Forever My Lady

The album's production and composition was largely attributed to DeVante Swing, who worked alongside Grammy-nominated producer Al B. Sure! to craft the album's sound. The recording sessions took place at various recording studios during 1990 to 1991, and were relentlessly worked upon in order to shift the consensus with R&B music. The duo worked to add more of a hip-hop sound to the album, incorporating synthesizer-heavy rhythm tracks to complement the alternating themes discussed throughout the album, ranging from passionate and elegant songs about love, to energetic and swaggering songs centered around sex and partying. The group's emotionally transparent lyrics are delivered in both rapped and sung verses, help to explore the feelings of love and seduction.

The album received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, who complimented the group's innovative nature when approaching the album, as well as its thematic choices and the production from Swing. Following an anticipated release, it debuted at number one on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart in its first week, and peaked at eighteen on the Billboard 200. Three of the album's singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including the top-15 hit "Come and Talk to Me". Forever My Lady was certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and, as of August 1995, has sold over three million copies in the US and over eight million copies worldwide.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r10418|pure_url=yes}}|title=allmusic - Forever My Lady > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums|website=Allmusic|accessdate=March 25, 2010}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|title=allmusic ((( Forever My Lady > Review )))|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r10418|pure_url=yes}}|website=Allmusic|accessdate=March 31, 2010}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2Score = A−{{cite magazine|first=Arion|last=Berger|title=MUSIC REVIEW: Forever My Lady - Jodeci|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=November 15, 1991|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,316234,00.html|accessdate=April 9, 2010|archive-date=April 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425082310/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,316234,00.html|url-status=dead}}

| rev3 = Los Angeles Times

| rev3Score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}

}}

Arion Berger of Entertainment Weekly gave the effort a good review, calling the work "sophisticated beyond the band members' years" and noting that "if they can keep up the momentum of this commercially successful debut (which has already gone Top 40 on the Billboard pop album chart), Jodeci will be a force to be reckoned with." Los Angeles Times critic Dennis Hunt was less impressed, writing that "the singing is so-so but the production is outstanding."{{cite web|last=Hunt|first=Dennis|date=December 8, 1991|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-12-08-ca-91-story.html|title=

POP MUSIC : What Albums to Buy . . . and to Avoid|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 21, 2016}}

All tracks are somewhat produced by DeVante Swing, except where noted.

{{track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Stay

| writer1 = Donald Earle DeGrate, Jr.

| extra1 = {{flatlist|

• DeVante Swing
• Al B. Sure!

}}

| length1 = 5:11

| title2 = Come and Talk to Me

| writer2 = {{flatlist|

• DeGrate
• Albert Joseph Brown III

}}

| extra2 = {{flatlist|

• DeVante Swing
• Al B. Sure!

}}

| length2 = 4:36

| title3 = Forever My Lady

| writer3 = {{flatlist|

• DeGrate
• Brown

}}

| extra3 = {{flatlist|

• DeVante Swing
• Al B. Sure!

}}

| length3 = 5:20

| title4 = I'm Still Waiting

| writer4 = DeGrate

| extra4 = {{flatlist|

• DeVante Swing
• Al B. Sure!

}}

| length4 = 4:21

| title5 = U&I

| writer5 = DeGrate

| extra5 = {{flatlist|

• DeVante Swing
• Al B. Sure!

}}

| length5 = 4:04

| title6 = Interlude (553-Nasty)

| writer6 = DeGrate

| extra6 = DeVante Swing

| length6 = 1:47

| title7 = My Phone

| writer7 = DeGrate

| extra7 = {{flatlist|

• DeVante Swing
• Al B. Sure!

}}

| length7 = 5:49

| title8 = Gotta Love

| writer8 = {{flatlist|

• DeGrate
• Cedric Renard Hailey

}}

| extra8 = DeVante Swing

| length8 = 4:43

| title9 = Play Thang

| writer9 = DeGrate

| extra9 = DeVante Swing

| length9 = 4:45

| title10 = It's Alright

| writer10 = DeGrate

| extra10 = DeVante Swing

| length10 = 4:36

| title11 = Treat U

| writer11 = DeGrate

| extra11 = DeVante Swing

| length11 = 3:42

| title12 = Xs We Share

| writer12 = DeGrate

| extra12 = DeVante Swing

| length12 = 4:29

| title13 = Cherish

| note13 = bonus track, originally from the Fried Green Tomatoes soundtrack

| writer13 = Terry Kirkman

| extra13 = DeVante Swing

| length13 = 3:59

}}

• Art Direction – Reiner Design Consultants
• Assistant Engineering – Ellen Fitton, Michael Gilbert, Marnie Riley, Jay A. Ryan
• Engineering – Paul Logus, Dennis Mitchell, Mark Partis
• Mastering – Herb Powers
• Writer - Al B. Sure!
• Mixing – Al B. Sure!, Mick Guzauski
• Multi-Instruments – DeVante Swing
• Production Coordination – Eloise Bryan
• Programming – Al B. Sure!, Dalvin DeGrate, DeVante Swing

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Jodeci|title=Forever My Lady|award=Platinum|number=3|type=album|relyear=1991|certyear=1995|date=April 28, 1995|access-date=July 13, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1991 (U.S.)
• Billboard Year-End

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.discogs.com/Jodeci-Forever-My-Lady/release/491310 Forever My Lady] at Discogs

{{Jodeci}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1991 debut albums

Category:Jodeci albums

Category:MCA Records albums

Category:Uptown Records albums