Workin' It Back
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Workin' It Back
| type = Album
| artist = Teddy Pendergrass
| cover = Workingitback.jpg
| alt =
| released = December 4, 1985
| recorded = 1984–1985
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 37:09
| label = Asylum Records{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D7QDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61|title=Jet's Top 20 Albums|work=Jet|date=March 3, 1986|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}
| producer = {{hlist|Glen Ballard|Clif Magness}}
| prev_title = Love Language
| prev_year = 1984
| next_title = Joy
| next_year = 1988
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Workin' It Back
| type = studio
| single1 = Love 4/2
| single1date = August 13, 1985
| single2 = Let Me Be Closer
| single2date = February 6, 1986
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r15015|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]
|rev2 = Robert Christgau
|rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
|rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=6 |page=473}}
|rev4 = The Philadelphia Inquirer
|rev4score = {{rating|2|4}}{{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Ken |title=TEDDY PENDERGRASS Workin' It Back |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=22 Dec 1985 |page=H4}}
|rev5 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
|rev5score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |page=537}}
}}
Workin' It Back is a studio album by the American R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, released in 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/arts/music/15pendergrass.html|title=Teddy Pendergrass, R&B Soul Singer, Dies at 59|first=Jon|last=Pareles|date=January 14, 2010|via=NYTimes.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/teddy-pendergrass-mn0000020278/biography|title=Teddy Pendergrass | Biography & History|website=AllMusic}} It was his second record for Asylum Records. The album didn't do nearly as well on the Billboard 200 as his last record, peaking at #96.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/teddy-pendergrass/chart-history/tlp/|title=Teddy Pendergrass|magazine=Billboard}} It did reach US R&B #6, only two spots lower than his previous album. The album spawned two singles, "Love 4/2" (#6 R&B) and "Let Me Be Closer" (#67 R&B), though none made the Billboard Hot 100. The album has been certified gold.{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/rip_teddy_pendergrass_1950-2010|title=RIP Teddy Pendergrass, 1950-2010 | Exclaim!|website=exclaim.ca}}
Production
Pendergrass cowrote and coproduced two of the album's songs.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M7MDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA59|title=Teddy Pendergrass Says, 'Don't Feel Sorry For Me; Listen To My Songs'|work=Jet|date=June 23, 1986|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}
Critical reception
The Globe and Mail wrote that "the spasmodic anguish of the final cut, 'Love Emergency', is the most innovative song on the album, with the backup male chorus growling a chant over the groove as the background to Pendergrass's vocal flights."{{cite news |last1=Lacey |first1=Liam |title=INSIDE THE SLEEVE POP Workin' It Back Teddy Pendergrass |work=The Globe and Mail |date=2 Jan 1986 |page=C5}} The Gazette thought that "even the Womacks can't raise a head of steam from the one-time Sound of Philadelphia."{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=John |title=Teddy Pendergrass - Workin' It Back (Asylum) |work=The Gazette |date=21 Nov 1985 |page=D3}}
Track listing
- "Love 4/2" (Pendergrass, James Carter, Nathaniel Lee)
- "One of Us Fell in Love" (Adrian Baker, Eddie Seago)
- "Never Felt Like Dancin'" (Dennis Matkosky, Monty Seward)
- "Let Me Be Closer" (Pendergrass, Linda Creed, Dennis Matkosky, Bill Neale)
- "Lonely Color Blue" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)
- "Want You Back in My Life" (Glen Ballard, Clif Magness)
- "Workin' It Back" (Clif Magness, Ellen Schwartz, Roger Bruno)
- "Love Emergency" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)
Personnel
- Teddy Pendergrass - vocals
- Ron Jennings, Paul Jackson Jr., Bill Neale, Cecil Womack, Clif Magness - guitar
- Neil Stubenhaus, Doug Grigsby, Cecil Womack - bass
- Dennis Matkosky - keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming
- Monty Seward - synthesized guitar
- Larry Williams - bass synthesizer
- Randy Kerber - acoustic and electric piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer
- Alan Pasqua, Eddie "Gip" Noble, Linda Womack - keyboards
- John Robinson, Raymond Pounds, James Gadson - drums
- Michael Mason - drum overdubs
- Paulinho da Costa - percussion
- Joel Peskin - saxophone
- Tenita Jordan, Lynn Davis, Shirley Jones, Stephanie Reach, Monty Seward, Tammie Taylor, Clydene Jackson, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Vanessa Townsell, The Womack Congregation - backing vocals
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1985–1986)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Billboard200|96|artist=Teddy Pendergrass|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 13, 2021}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|6|artist=Teddy Pendergrass|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 13, 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1986)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1986/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1986|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=July 13, 2021}}
| 20 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Teddy Pendergrass}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Teddy Pendergrass albums