1985 Bill Withers – Watching You Watching Me
Watching You Watching Me is the eighth album by Bill Withers, released in 1985
It featured the Top 40-rated R&B single “Oh Yeah”, and ended Withers’ business association with Columbia Records. Bill Withers stated in interviews that a lot of the songs approved for the album, in particular, two of the first three singles released, were the same songs which were rejected in 1982, hence contributing significantly to the eight-year hiatus between albums. Withers also stated it was frustrating seeing his record label release an album for Mr. T, an actor, when they were preventing him, an actual singer, from releasing his own. He toured with Jennifer Holiday in 1985 to promote what would be his final
Tracks
1 Oh Yeah! (Bill Withers, David Foster, Larry Carlton) 4:05
2 Something That Turns You On (Bill Withers) 4:25
3 Don’t Make Me Wait (Bill Withers, Don Freeman) 4:02
4 Heart In Your Life (Bill Withers) 4:18
5 Watching You Watching Me (William Eaton) 5:49
6 We Could Be Sweet Lovers (William Eaton) 3:30
7 You Just Can’t Smile It Away (Bill Withers) 4:44
8 Steppin’ Right Along (Bill Withers) 5:48
9 Whatever Happens (Bill Withers, Larry Carlton) 3:18
10 You Try To Find A Love (Michel Colombier, Bill Withers) 5:19
Biography
Musicians
1 Oh Yeah!
| Bass | Nathan East |
| Drums | JR Robinson |
| Guitar | Mike Landau |
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Bill Withers |
| Tom Tom | Bill Withers |
| Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Background Vocals | Denise Decaro |
| Background Vocals | Marty McCall |
| Background Vocals | Myrna Matthews |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
2 Something That Turns You On
| Bass | Bill Withers |
| Drums (Linn) | Keith Seppanen |
| Clavinet | Paul Smith |
| Fender Rhodes | Bill Withers |
| Synthesizer | Paul Smith |
| Synthesizer | Bill Withers |
| Cymbal | MB Gordy |
| Tom Tom | MB Gordy |
| Background Vocals | Edie Lehmann |
| Background Vocals | Kate Markowitz |
| Background Vocals | Phil Perry |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
3 Don’t Make Me Wait
| Bass | Bob Popwell |
| Bass | Don Freeman |
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Clavinet | Don Freeman |
| Piano | Don Freeman |
| Synthesizer | Don Freeman |
| Strings (Synthesizer) | Robbie Buchanan |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
4 Heart In Your Life
| Bass | Bill Withers |
| Drums (synthesizer) | Keith Seppanen |
| Effects | Bill Withers |
| Piano | Bill Withers |
| Synthesizer | Greg Phillinganes |
| Strings (Synthesizer) | Bill Withers |
| Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
5 Watching You Watching Me
| Bass | Marcus Miller |
| Drums | Buddy Williams |
| Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Clavinet | Marcus Miller |
| Fender Rhodes | Richard Tee |
| Harpsichord | Marcus Miller |
| Synthesizer | Marcus Miller |
| Strings (Synthesizer) | Robbie Buchanan |
| Brass | Marcus Miller |
| Bells | Marcus Miller |
| Percussion | Ralph MacDonald |
| Background Vocals | Lonnie Groves |
| Background Vocals | Maretha Stewart |
| Background Vocals | Yvonne Lewis |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
6 We Could Be Sweet Lovers
| Drums | JR Robinson |
| Synthesizer | Bill Withers |
| Synthesizer | Don Freeman |
| Synthesizer | Paul Smith |
| Flute | Bill Withers |
| Flute | Paul Smith |
| Steel Drums | Don Freeman |
| Bells | Don Freeman |
| Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Background Vocals | Edie Lehmann |
| Background Vocals | Kate Markowitz |
| Background Vocals | Phil Perry |
| Vocals | Alex Brown |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
7 You Just Can’t Smile It Away
| Synthesizer | Paul Smith |
| Strings (Synthesizer) | Robbie Buchanan |
| Sax | Ernie Watts |
| Background Vocals | Edie Lehmann |
| Background Vocals | Kate Markowitz |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
8 Steppin’ Right Along
| Drums | JR Robinson |
| Guitar | Joe Kelly |
| Clavinet | Bill Withers |
| Synthesizer | Bill Withers |
| Synthesizer | Don Freeman |
| Synthesizer | Paul Smith |
| Horns | Paul Smith |
| Strings | Don Freeman |
| Vibraphone | Don Freeman |
| HiHAt | MB Gordy |
| Tambourine | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Tom Tom | MB Gordy |
| Background Vocals | Denise Routt |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
9 Whatever Happens
| Piano | Greg Phillinganes |
| Synthesizer | Greg Phillinganes |
| Strings (Synthesizer) | Michel Colombier |
| Bells | Michel Colombier |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
10 You Try To Find A Love
| Guitar | Paul Jackson Jr |
| Programming | Michel Colombier |
| Background Vocals | Yolie |
| Vocals | Bill Withers |
Liner Notes
Producer – Bill Withers (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Producer – Larry Carlton (Track 1)
Producer – Denny Diante (Tracks 3, 4, 5, 9, 10)
Producer – Don Freeman (Track 3)
Producer – Ralph MacDonald (Track 5)
Producer – Michel Colombier (Track 10)
Co-producer – Denny Diante (Track 1)
Arranged By – David Foster (Track 1)
Arranged By – Don Freeman (Track 3)
Arranged By (Backing Vocals) – Alex Brown, Denise Routt, Phil Perry (Track 2)
Engineer – Keith Seppanen (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Engineer – Hal Sacks, Keith Seppanen, Larry Carlton, Larry Hirsch, Mick Guzauski (Track 1)
Engineer – Ed Cherney (Track 7)
Engineer – Erik Zobler, Tom Suefert (Track 3)
Engineer – Frank Wolf, Kendall Brown, Ed Heath (Track 5)
Engineer – Mick Guzauski (Track 10)
Mixed By – Mick Guzauski
Mixed By (Assistant) – Richard McKernan, Rick Clifford, Sharon Rice
Art Direction – Nick Lane, Nancy Donald
Photography – Todd Gray
Mastered At Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Mixed At The Complex, LA, CA
Mixed At Conway Studios, LA, CA
Recorded At Room 335
Recorded At Yamaha R&D Recording Studios
Recorded At Sunset Sound
Recorded At Conway Studios
Recorded At Redwing
Recorded At Rosebud
Recorded At The Complex
Phonographic Copyright CBS Inc
Copyright CBS Inc