Blue Obsession

Blue Obsession
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 28, 2000
Studio
GenreBlue-eyed soul
Length60:03
LabelRamp Records
Producer
Michael McDonald chronology
Blink of an Eye
(1993)
Blue Obsession
(2000)
Motown
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Blue Obsession is the fifth solo album by American singer-songwriter Michael McDonald. The album was released on March 28, 2000, by Ramp Records.[2][3] The original album was pulled from release before it got to stores, but a few advance copies did get out. The original has a different track listing and three songs from it were removed and replaced by other songs. A cover of "Tell It Like It Is" was pulled and still has never been officially released. Catalog # 2-46508 was the promo on the Reprise label, not Ramp.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All I Need"5:41
2."No Love to Be Found"5:32
3."Obsession Blues"
  • Chiaravalle
  • McDonald
4:36
4."Where Would I Be Now"6:09
5."Build Upon It"
  • Chiaravalle
  • McDonald
5:06
6."The Meaning of Love"
  • Jim Photoglo
  • McDonald
5:31
7."Open the Door"
  • Tommy Sims
  • McDonald
5:50
8."Kikwit Town"5:42
9."Down by the River"Neil Young5:37
10."Someday You Will"
  • Chiaravalle
  • McDonald
4:24
11."Ain't That Peculiar"5:15
12."You Can't Make It Love"
  • John Scott Sherrill
  • McDonald
4:27

Personnel

Musicians and Vocalists

  • Michael McDonald – lead vocals, synthesizers (2, 4, 8, 10), organ (3, 7, 9), acoustic piano (4, 5, 11, 12), clavinet (5), backing vocals (11)
  • Tommy Sims – keyboards (1, 6, 8), bass (1–3, 6–8, 10), duet vocals (1), clavinet (2), rhythm guitar (2), guitars (6, 7), drum programming (6), synthesizers (7), acoustic piano (8, 10), percussion (8)
  • Marc Harris – organ (1, 4–7, 12), clavinet (5)
  • Billy Livsey – organ (2, 10)
  • Johnny NeelHammond B3 organ (3)
  • Tim Akers – organ (4)
  • David Pack – additional keyboards (11), guitars (11)
  • Joe Houge – programming (11), organ (11), sampling (11)
  • Chris Rodriguez – guitars (1, 11), acoustic guitar (12)
  • Bernie Chiaravalle – rhythm guitar (2), guitar solo (2), guitars (3–5, 10), cymbals (4)
  • George Cocchini – acoustic guitar (3), guitars (8)
  • Will Owsley – electric guitar (3)
  • Gordon Kennedy – acoustic guitar (6, 10), electric guitar (10)
  • Chris Pelonis – guitars (9)
  • Chris Kent – electric bass (5)
  • Todd Smith – bass (9)
  • Dan Needham – drums (1–3, 7, 8, 10), percussion (3)
  • Yvette Preyer – drums (4, 5), tambourine (5)
  • Chester Thompson – wave drum (8)
  • Brian Zsupnik – drums (9)
  • George Perilli – drums (11)
  • Tom Roady – percussion (1, 7)
  • Terry McMillan – percussion (4), congas (5)
  • Danny Duncan – sound effects (8), percussion (10)
  • Mark Douthit – saxophones (1, 2, 7)
  • Doug Moffet – saxophones (1, 2, 7)
  • Denis Solee – saxophones (1, 2, 7)
  • Barry Green – trombone (1)
  • Mike Haynes – trumpet (1)
  • Sam Levine – flute (6)
  • Bobby Taylor – oboe (6)
  • Viktor Kraussbass fiddle (4)
  • The Nashville String Machine – strings (1, 6)
  • Carl Gorodetzky – concertmaster (1, 6), violin (8)
  • Anthony LaMarchina – cello (1, 6)
  • Bob Mason – cello (1, 6, 8)
  • Carol McClure – harp (1, 6)
  • Alan Umstead – viola (1, 6)
  • Gary Vanosdale – viola (1, 6)
  • Kris Wilkinson – viola (1, 6, 8)
  • David Davidson – violin (1, 6)
  • Conni Ellisor – violin (1, 6)
  • Lee Larrison – violin (1, 6)
  • Pamela Sixfin – violin (1, 6, 8)
  • Mary Kathryn Vanosdale – violin (1, 6)
  • Tabitha Fair – backing vocals (1)
  • Angelo Petrucci – backing vocals (1)
  • Veronica Petrucci – backing vocals (1)
  • Nicol Smith – backing vocals (1, 8)
  • Chris Willis – backing vocals (1)
  • Wendy Moten – duet and backing vocals (2)
  • Amy Holland – harmony vocals (4), backing vocals (7, 9)
  • Rodney Covington – backing vocals (5)
  • Stacy Covington – backing vocals (5)
  • Delores Cox – backing vocals (5)
  • Ladre Fayne – backing vocals (5)
  • Pamela Holman – backing vocals (5)
  • Alfreda McCrary – backing vocals (5)
  • Tiffany Palmer – backing vocals (5)
  • Demitria Slaydon – backing vocals (5)
  • Duane Starling – backing vocals (5)
  • Timothy Terry – backing vocals (5)
  • Karla Bonoff – backing vocals (9)
  • Christopher Cross – backing vocals (9)
  • Claude McKnight – backing vocals (10)
  • Joey Kibble – backing vocals (10)
  • Mark Kibble – backing vocals (10)
  • Toby McKeehan – duet and backing vocals (11)
  • Kevin Max Smith – backing vocals (11)
  • Michael Tait – backing vocals (11)

