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With their long track record, Kool & the Gang have always offered dance-provoking rhythms and Something Special fits that bill, too. Featuring the number one single "Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)," James "J.T." Taylor approaches the song in a cool, mesmerizing tone, closing out the vamp in his falsetto with a burst of energy while the background vocals chant the subtitle throughout the chorus. Not known to lead a song in falsetto, Taylor further utilizes this talent on the motivated rhythms of the nocturnal scenario of "Steppin' Out." It maintained a steady stride, rising to the number ten spot on the charts. The third single from the album was "Get Down on It." As the title indicates, this is a gritty funk track that worked its way up the charts to claim the number three position, selling more than 500,000 copies. Although there were no more charted singles from this album, the entire collection is deserving of recognition. On a slower note, "Pass It On" and "No Show" received regional airplay. The former encourages people to spread love to all children, and the latter is a sorrowful account of a man left standing in the rain, waiting for the love that never showed. Both singles have similar rhythm arrangements. As for inspirational songs, "Stand Up and Sing" is a moderately paced single with lyrics that are uplifting.
© Craig Lytle /TiVo
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Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Curtis Fitzgerald Williams, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Curtis Fitzgerald Williams, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - George Brown, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - Claydes Smith, ComposerLyricist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1981 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Curtis Fitzgerald Williams, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Dennis Thomas, Alto Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Bell, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - George Brown, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Eumir Deodato, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Clifford Adams, Trombone, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Ray, Trumpet, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - Claydes Smith, ComposerLyricist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, Keyboards, Saxophone, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Spike Mickens, Trumpet, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brian Robert Jackson, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - James "J.T." Taylor, Vocals, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Greenfield, Flute, Alto Saxophone, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1981 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Curtis Fitzgerald Williams, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Curtis Fitzgerald Williams, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Curtis Fitzgerald Williams, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Eumir Deodato, Producer - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Reeves, Editor - Kool & The Gang, Producer, MainArtist - J.T. Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Ronald Nathan Bell, ComposerLyricist - Jim Bonnefond, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Curtis Fitzgerald Williams, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist - Harry Weinger, Editor
℗ 1998 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Album review
With their long track record, Kool & the Gang have always offered dance-provoking rhythms and Something Special fits that bill, too. Featuring the number one single "Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)," James "J.T." Taylor approaches the song in a cool, mesmerizing tone, closing out the vamp in his falsetto with a burst of energy while the background vocals chant the subtitle throughout the chorus. Not known to lead a song in falsetto, Taylor further utilizes this talent on the motivated rhythms of the nocturnal scenario of "Steppin' Out." It maintained a steady stride, rising to the number ten spot on the charts. The third single from the album was "Get Down on It." As the title indicates, this is a gritty funk track that worked its way up the charts to claim the number three position, selling more than 500,000 copies. Although there were no more charted singles from this album, the entire collection is deserving of recognition. On a slower note, "Pass It On" and "No Show" received regional airplay. The former encourages people to spread love to all children, and the latter is a sorrowful account of a man left standing in the rain, waiting for the love that never showed. Both singles have similar rhythm arrangements. As for inspirational songs, "Stand Up and Sing" is a moderately paced single with lyrics that are uplifting.
© Craig Lytle /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 9 track(s)
- Total length: 00:39:35
- Main artists: Kool & The Gang
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Island Def Jam
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B R&B
© 1998 The Island Def Jam Music Group ℗ 1998 The Island Def Jam Music Group
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