Living Proof (Sylvester album)

Living Proof is an album by American singer Sylvester, released in 1979 on the Fantasy label. Living Proof was a double-record set featuring three sides of live material recorded at War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California. The fourth side of the album included three new studio recordings.

Living Proof
Live album by
Released1979
RecordedMarch 11, 1979
VenueWar Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, California
GenreDisco, pop
LabelFantasy
ProducerHarvey Fuqua, Sylvester
Sylvester chronology
Stars
(1979)
Living Proof
(1979)
Sell My Soul
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[2]
Record Mirror[3]

Commercial performance

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The album peaked at No. 45 on the R&B albums chart. It also reached No. 123 on the Billboard 200. The album features the singles "Can't Stop Dancing", which peaked at No. 43 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and a cover version of Patti LaBelle's "You Are My Friend", which charted at No. 30 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. "Can't Stop Dancing", along with the track "In My Fantasy (I Want You, I Need You)", both reached No. 2 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.

Track listing

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Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Overture" ("Grateful" / "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" / "Dance (Disco Heat)")Michael Finden, Sylvester / Sylvester, James "Tip" Wirrick / Eric Robinson, Victor Orsborn3:25
2."Body Strong"Michael Finden, Sylvester3:21
3."Blackbird"John Lennon, Paul McCartney4:52
4."Medley" ("Could It Be Magic" / "A Song for You")Barry Manilow, Adrienne Anderson / Leon Russell5:58
5."Happiness"Allen Toussaint5:59
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)"Jimmy Davis, James Sherman, Ram Ramirez6:10
7."Sharing Something Perfect Between Ourselves"Harold Johnson, Andrew Porter6:57
8."You Are My Friend"Patti LaBelle, James Ellison, Armstead Edwards8:16
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
9."Dance (Disco Heat)"Eric Robinson, Victor Orsborn11:09
10."You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"Sylvester, James "Tip" Wirrick10:38
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Can't Stop Dancing"Sylvester6:22
12."In My Fantasy (I Want You, I Need You)"Sylvester6:30
13."Can't Stop Dancing (Reprise)"Sylvester2:56

Personnel

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  • Sylvester - lead vocal
  • Martha Wash - backing vocal
  • Izora Rhodes - backing vocal
  • Jeanie Tracey - backing vocal
  • Patrick Cowley - synthesizers and sequencer
  • James "Tip" Wirrick - electric guitar
  • Eric Robinson, Michael Finden - electric piano, organ and clavinet
  • Bob Kingson - bass
  • Kelvin Dixon - drums
  • David Frazier, Richard Kvistad, Gus Anthony Flores - percussions
  • Jay Stolmac, Marc Baum - saxophone and flute
  • Dan Reagan - trombone
  • Ross Wilson - trombone and trumpet
  • Dean Boysen - trumpet
  • Randall Pratt - harp

Charts

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Album

Chart (1979) Peaks
[4]
U.S. Billboard Top LPs 123
U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs 45

Singles

Year Single Peaks
US
R&B

[4]
US
Dan

[4]
1979 "Can't Stop Dancing" 43 2
"In My Fantasy (I Want You, I Need You)"
1980 "You Are My Friend" 30
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References

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  1. ^ Alex, Henderson. Living Proof review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-11-24.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved November 24, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ Sexton, Paul (26 January 1980). "Fat Larry's Band: Bright City Lights / Sylvester: Living Proof". Record Mirror. p. 12.
  4. ^ a b c "US Charts > Sylvester". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2019.