The Force Behind the Power

The Force Behind the Power
Studio album by
Diana Ross
ReleasedSeptember 10, 1991
Genre
Length
  • 47:33
  • 56:51
LabelMotown
Producer
Diana Ross chronology
Greatest Hits Live
(1989) 		The Force Behind the Power
(1991) 		Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz and Blues
(1993)
Singles from The Force Behind the Power
  1. "If We Hold on Together"
    Released: November 5, 1988
  2. "No Matter What You Do (Duet w/ Al B. Sure)"
    Released: February 20, 1991
  3. "When You Tell Me That You Love Me"
    Released: August 20, 1991
  4. "You're Gonna Love It"
    Released: October 15, 1991
  5. "The Force Behind The Power"
    Released: January 15, 1992
  6. "Waiting in the Wings"
    Released: April 28, 1992 (Promo)
  7. "One Shining Moment"
    Released: July 1992
  8. "Heart (Don't Change My Mind)"
    Released: September 1992
  9. "Battlefield"
    Released: 1992 (Promo)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Robert Christgau(dud)[3]
Entertainment WeeklyC[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]
NME5/10[6]

The Force Behind the Power is the nineteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 10, 1991, by Motown Records.[7] The album reached No. 11 on the UK Albums chart and became the biggest selling studio album of her career there, selling over half a million copies in the UK alone.[8]

Singles

The album spun off five hit singles in the UK — most successfully "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles chart (and No. 26 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart), earning a BPI Silver disc for UK sales of over 200,000 copies. "One Shining Moment" and the album's Stevie Wonder-produced title track reached numbers 10 and 27 on the UK singles chart, respectively.[9][8]

"If We Hold on Together" reached No. 11 on the UK singles chart, while a cover of Barbra Streisand's "Heart (Don't Change My Mind)" reached No. 31 on the UK singles chart.[8][10]

"No Matter What You Do", a duet with Al B. Sure!, peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, while "You're Gonna Love It" written by Cydney Davis and Lloyd Tolbert reached No. 24 on the US Dance/Club Play chart.[11][12]

"If We Hold on Together" was originally recorded for Don Bluth's 1988 animated adventure film The Land Before Time. It rose to prominence after it was released as a single worldwide in the latter part of 1988 (most prominently in Japan in 1990, after it was used as the theme song for the TBS drama Omoide ni Kawaru Made).[13] It reached No. 1 on the Japanese International single charts for 12 weeks making it the biggest selling record by a foreign artist; and in total, sold over 465,000 copies.[14][15]

Commercial reception

In the UK the album certified platinum for sales exceeding 300,000 copies.[16]

Track listings

US edition

  1. "Change of Heart" (Terry Britten, Graham Lyle) – 4:02
  2. "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" (John Bettis, Albert Hammond) – 4:13
  3. "Battlefield" (Paul Carrack, Nick Lowe) – 3:35
  4. "Blame It on the Sun" (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) – 3:55
  5. "Heavy Weather" (Michael Sembello) – 4:59
  6. "The Force Behind the Power" (Stevie Wonder) – 4:45
  7. "Heart (Don't Change My Mind)" (Robbie Buchanan, Diane Warren) – 4:19
  8. "Waiting in the Wings" (Andy Hill, Pete Sinfield) – 4:52
  9. "One Shining Moment" (Vaneese Thomas) – 4:48
  10. "You're Gonna Love It" (Cydney Davis, Lloyd Tolbert) – 5:11
  11. "If We Hold on Together" (James Horner, Barry Mann, Will Jennings) – 4:09

International edition

  1. "Change of Heart" (Britten, Lyle) – 4:03
  2. "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" (Bettis, Hammond) – 4:13
  3. "Battlefield" (Carrack, Lowe) – 3:35
  4. "Blame It on the Sun" (Wonder, Wright) – 3:55
  5. "You're Gonna Love It" (Davis, Tolbert) – 5:11
  6. "Heavy Weather" (Sembello) – 4:59
  7. "The Force Behind the Power" (Wonder) – 4:42
  8. "Heart (Don't Change My Mind)" (Buchanan, Warren) – 4:19
  9. "Waiting in the Wings" (Hill, Sinfield) – 4:52
  10. "You and I" (Dormer, Goldo, Vigil) – 4:09
  11. "One Shining Moment" (Thomas) – 4:48
  12. "If We Hold on Together" (James Horner, Barry Mann, Will Jennings) – 4:13
  13. "No Matter What You Do" (duet with Al B. Sure!) (Brown, West) – 5:09

