Gap Band IV

Gap Band IV
Studio album by
The Gap Band
ReleasedMay 17, 1982
Recorded1981–82
StudioTotal Experience Recording Studios
(Hollywood, California)
GenreR&B, soul, funk
Length42:05
LabelTotal Experience
ProducerLonnie Simmons
The Gap Band chronology
The Gap Band III
(1980) 		Gap Band IV
(1982) 		Gap Band V: Jammin'
(1983)
Singles from Gap Band IV
  1. "Early in the Morning"
    Released: April 1982
  2. "You Dropped a Bomb on Me"
    Released: August 1982
  3. "Outstanding"
    Released: November 1982
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauB+[2]

Gap Band IV is the sixth studio album by the Gap Band, released in 1982 on Total Experience Records. The album reached No. 1 on the Black Albums chart and No. 14 on the Pop Albums chart, achieved platinum status, and is considered their most successful project.

The album produced the singles "Early in the Morning" (#1 Black Singles, #13 Club Play Singles, #24 Pop Singles), "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" (#2 Black Singles, #39 Club Play Singles, #31 Pop Singles), and "Outstanding" (#1 Black Singles, #24 Club Play Singles, #51 Pop Singles). It also achieved a rare feat in which every song on the album received radio airplay.

It was the first album producer Lonnie Simmons released directly on his label, Total Experience Records. The album was reissued on CD in 1994 by Mercury Records.

Track listing

Gap Band IV track listing
# Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Early in the Morning" Charlie Wilson, Lonnie Simmons, Rudy Taylor 6:30
2. "Season's No Reason to Change" Lonnie Simmons, Ronnie Wilson 4:49
3. "Lonely Like Me" Lonnie Simmons, Ronnie Wilson, Rudy Taylor 5:21
4. "Outstanding" Raymond Calhoun 3:18
5. "Stay with Me" Ronnie Wilson 4:11
6. "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" Charlie Wilson, Lonnie Simmons, Rudy Taylor 5:10
7. "I Can't Get Over You" Charlie Wilson, Lonnie Simmons, Ronnie Wilson 6:02
8. "Talkin' Back" Charlie Wilson, Lonnie Simmons, Robert Wilson, Ronnie Wilson, Rudy Taylor 6:42

Personnel

  • Charlie Wilson – Keyboards, Synthesizer, Percussion, Lead and Backing Vocals
  • Ronnie Wilson – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Percussion, Backing Vocals
  • Robert Wilson – Bass, Guitar, Percussion, Backing Vocals
  • Oliver Scott – Horns, Synthesizer, Keyboards
  • Raymond Calhoun – Drums, Percussion
  • Melvin Webb, Ronnie Kaufman – Drums
  • Dionne Oliver – Bass
  • Fred Jenkins, Glen Nightingale, Jimi Macon – Guitar
  • Robert "Goodie" Whitfield, Louis Cabaza – Keyboards, Synthesizer
  • Wilmer Raglin- Horns, Backing Vocals
  • Andy Ward, Earl Roberson, Larry Stone – Horns
  • David Drew, Marva King, Maxayn Lewis, Alisa Peoples, Calvin Yarbrough, Lonnie Simmons, Rudy Taylor, Sheila Young, Val Young – Backing Vocals

Charts

Chart (1982) Peak
position
Billboard Pop Albums[3] 14
Billboard Top Soul Albums[3] 1

Singles

Year Single Chart positions[4]
US
Pop 		US
R&B 		US
Disco
1982 "Early in the Morning" 24 1 13
"You Dropped a Bomb on Me" 31 2 39
1983 "Outstanding" 51 1 24

See also

References

  1. ^ Lytle, Craig. Gap Band IV > review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-04-15.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Gap Band IV > review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2013-04-15.
  3. ^ a b "The Gap Band US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  4. ^ "The Gap Band US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-09-11.