Starchild (Teena Marie album)

Starchild
Studio album by Teena Marie
Released	November 11, 1984
Recorded	1983–84
Studio	Ocean Way Recording and A&M Studios (Hollywood, California) Sound Castle Recorders, Westlake Audio and Mad Hatter Studios (Los Angeles, California) The Automatt (San Francisco, California)
Genre	R&B soul techno-funk freestyle
Length	45:36
Label	Epic
Producer	Teena Marie
Teena Marie chronology
Robbery (1983) Starchild (1984) Emerald City (1986)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B[2]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10[3]

Starchild is the sixth studio album by American R&B singer Teena Marie, released on November 11, 1984, by Epic Records. Following the relative commercial failure of her previous album, Robbery, Starchild became the highest-selling album of Marie's career. It peaked at #9 on the US Black Albums chart and #31 on the Billboard 200. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 1, 1985.^[4]

The album's success was driven by lead single "Lovergirl" which become a major US hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and her only top 30 hit on that chart. Marie also received a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the single at the 27th Grammy Awards-her second nomination in that category.

The album was written and produced by Marie, with contributions from Leon Ware and Narada Michael Walden. The track "My Dear Mr. Gaye" is a tribute to Marvin Gaye, who had been fatally shot and killed by his father on April 1, 1984.

It was re-released by SoulMusic Records in 2012 as an Expanded Edition, containing 5 mixes as bonus tracks.

Track listing

All songs written by Teena Marie, except where noted.

1. "Lovergirl" – 4:54
2. "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party" (Bendrix, Marie) – 5:44
3. "Out on a Limb" – 6:37
4. "Alibi" (Marie, Fred Mirza) – 5:23
5. "Jammin" – 5:52
6. "Starchild" – 5:35
7. "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)" (duet with Ronnie McNeir) – 5:07
8. "My Dear Mr. Gaye" (Marie, Penny "P.J." Johnson, Leon Ware) – 5:28
9. "Light" – 1:17

Expanded Edition

10. "Lovergirl" (US Single Edit) – 3:59
11. "Lovergirl" (US Special 12" Dance Mix) – 5:53
12. "Lovergirl" (US Single - Instrumental) – 6:10
13. "Jammin'" (Dance Mix - Long Version) – 8:20
14. "Out on a Limb" (US 12" Single Edit) – 5:31

Personnel

Credits for Starchild adapted from Allmusic^[5]

• Teena Marie – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 2, 6), pianos, synthesizers, guitars, drums, drum machine programming, percussion, arrangements, rhythm and vocal arrangements, synthesizer arrangements (1, 2, 4, 5, 6), string arrangements (7)
• Walter Afanasieff – synthesizers
• Wyman Brown – synthesizers
• Darren Carmichael – synthesizers
• Randy Kerber – acoustic piano, synthesizers, rhythm and synthesizer arrangements (6), string arrangements (7)
• Fred Mirza – synthesizers, synthesizer arrangements (1, 4), rhythm arrangements (4)
• Dan Radlauer – synthesizers
• Preston Glass – guitars
• Dann Huff – guitars
• Tom McDermott – guitars
• Corrado Rustici – guitars
• David Taylor – guitars
• David T. Walker – guitars
• Nathan East – bass
• James Jamerson, Jr. – bass
• Allen McGrier –bass, male lead vocals (2), drum machine programming (6)
• James Gadson – drums
• John Robinson – drums
• Narada Michael Walden – drums, rhythm arrangements (3)
• Michael White – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Ernie Watts – saxophone solo (8)
• Gene Page – string conductor (7, 8), string arrangements (8)
• Harry Bluestone – concertmaster (7, 8)
• Billy Griffin – backing vocals
• Mickey Hearn – backing vocals
• Penny "PJ" Johnson – backing vocals, vocal arrangements (8)
• Yvette Marine – backing vocals
• Leon Ware – backing vocals
• Julia Waters Tillman – backing vocals
• Maxine Waters Willard – backing vocals
• Ronnie McNeir – male lead vocals (7)

Production

• Larkin Arnold – executive producer
• Teena Marie – producer, cover concept
• Bobby Brooks – engineer (1, 2, 4–9), mixing
• David Frazier – engineer (3)
• Rick Butz – assistant engineer
• Elmer Flores – assistant engineer
• Deni King – assistant engineer
• Richard McKernan – assistant engineer
• Magic Moreno – assistant engineer
• Gary Wagner – assistant engineer
• Bernie Grundman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
• P.J. – production coordinator, cover concept
• Tony Lane – art direction
• Nancy Donald – art direction
• Ron Slenzak – photography
• Tim Wild – airbrushing
• Renny Roberts – back cover illustration
• The Michael Gardner Company – management

Singles

• "Lovergirl" #4 US Pop Singles/ #9 US Black Singles
• "Jammin'" #81 US Pop Singles/ #45 US Black Singles
• "Out on a Limb" #56 US Black Singles

References

1. AllMusic review
2. Christgau, Robert. "Teena Marie: Starchild > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
3. Bernstein, Jonathan (1995). "Teena Marie". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 240–241. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
4. "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America.
5. "Starchild - Teena Marie | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.