Personnel

  • Diana Ross – lead vocals
  • John Barnes – keyboards (1, 5, 9), synthesizers (1, 5, 6, 9), synthesizer programming (1, 5, 6, 9), Synclavier (1, 5, 6, 9), Synclavier programming and arrangements (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Llyod Tolbert – keyboards (1, 5, 9), synthesizer programming (1, 5, 6, 9), arrangements (1, 5, 9)
  • Kevin Perry – additional programming (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Andrew Scheps – additional programming (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (2–4, 8, 9)
  • Andrew Gold – organ (3), acoustic guitar (3)
  • James Anthony Carmichael – arrangements (1, 5, 6, 9), keyboards (6), synthesizers (6)
  • Stevie Wonder – all instruments (6), arrangements (6), choir arrangement (6)
  • Rob Arbittier – programming (7)
  • Atle Bakken – programming (7)
  • Malcolm Cecil – programming (7)
  • Randy Kerber – keyboards (12)
  • Guy Moon – keyboards (12)
  • Carlos Rios – guitars (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Michael Landau – guitars (2–4, 8, 11)
  • Waddy Wachtel – guitars (12)
  • Freddie Washington – bass (2–4, 8)
  • Larry Klein – bass (11)
  • Leland Sklar – bass (12)
  • Carlos Vega – drums (2–4, 8, 9)
  • Russ Kunkel – drums (12)
  • Michael Fisher – percussion (2–4, 8, 9, 11), vibraphone (3)
  • Nathaniel Kunkel – percussion (9)
  • Warren Ham – harmonica (3, 6)
  • John Helliwell – saxophone (8)
  • David Campbell – BGV arrangements, orchestra arrangements and conductor (2–4, 8, 11, 12)
  • Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader (2–4, 8, 11, 12)
  • Isobel Griffiths – orchestra contractor (2–4, 8, 11, 12)
  • Marva King – backing vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Arnold McCuller – backing vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Deborah Thomas – backing vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Fred White – backing vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
  • Peter Asher – backing vocals (2), tambourine (3), drum and percussion programming (11)
  • Valerie Carter – backing vocals (2–4, 8, 11, 12)
  • Kate Markowitz – backing vocals (2–4, 8, 11, 12)
  • Cydney Davis – backing vocals (5)
  • The Andraé Crouch Singers – choir (7)

Production

  • Executive producer – Diana Ross
  • Producers – James Anthony Carmichael (tracks 1, 5, 6 & 9); Peter Asher (tracks 2–4, 8 & 10–13); Stevie Wonder (track 6).
  • Co-producer on track 7 – Nathan Watts
  • Co-producer on track 5 – Lloyd Tolbert
  • A&R direction – Debbie Sandridge
  • Album coordinator – Marylata E. Jacob
  • Engineers – Calvin Harris and Jack Rouben (tracks 1, 5, 6 & 9); Frank Wolf (tracks 2–4, 8, 10–12); Steve Van Arden (track 7).
  • Assistant engineers – Mark Hagen and Andrew Scheps (tracks 1, 5, 6 & 9); Bryant Arnett, Darren Godwin, Mike Harlow, Nathaniel Kunkel Ken Lauber and Gil Morales (tracks 2–4, 8, 10–12); Jimmy Sandweiss (track 7).
  • Recorded at Bill Schnee Studio, Studio F, Wonderland Studios, Westlake Audio, Off Meleose Recording Studio and The Complex (Los Angeles, CA); Cal Harris Studios (Woodland Hills, CA); The Sandbox (Easton, CT); Abbey Road Studios (London, England).
  • Digital editing on track 7 – R.R. Harlan
  • Mixing – Calvin Harris (tracks 1, 5, 6 & 9); Frank Wolf (tracks 2–4, 8, 10–12); Steve Van Arden (track 7).
  • Mixed at Conway Studios (Hollywood, CA), The Complex, Cal Harris Studios and Wonderland Studios.
  • Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
  • Art direction – Dennis Woloch
  • Design concept – Diana Ross
  • Painting – Barry Kamen
  • Photography – Herb Ritts
  • Assistant to Diana Ross – Judith Service

Charts

Chart performance for The Force Behind the Power
Chart (1991–1992) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] 100
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[18] 32
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)[19] 30
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 43
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 37
UK Albums (OCC)[22] 11
US Billboard 200[23] 101

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Platinum 300,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ AllMusic review
  2. ^ DeKnock, Jan (November 7, 1991). "Home Entertainment: Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 8.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Diana Ross". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Berger, Arion (November 1, 1991). "Force Behind the Power". Entertainment Weekly.
  5. ^ Johnson, Connie (November 3, 1991). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Quantick, David (August 10, 1991). "Long Play". NME. p. 30. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  7. ^ "Diana Ross: The Force Behind the Power". 45worlds.com.
  8. ^ a b c "Diana Ross". officialcharts.com.
  9. ^ "Diana Ross: When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Adult Contemporary Songs)". Billboard.
  10. ^ "Diana Ross: Heart (Don't change my mind)". secondhandsongs.com.
  11. ^ "Diana Ross: No Matter What You Do (Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs)". billboard.com.
  12. ^ "Diana Ross: You're Gonna Love It (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  13. ^ "想い出にかわるまで". TBS. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  14. ^ "イフ・ウイ・ホールド・オン・トゥゲザー - ダイアナ・ロス". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  15. ^ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-08-07. (subscription only)
  16. ^ a b "British album certifications – Diana Ross – The Force Behind the Power". British Phonographic Industry.
  17. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 239.
  18. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Diana Ross – The Force Behind the Power" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  19. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. January 11, 1992. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  20. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Diana Ross – The Force Behind the Power". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  21. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Diana Ross – The Force Behind the Power". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  22. ^ "Diana Ross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  23. ^ "Diana Ross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2020.