eight.
Critical reception
Allmusic editor Andy Kellman called ''Classic Moments'' "an all-covers affair with a few pleasant surprises. While it won't shock fans to hear LaBelle in great form, some of the material the singer takes on couldn't have been all that expected. Soul classics like "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" (hindered by a rather plain arrangement) and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (sounding entirely modern, even with the disco zaps and galactic keyboard effects) are natural picks, but a few other songs make this more than an average covers album, which are often spat out like contractual obligations
..The set's not spotless, but it's more than a stopgap release and will please LaBelle's followers."
''
People'' wrote that "with her range and power, LaBelle can make any song her own
..Not everything works, including her duet with
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
on “
Your Song,” and the disc could use more uptempo cuts like the funky “You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else.” Still, there are more than enough memorable moments."
Track listing
Charts
References
{{Authority control
2005 albums
Patti LaBelle albums
Albums produced by Babyface (musician)