Are You Okay? is the fourth album by art-funk ensemble Was (Not Was). It was released in 1990. It was their last album for 18 years until 2008's Boo!
Are You Okay? | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1990 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Funk,[1] soul, pop, rock | |||
Length | 49:56 | |||
Label | Fontana (UK) - Licensed from Phonogram Chrysalis (USA) | |||
Producer | David Was, Don Was | |||
Was (Not Was) chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Chicago Sun-Times | [3] |
Chicago Tribune | [4] |
Entertainment Weekly | C+[5] |
Los Angeles Times | [6] |
NME | 9/10[7] |
Q | [8] |
Rolling Stone | [9] |
Select | 5/5[10] |
The Village Voice | A−[11] |
In UK and Europe, the album cover is replaced into a picture of the band.[12]
Track listing
editAll tracks composed by David Was and Don Was; except where indicated.
- "Are You Okay?" – 4:28
- "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield) – 6:41
- "I Feel Better Than James Brown" – 4:45
- "How the Heart Behaves" – 5:35
- "Maria Novarro" – 3:27
- "I Blew Up the United States" – 3:51
- "In K Mart Wardrobe" – 4:16
- "Elvis' Rolls Royce" – 3:29
- "Dressed to Be Killed" (Was, Was, G Love E)– 4:13
- "Just Another Couple Broken Hearts" – 4:55
- "You! You! You!" (Was, Was, Luis Resto) – 3:28
- "Look What's Back" – 0:43
Personnel
editWas (Not Was)
- David Was – keyboards, flute, vocals
- Don Was – keyboards, bass
- Sweet Pea Atkinson – vocals
- Sir Harry Bowens – vocals
- Donald Ray Mitchell – vocals
- Jamie Muhoberac – keyboards
- Randy Jacobs – guitars
- Ron Pangborn – drums
- Debra Dobkin – percussion, vocals
- Dave McMurray – saxophones
- Rayse Biggs – trumpet
Guest vocalists
- G Love E – rap (1, 2, 9)
- The Roches – vocals (5)
- Doug Fieger – backing vocals (6, 9)
- Leonard Cohen – lead vocals (8)
- Iggy Pop, Downtown Julie Brown and Ewreck Benson – backing vocals (8)
- Andy Gill – backing vocals (9)
- Syd Straw – lead vocals (11)
Guest musicians
- Jeff Lorber – keyboards, keyboard programming and keyboard arrangements (1, 3, 4, 7, 10)
- Brad Buxer – additional keyboards (4)
- Luis Resto – keyboards (11)
- Paul Riser – horn and string arrangements (4, 8, 10)
- Jon Jaz-Was – saxophonic reticulation
Production
edit- David Bates – executive producer
- David Was – producer
- Don Was – producer, engineer
- Keith Cohen – mixing (1, 2, 4-7, 9), additional production (4)
- Ed Cherney – engineer, mixing (3, 8, 10, 11)
- Steve Deutsch – engineer
- Kenny Jones – engineer
- Jeff Lorber – engineer
- Elaine Anderson – assistant engineer
- Andy Batwinas – assistant engineer
- Kimm James – assistant engineer
- Brian Jones – assistant engineer
- Jim Mitchell – assistant engineer
- Linda Morse – assistant engineer
- Jeff Park – assistant engineer
- Neal Pogue – assistant engineer
- Martin Schmelzle – assistant engineer
- Phonogram Art – art direction
- Green Ink – artwork
- Tim Whiteley – paintbox operator
- Kushnick Passett Management – management
Charts
editCharts (1990) | Peak position |
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USA (Billboard 200)[14] | 99 |
References
edit- ^ Givens, Ron (November 1990). "Was (Not Was): Are You Okay?" (PDF). Stereo Review. Vol. 55, no. 11. p. 152. Retrieved May 17, 2020 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Are You Okay? – Was (Not Was)". AllMusic. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ McLeese, Don (August 6, 1990). "Darker vision powers stellar 'Are You Okay?'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Kot, Greg (August 9, 1990). "Was (Not Was): Are You Okay? (Chrysalis)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Sandow, Greg (July 27, 1990). "Are You Okay?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Willman, Chris (July 29, 1990). "Was (Not Was), 'Are You Okay?,' Chrysalis". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Martin, Gavin (July 14, 1990). "Yes, Thanks". NME. p. 35.
- ^ Roberts, David (August 1990). "Was (Not Was): Are You Okay?". Q. No. 47.
- ^ Tannenbaum, Rob (September 6, 1990). "Was (Not Was): Are You Okay?". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 16, 2002. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Brown, Russell (August 1990). "The Okay Chorale". Select. No. 2. p. 112.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (September 25, 1990). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Was (Not Was) - Are You Okay?, 1990, retrieved 2023-06-13
- ^ liner notes
- ^ Billboard, 1990, Retrieved July 18, 2023