Don't Explain (Robert Palmer album)

Don't Explain
Studio album by
Robert Palmer
Released5 November 1990
RecordedLogic (Milan)
Genre
Length66:33
LabelEMI USA
Producer
Robert Palmer chronology
Addictions: Volume 1
(1989) 		Don't Explain
(1990) 		Addictions: Volume 2
(1992)
Singles from Don't Explain
  1. "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
    Released: 22 October 1990
  2. "You're Amazing"
    Released: November 1990
  3. "Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You"
    Released: 24 December 1990
  4. "Happiness"
    Released: April 1991
  5. "Dreams to Remember"
    Released: June 1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Billboardfavourable[2]
New Musical Express6/10[3]
Record Mirror[4]

Don't Explain is the tenth solo studio album by English singer Robert Palmer, released in 1990. During the course of its 18 tracks, Palmer displays rock, R&B, jazz and Bahamian influences. Several classic songs are covered, as well. The album peaked at number 9 in the UK and number 88 in the US.[5]

In the UK the album was certified Gold by the BPI in November 1990.[6]

Track listing

  1. "Your Mother Should Have Told You" (Robert Palmer, Guy Pratt) – 3:41
  2. "Light-Years" (Divinyls, Robert Palmer) – 4:27
  3. "You Can't Get Enough of a Good Thing" (Robert Palmer) – 4:08
  4. "Dreams to Remember" (Otis Redding, Zelda Reading, Joe Rock) – 4:25
  5. "You're Amazing" (Stephen Fellows, Alan Mansfield, Robert Palmer, Guy Pratt, Steve Stevens) – 3:49
  6. "Mess Around" (Stephen Fellows, Robert Palmer) – 4:50
  7. "Happiness" (Robert Palmer) – 2:52
  8. "History" (Robert Palmer) – 4:32
  9. "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"; with UB40 (Bob Dylan) – 3:26
  10. "Housework" (Stephen Fellows, Robert Palmer) – 3:12
  11. "Mercy Mercy Me" (Marvin Gaye) / "I Want You" (Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Leon Ware) – 5:59
  12. "Don't Explain" (Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday) – 2:28
  13. "Aeroplane" (Robert Palmer) – 3:04
  14. "People Will Say We're in Love" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein) – 2:20
  15. "Not a Word" (Robert Palmer, Guy Pratt, Colin Vearncombe) – 4:18
  16. "Top 40" (Mose Allison) – 2:40
  17. "You're So Desirable" (Ray Noble) – 2:24
  18. "You're My Thrill" (Sidney Clare, Jay Gorney) – 3:58

Note:

  • The liner notes for the first US pressing (EMI/Capitol – CDP-7-93935-2) attribute the final song to Ned Washington and Burton Lane. While they co-wrote a song by that name, the one on Palmer's album is the Clare & Gorney composition made popular by Billie Holiday.

Personnel

  • Robert Palmer – lead and backing vocals, guitars, drums
  • Brent Bourgeois – keyboards, backing vocals (2, 3)
  • Alan Mansfield – keyboards, drums
  • William Bryant – acoustic piano, bass
  • Dennis Budimir – guitars
  • Alan Darby – guitars
  • Eddie Martinez – guitars
  • Saverio Porciello – guitars
  • Steve Stevens – guitars
  • Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar
  • Frank Blair – bass
  • Guy Pratt – bass
  • Dony Wynn – drums, percussion
  • Cyro Baptista – percussion
  • Pino Pischetola – percussion
  • Claudio Pascoli – saxophones
  • Chuck Findley – flugelhorn, trumpet
  • Demo Morselli – trumpet
  • Luka Belak – violin
  • Clare Fischer – clarinet, string and horn arrangements, conductor
  • Gerald Vinci – concertmaster
  • B.J. Nelson – backing vocals (2, 3, 4)
  • Pamela Starks – backing vocals (9)
  • UB40 – backing vocals (9)

Production

  • David Harper – executive producer
  • Robert Palmer – producer (1–6, 9, 10, 17), co-producer (7, 8, 11, 13)
  • Teo Macero – producer (7, 8, 11–16, 18)
  • Arne Frager – engineer
  • Pino Pischetola – engineer
  • Mike Fraser – mixing (1, 5)
  • Eric "ET" Thorngren – mixing (2, 3, 4, 6–18)
  • Richard Cobble – production coordination
  • Henry Marquez – art direction, design
  • Timothy Greenfield-Sanders – photography
  • David King – stylist

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[17] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ William Ruhlmann. "Don't Explain - Robert Palmer | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Album Reviews: Spotlight". Billboard. 17 November 1990. p. 64.
  3. ^ Dalton, Stephen (1 December 1990). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 35.
  4. ^ Chong, Davydd (19 January 1991). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 16. ISSN 0144-5804.
  5. ^ "ROBERT PALMER - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Album artist 453 – Robert Palmer". Tsort.info. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Robert Palmer – Don't Explain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Robert Palmer – Don't Explain" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Bienvenue au site Web BIBLIOTHÈQUE ET ARCHIVES CANADA | Welcome to the LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA website". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  10. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Robert Palmer – Don't Explain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Robert Palmer – Don't Explain" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Charts.nz – Robert Palmer – Don't Explain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Robert Palmer – Don't Explain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Robert Palmer Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  17. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1991 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 27 November 2021.