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Night People (Lee Dorsey album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Night People
Studio album by
Released1978
GenreR&B, soul, rock and roll
LabelABC[1]
ProducerAllen Toussaint
Lee Dorsey chronology
Yes We Can
(1970)
Night People
(1978)
All Ways Funky
(1982)

Night People is an album by the American musician Lee Dorsey, released in 1978.[2][3] It was Dorsey's final studio album, although a few country-influenced tunes were recorded before his death in 1986.[3]

Although the album failed to chart, the title track peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.[4]

Production

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The album was produced by Allen Toussaint, with whom Dorsey had collaborated many times over the years.[5] Toussaint also wrote the album's songs.[6] The producer used Chocolate Milk, a New Orleans band, as Dorsey's backup musicians.[7] Irma Thomas provided backing vocals.[8]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Robert ChristgauA−[10]
DownBeat[8]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide[12]

Robert Christgau deemed the album "astonishingly listenable," writing that "Dorsey's subtle, small-scale rock and roll genre statement defines songwriter-producer Toussaint better than Toussaint the performer ever has."[10] Texas Monthly called the title track "a mad celebration of soul-stomping, pressure-cooking Crescent City spirit."[13] High Fidelity wrote that "Dorsey is in fine shape for the bouncy, frequently humorous songs."[7] The Gazette said that "the instrumentation is lively, brassy, and Dorsey's sophisticated soul vocalese shines bright."[14]

AllMusic called the album "a shade too slick, with hints of disco and a couple of rare mawkish misfires by Allen Toussaint."[9]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Say It Again"2:56
2."God Must Have Blessed America"3:37
3."Soul Mine"3:59
4."Keep on Doing It to Me"3:07
5."Thank You"3:24
6."Night People"4:20
7."Can I Be the One"4:33
8."Babe"3:48
9."Draining"4:24

References

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  1. ^ "Lee Dorsey Biography & History". AllMusic.
  2. ^ The Da Capo Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music. Da Capo Press. 1995. p. 264.
  3. ^ a b "The Star in Creasy Overalls". Record Collector.
  4. ^ "Lee Dorsey". Billboard.
  5. ^ "Lee Dorsey, 59, Rock Singer Popular in the 50's and 60's". The New York Times. December 10, 1986.
  6. ^ "Signings". Billboard. Vol. 89, no. 51. Dec 24, 1977. p. 104.
  7. ^ a b Everett, Todd (June 1978). "Lee Dorsey: Night People". High Fidelity. Vol. 28, no. 6. pp. 133, 135.
  8. ^ a b "Lee Dorsey Night People". DownBeat. Vol. 45, no. 14. August 10, 1978. p. 40.
  9. ^ a b "Night People". AllMusic.
  10. ^ a b "Lee Dorsey". Robert Christgau.
  11. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 91.
  12. ^ MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 181.
  13. ^ Patoski, Joe Nick (May 1978). "On Record". Texas Monthly. Vol. 6, no. 6. p. 151.
  14. ^ "Soul still has quality". The Gazette. 4 Mar 1978. p. 29.