Lady T (album)

Lady T is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Teena Marie, released by Motown's Gordy label on February 14, 1980.

Lady T
Studio album by Teena Marie
Released	February 14, 1980
Recorded	1979
Studio	Conway (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Soul disco R&B
Length	51:15
Label	Gordy
Producer	Richard Rudolph
Teena Marie chronology
Wild and Peaceful (1979) Lady T (1980) Irons in the Fire (1980)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Robert Christgau	B
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Spin Alternative Record Guide	5/10

Background

The album was produced by Richard Rudolph, and the track "Too Many Colors" features the then 7 year-old Maya Rudolph, daughter of Rudolph and his late wife Minnie Riperton. The album was dedicated to Minnie Riperton. Lady T was the nickname of Teena Marie at Motown Records. The packaging of Teena Marie's debut album Wild and Peaceful had not included a picture of the singer, and the image on the sleeve of this album surprised many people who had assumed she was African-American.

Lady T peaked at #18 on the Black Albums chart and #45 on the Pop Albums chart. Lead single "Can It Be Love" was a minor hit on the US Black Singles chart followed by "Behind the Groove" which peaked at #21 on the US Black Singles chart and became Teena Marie's only top 20 hit in the United Kingdom, reaching #6. "Lonely Desire" was released as the final single from the album.

Track listing

Side A

1. "Behind the Groove" (Marie, Richard Rudolph) – 6:06
2. "Now That I Have You" (Art Philips, Richard Rudolph, Claudia Talbott) – 5:32
3. "Lonely Desire" (Marie, Richard Rudolph, Dwayne Wedlaw) – 4:39
4. "Aladdin's Lamp" (Marie) – 4:55

Side B

5. "You're All the Boogie I Need" (Mickey Hearn, Marie) – 5:44

6. "Can It Be Love" (Marie, Dwayne Wedlaw) – 4:24

7. "Young Girl in Love" (Jill Jones, Marie) – 3:55

8. "Why Did I Have to Fall in Love with You" (Marie, George Sopuch) – 4:45

9. "Too Many Colors (Tee's Interlude)" (Marie) – 3:10

1991 Reissue

10. "Why Can't I Get Next to You" (Marie) – 3:58

11. "Co-Pilot to Pilot" (Marie) – 4:23

2011 Expanded Edition

10. Behind The Groove (Original LP Version) – 6:13

11. Behind The Groove (Rick James Mix) – 6:16

12. Behind The Groove (The Missing "M+M" 12-Inch Mix) – 9:13

Personnel

• Teena Marie – acoustic guitar, lead and backing vocals
• Nathan Watts, Eddie Watkins, Oscar Alston on "Behind The Groove" – bass
• Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
• Jeremy Lubbock – Fender Rhodes
• Randy Waldman – Fender Rhodes, piano, synthesizer
• Greg Hargrove, Tim May, Bob "Boogie" Bowles, Art Phillips – guitar
• Charles A. Glenn, Jr., Eddie N. Watkins, Jr. – bass
• Christopher Anthony Boehme, Paul Hines, Tony "T-Bird" Lewis – drums
• Gary Grant – flugelhorn, trumpet
• Kim Hutchcroft – flute, saxophone
• Jerry Hey – flugelhorn, trumpet
• Charles Loper – trombone
• Steve Forman – percussion
• Everett Bryson, Jr. – congas, percussion
• James S. Stewart, Jr. – piano
• Thomas "T" Bumpass – trumpet, backing vocals
• William Carroll White, Jr. – saxophone, backing vocals
• Larry Williams – flute, saxophone
• Ray C. Woodard – saxophone, backing vocals
• Bob Zimmitti – cowbell, percussion
• Maya Rudolph, Dwayne Medlaw – voices
• Diahnne Abbott, Brenda Lee Eager, Linda Little, Jill Jones, Bill Thedford – backing vocals

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Billboard Pop Albums	45
Billboard Top Soul Albums	18

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US R&B	US Dance	UK (OCC)
1980	"Can It Be Love"	57	—	—
	"Behind the Groove"	21	4	6

External links

• Teena Marie-Lady T at Discogs