Music arrangements

  • Tommy Sims – rhythm arrangements (1, 2, 6–8), horn arrangements (1, 2, 7) vocal arrangements (1, 2)
  • Tim Akers – horn arrangements (1, 2, 7), string arrangements (1, 8), string conductor (1)
  • Bernie Chiaravalle – rhythm arrangements (2, 3, 10)
  • Michael McDonald – rhythm arrangements (2, 3, 6, 8, 10), vocal arrangements (2)
  • Wendy Moten – vocal arrangements (2)
  • Rodney Covington – BGV arrangements (5)
  • Ronn Huff – string arrangements and conductor (6)

Production

  • Tommy Sims – producer (1–3, 6–8, 10, 12)
  • Bernie Chiaravalle – producer (4, 5)
  • Michael McDonald – producer (4, 5, 9, 11)
  • David Pack – producer (11)
  • Gail Chiaravalle – production coordinator
  • Bridgett Evans O'Lannerghty – production coordinator
  • Susan Henson – production coordinator
  • Bruce Steinberg – art direction, inside photography
  • Simon Design – design
  • Dennis Keeley – front cover photography
  • Gary Braasch – back cover photography
  • Tony Stone Images – back cover photography
  • Greg Fruin and Howard Kaufman for HK Management – management

Technical credits

  • Mark Casselman – engineer
  • Ben Fowler – engineer
  • Andy Gerome – engineer
  • Jon Lechner – engineer
  • Russ Martin – engineer
  • Chris Pelonis – engineer, mixing (9)
  • Greg Rubin – engineer, mixing (1, 7, 8, 10, 12)
  • Grady Walker – engineer
  • Martin Woodlee – engineer
  • Rick Will – mixing (2–6, 11)
  • Joe Costa – assistant engineer
  • Tim Coyle – assistant engineer
  • Dave Dillbeck – assistant engineer
  • Mark Frigo – assistant engineer
  • Tony Green – assistant engineer
  • Graham Lewis – assistant engineer
  • Shawn McLean – assistant engineer
  • Hank Nirider – assistant engineer
  • F. Reid Shippen – assistant engineer
  • Shyene Guy – hard disk editing (4, 5)
  • Joe Houge – track editing (11)

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Blue Obsession – Michael McDonald". AllMusic. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  2. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Blue Obsession – Michael McDonald | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  3. ^ "Michael McDonald, Patient With 'Blue Obsession'". Articles.latimes.com. February 3, 2000. Retrieved September 22, 2015.