1985 Bill Withers – Watching You Watching Me

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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

Musicians

1 Oh Yeah!

BassNathan East
DrumsJR Robinson
KeyboardsDavid Foster
SynthesizerBill Withers
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa
Background VocalsDenise Decaro
Background VocalsMarty McCall
Background VocalsMyrna Matthews


2 Something That Turns You On

BassBill Withers
ClavinetPaul Smith
Fender RhodesBill Withers
SynthesizerPaul Smith
SynthesizerKeith Seppanen
SynthesizerBill Withers
PercussionMB Gordy
Background VocalsAlex Brown
Background VocalsDenise Routt
VocalsPhil Perry


3 Don’t Make Me Wait

BassBob Popwell
BassDon Freeman
GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
KeyboardsRobbie Buchanan
PianoDon Freeman
SynthesizerDon Freeman


4 Heart In Your Life

BassBill Withers
PianoBill Withers
SynthesizerGreg Phillinganes
SynthesizerBill Withers
SynthesizerKeith Seppanen
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa


5 Watching You Watching Me

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarDann Huff
ClavinetMarcus Miller
Fender RhodesRichard Tee
SynthesizerRobbie Buchanan
SynthesizerMarcus Miller
PercussionRalph MacDonald
HarpsichordMarcus Miller
Background VocalsLonnie Groves
Background VocalsMaretha Stewart
Background VocalsYvonne Lewis


6 We Could Be Sweet Lovers

DrumsJR Robinson
SynthesizerBill Withers
SynthesizerDon Freeman
SynthesizerPaul Smith
Steel DrumsDon Freeman
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa
Background VocalsEdie Lahmann
Background VocalsKate Markowitz
Background VocalsPhil Perry
VocalsAlex Brown

 

7 You Just Can’t Smile It Away

SynthesizerPaul Smith
SynthesizerRobbie Buchanan
SaxErnie Watts
Background VocalsEdie Lahmann
Background VocalsKate Markowitz


8 Steppin’ Right Along

DrumsJR Robinson
KeyboardsJoe Kelly
SynthesizerBill Withers
SynthesizerDon Freeman
SynthesizerPaul Smith
VibraphoneDon Freeman
PercussionMB Gordy
PercussionPaulinho Da Costa
Background VocalsDenise Routt


9 Whatever Happens

PianoGreg Phillinganes
SynthesizerGreg Phillinganes
SynthesizerMichel Colombier


10 You Try To Find A Love

GuitarPaul Jackson Jr
SynthesizerMichel Colombier
SynthesizerMichel Colombier

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 By – Todd Gray

Manufactured By – Columbia Records
Manufactured By – CBS Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – CBS Inc.
Copyright (c) – CBS Inc.
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman