Body, Mind, Soul is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson, released on January 19, 1993, by Atlantic Records. The album, which saw the then 23-year-old Gibson attempt to mature her sound by moving away from dance and pop in favor of sultrier R&B, failed to find favor with the record buying public and missed out on the U.S. top 100, peaking at No. 109,[8] and also in the UK when it was released a few months later. However, the album was a hit in Japan, peaking at No. 13 on the charts. It was Gibson's last studio album under Atlantic Records.

Body, Mind, Soul
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 19, 1993 (1993-01-19)
RecordedJune–October 1992
StudioElectric Blue Studios & Electric Lady Studios, NYC
GenrePop rock[1]
Length47:33
LabelAtlantic
Producer
Debbie Gibson chronology
Anything is Possible
(1990)
Body, Mind, Soul
(1993)
Think with Your Heart
(1995)
Singles from Body, Mind, Soul
  1. "Losin' Myself"
    Released: January 1993
  2. "Shock Your Mama"
    Released: March 1993
  3. "How Can This Be"
    Released: June 1993
  4. "Free Me"
    Released: September 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyD[2]
Los Angeles Times[3]
Orlando Sentinel[4]
Philadelphia Inquirer[5]
Reading Eagle(unfavorable)[6]
Rolling Stone[7]

Reception

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Billboard praised the album, nothing that "maturing former teen icon aims to recapture late-80's chart success with a barrelful of potential hits. Perhaps as a result of her recent Broadway appearance, Gibson has begun to plumb the lower end of her alto, sounding downright sultry on such cuts as lead single "Losin' Myself." Other winners are "Shock Your Mama," with an irresistibly catchy chorus and a rap break, and "Love Or Money" and "Free Me," both tailor-made for Top 40."[9]

Rolling Stone praised the album, calling it "surprising...what Deb does here, Madonna only talks about on Erotica...Gibson's breathy notes climb mall waterfalls and extend toward heaven as the music flows into cascades of incrementally harder rhythms; she loses her inhibitions... Body, Mind, Soul is her revenge."[7]

AllMusic were more mixed in their review, commenting that "it must be difficult for a teen sensation to bridge herself from her own self-inflicted goody two-shoes labelling to a modern, respectable artist." The reviewer noted that the co-penned tracks were "gnawing and incessant" and that "to Gibson's credit, the best songs are those written wholly by her."[1]

Reissues

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The album was included in the 2017 box set We Could Be Together, with two B-sides and three remixes as bonus tracks.[10] A special two-disc digipack edition was released by Cherry Red Records on November 18, 2022.[11]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Deborah Gibson, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, except where indicated

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Love or Money" 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
4:06
2."Do You Have It in Your Heart?" 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
4:45
3."Free Me" 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
4:27
4."Shock Your Mama" 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
4:07
5."Losin' Myself" 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
5:17
6."How Can This Be?"GibsonGibson3:57
7."When I Say No"GibsonElliot Wolff3:54
8."Little Birdie"GibsonWolff3:59
9."Kisses 4 One"GibsonWolff3:49
10."Tear Down These Walls"GibsonPhil Ramone4:18
11."Goodbye"
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
4:47
Total length:47:33
Japan bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Eyes of the Child"GibsonGibson2:20
Deluxe Digipack Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Love or Lust" (Non-album B-side) 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
 
13."Eyes of the Child"GibsonGibson 
14."Shock Your Mama" (The London Apprentice Edit) 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
 
15."Losin' Myself" (Radio Mix) 
  • Gibson
  • Sturken
  • Rogers
 
Deluxe Digipack Edition Disc 2: The Remixes
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Losin' Myself" (12" Masters at Work)  
2."Losin' Myself" (Masters at Work Dub)  
3."Free Me" (Extended Mix)  
4."Losin' Myself" (G-Man/Marz "Hot" Mix)  
5."Losin' Myself" (G-Man/Marz Alternate "Hot" Mix)  
6."Kisses 4 One" (Percapella)Gibson 
7."Losin' Myself" (T-Ray's Hip Hop)  
8."Losin' Myself" (T-Ray's Acoustic Mix)  
9."Free Me" (Smoove Free Club Mix)  
10."Losin' Myself" (Masters at Work "Hot" Mix)  
11."Losin' Myself" (Masters at Work 12" Edit)  

Charts and certifications

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Weekly charts

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Year Chart Position
1993 Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] 180
1993 Japanese Albums Chart[14] 13
1993 US Billboard 200[15] 109
1993 US Cash Box Top 200[16] 100

Personnel

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Musicians

  • Debbie Gibson – lead and backing vocals, keyboards
  • Carl Sturken – keyboards, guitars, drums, "The Guys" on track 1 (tracks 1–5, 11)
  • Eric Rehl – keyboards, drums (tracks 6, 10)
  • Elliott Wolff – tracks (tracks 7–9)
  • Alan Ferrante – guitar (tracks 7–8)
  • Ira Siegel – guitar (track 10)
  • John "Noodle" Nevin – bass guitar (tracks 4, 11)
  • Bashiri Johnson – percussion (tracks 1–9)
  • Sammy Figueroa – percussion (track 10)
  • Andy Snitzel – saxophone (track 6)
  • Dave Koz – saxophone (tracks 8–9)
  • Evan Rogers – backing vocals "The Guys" on track 1 (tracks 1–5, 11)
  • Darroll Gustamachio – "The Guys" (track 1)
  • David Kutch – "The Guys" (track 1)
  • Kevin Wright – backing vocals (tracks 4, 11)
  • Robin Clark – backing vocals (track 6)
  • Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals (track 6)
  • Diva Gray – backing vocals (tracks 6, 10)
  • Jill Dell'Anzte – backing vocals (track 10)
  • Vaneese Thomas – backing vocals (track 10)

Production

  • Debbie Gibson – arranger
  • Carl Sturken – arranger (tracks 1–5, 11)
  • Evan Rogers – arranger (tracks 1–5, 11)
  • Eric Rehl – arranger (tracks 6, 10)
  • Elliott Wolff – arranger (7–9)
  • Phil Ramone – arranger (track 10)
  • Darroll Gustamachio – engineer, mixing (Visual Sound Design, Inc.) (tracks 1–6, 10–11)
  • Fred Guarino – engineer (tracks 6–10)
  • David Kutch – engineer, assistant engineer, mix engineer
  • Spyros Poulos – additional programming engineer (tracks 7–9)
  • Steve Peck – mixing (tracks 7–9)
  • Jennifer Bette – additional mix engineer (tracks 7–9)
  • Richard Travali – additional recording (tracks 4, 7–9)
  • Mark Gaide – additional recording (track 10)
  • Thomas Bricker – art direction
  • Dah Len Wee – photography
  • Diane Gibson – Management (GMI)
  • Herb "Pump" Powers – mastering (The Hit Factory DMS)

References

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  1. ^ a b c Fawthrop, Peter. "Debbie Gibson – Body, Mind, Soul | Overview". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  2. ^ Berger, Arion (January 29, 1993). "Entertainment Weekly Review>>Body, Mind, Soul". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  3. ^ Rosenbluth, Jean (February 7, 1993). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Timothy Ryan. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  4. ^ Gettelman, Parry (February 12, 1993). "Debbie Gibson". Orlando Sentinel.
  5. ^ Wood, Sam (February 16, 1993). "Marsalis' City Tones, Composed for Ballet". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  6. ^ "Reading Eagle Review>>Pop>>Body, Mind, Soul". Reading Eagle. January 28, 1993. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Eddy, Chuck (March 4, 1993). "Debbie Gibson – Body, Mind, Soul | Rolling Stone Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  8. ^ "Debbie Gibson – Body, Mind, Soul | Billboard Charts". Billboard. Lynne Segall. Archived from the original on August 28, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  9. ^ "Album reviews" (PDF). Billboard. No. 17 November 1990. p. 62. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Sinclair, Paul (September 20, 2017). "New content added to Debbie Gibson 'We Could Be Together' deluxe set". Super Deluxe Edition. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  11. ^ "Debbie Gibson: Body Mind Soul, 2CD Expanded Edition". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  12. ^ Body Mind Soul (Korea) at Discogs
  13. ^ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received January 20, 2017". imgur.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  14. ^ "アルバム売上ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  15. ^ Billboard – Debbie Gibson Charts Lynne Segall Billboard Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  16. ^ "Cash Box Top 200 Albums – Week ending February 13, 1992" (PDF). Cash Box. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
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