Very Special (Debra Laws album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Very Special
| type = studio
| artist = Debra Laws
| cover = Very Special (Debra Laws album).jpg
| alt =
| released = 1981
| recorded = 1981
| venue =
| studio = Concorde Recording, Los Angeles
| length =
| label = Elektra
| producer = {{ubl|Hubert Laws|Ronnie Laws}}
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Moments
| next_year = 1993
| misc =
{{Singles
| name =
| type = studio
| single1 = Very Special
| single1date = 1981
| single2 = Be Yourself
| single2date = 1981
| single3 = Meant for You
| single3date = 1981
}}
}}
Very Special is the debut album by Debra Laws, released in 1981 on Elektra Records.{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=skEDAAAAMBAJ|title=Debra Laws Kept Other Job Despite Records Success|journal=Jet |volume=61 |issue=14|pages=57|date=December 24, 1981|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|accessdate=August 13, 2020|via=Google Books}}{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BCQEAAAAMBAJ|title=Soul Albums|magazine=Billboard |volume=93 |issue=51|pages=28|date=December 26, 1981|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|accessdate=August 13, 2020|via=Google Books}}
The album peaked at No. 70 on the Billboard 200 and No. 13 on Billboard{{'}}s Top Black Albums chart. The title track and "Be Yourself" were top 40 hits on Billboard{{'}}s Hot Soul Singles chart.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Side A
| title1 = On My Own
| writer1 = R. Laws
| length1 = 4:19
| title2 = Meant for You
| length2 = 3:59
| title3 = Very Special
| writer3 = Peters, Jeffery
| length3 = 4:28
| title4 = Be Yourself
| length4 = 5:00
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side B
| title5 = Long As We're Together
| writer5 = R. Laws
| length5 = 4:21
| title6 = Your Love
| writer6 = Mitchell
| length6 = 3:42
| title7 = How Long
| writer7 = Grey, Hanks
| length7 = 4:02
| title8 = All The Things I Love
| length8 = 3:55
}}
Personnel
- Debra Laws – lead vocals
- Gwen Matthews – backing vocals (2, 4, 6–8)
- Marlena Jeter – backing vocals (2, 4, 6–8)
- David Lasley – backing vocals (2)
- Eloise Laws – backing vocals (5)
- Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (2)
- Alexandra Brown – backing vocals (7)
- Stephanie Hayes – backing vocals (7)
- Nathan East – bass (1–2, 4–5, 7–8)
- Alex Smith – bass (3)
- Welton Gite – bass (6)
- Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums (1–2, 5, 7)
- Darryl Clifton – drums (3)
- Raymond Pounds – drums (4, 6)
- Roland Bautista – guitar (except 3)
- Melvin Robinson – guitar (3)
- Arthur Adams – guitar (3, 7)
- Pat Kelley – guitar (5)
- Bobby Lyle – keyboards (except 3)
- Michael Robinson – keyboards (3)
- Larry Dunn – synthesizer (1, 4–6, 8)
- Ronnie Laws – saxophone (1, 3–4), duet vocals (3) [uncredited]
- Hubert Laws – flute (4)
;Production
- Producer: Hubert Laws, Ronnie Laws
- Engineer: Gerry E. Brown
- Photography: Ron Slenzak
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1981)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Debra+Laws&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=TLP|title=Debra Laws, TLP|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 27, 2021|url-access=subscription}}
| 70 |
| scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Debra+Laws&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=BLP|title=Debra Laws, BLP|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 27, 2021|url-access=subscription}}
| 13 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1981)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1981/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1981|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 27, 2021}}
| 26 |
{{col-end}}
=Singles=
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Single !Chart !Position |
| rowspan="4"|1981
|rowspan="2"|"Very Special" |Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/debra-laws/chart-history/hsi/|title=Very Special (Hot 100)|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=August 13, 2020}} |align="center"|90 |
| Billboard Hot Soul Singles{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/debra-laws/chart-history/bsi/|title=Very Special (R&B)|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=August 13, 2020}}
|align="center"|11 |
| "Be Yourself"
|Billboard Hot Soul Singles{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/debra-laws/chart-history/bsi/|title=Be Yourself|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=August 13, 2020}} |align="center"|31 |
| "Meant for You"
|Billboard Hot Soul Singles{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/debra-laws/chart-history/bsi/|title=Meant for You|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=August 13, 2020}} |align="center"|47 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs release|1157067|Very Special|type=album}}
- {{AllMusic|id=mw0000229113|title=Very Special}}
{{Authority control}}