David Lasley, Dean Parks, Irene Cara, James Newton-Howard, Lenny Castro, Mike Baird, Neil Stubenhaus, Richie Zito, Stephanie Spruill, The Waters, Will Lee
What a Feelin’ is the second album by American singer-songwriter Irene Cara and her most successful album to date. Released in November 1983, this album is dominated by dance-pop and Euro disco songs produced by the legendary producer Giorgio Moroder, unlike her R&B-heavy debut. Many of the songs were co-written by Cara herself. The album includes the major hit singles, “Dream (Hold On to Your Dream)” (U.S. #37), “Flashdance… What a Feelin'” (her only #1 hit in the U.S.), “Why Me?” (U.S. #13), “You Were Made for Me” (U.S. #78) and “Breakdance” (which was her third and last Top 10 single in the U.S., reaching #8).
Although the album was a success thanks to its singles, it struggled to stay in the top 100 of the Billboard Top 200 Albums. Critics on Allmusic speculated that it was because the album was released at the end of 1983 and the lead-off single, “Flashdance…What a Feelin'” had been released earlier that spring and people had already purchased either copies of the single or the best-selling soundtrack album to Flashdance.
Tracks
1 Why Me? (Giorgio Moroder, Irene Cara, Keith Forsey) 4:41
2 Breakdance (Giorgio Moroder, Bunny Hull, Irene Cara) 3:28
3 The Dream (Hold On To Your Dream) (Giorgio Moroder, Irene Cara, Pete Bellotte) 4:50
4 You Took My Life Away (Giorgio Moroder, Irene Cara) 3:55
5 Keep On (Arthur Barrow, Richie Zito, Irene Cara, Keith Forsey) 3:32
6 Flashdance…What A Feeling (Giorgio Moroder, Irene Cara, Keith Forsey) 3:59
7 Romance 83 (Giorgio Moroder, Irene Cara) 3:58
8 Cue Me Up (Giorgio Moroder, Irene Cara, Keith Forsey) 3:27
9 Receiving (Bill Seidman) 3:44
10 You Were Made For Me (Irene Cara, Eddie Brown) 4:23
Musicians
1 Why Me?
| Bass | Arthur Barrow |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Arthur Barrow |
| Background Vocals | Joe Esposito |
| Background Vocals | Stephanie Spruill |
| Background Vocals | Maxine Willard Waters |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
2 Breakdance
| Bass | Arthur Barrow |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Arthur Barrow |
| Background Vocals | Giorgio Moroder |
| Background Vocals | Bunny Hull |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
3 The Dream (Hold On To Your Dream)
| Bass | Arthur Barrow |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Arthur Barrow |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
4 You Took My Life Away
| Bass | Arthur Barrow |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Sylvester Levay |
| Keyboards | Arthur Barrow |
| Percussion | Keith Forsey |
| Background Vocals | Giorgio Moroder |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
5 Keep On
| Bass | Arthur Barrow |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Arthur Barrow |
| Percussion | Irene Cara |
| Background Vocals | Joe Pizzulo |
| Background Vocals | Beth Anderson |
| Background Vocals | Mary Hylan |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
6 Flashdance…What A Feeling
| Drums | Keith Forsey |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Sylvester Levay |
| Background Vocals | Joe Esposito |
| Background Vocals | Stephanie Spruill |
| Background Vocals | Maxine Willard Waters |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
7 Romance 83
| Bass | Arthur Barrow |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Arthur Barrow |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
8 Cue Me Up
| Bass | Arthur Barrow |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Keyboards | Arthur Barrow |
| Background Vocals | Beth Anderson |
| Background Vocals | Mary Hylan |
| Vocals | Joe Pizzulo |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
9 Receiving
| Bass | Will Lee |
| Drums (programming) | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | Richie Zito |
| Guitar | William Seidman |
| Guitar | Joe Caro |
| Percussion | Carol Steel |
| Percussion | Victoria Berdy |
| Percussion | Leo Adamian |
| Background Vocals | Bunny Hull |
| Background Vocals | Beth Anderson |
| Background Vocals | Maxine Willard Waters |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
10 You Were Made For Me
| Bass | Neil Stubenhaus |
| Drums | Mike Baird |
| Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Piano | James Newton-Howard |
| Synthesizer | James Newton-Howard |
| Percussion | Lenny Castro |
| Background Vocals | Bruce Roberts |
| Background Vocals | David Lasley |
| Background Vocals | Charlotte Crossley |
| Background Vocals | Bunny Hull |
| Background Vocals | Wendy McKenzie |
| Vocals | Irene Cara |
Liner Notes
Producer – Giorgio Moroder
Producer – James Newton Howard (Track 10)
Arranged By – Richie Zito
Arranged By – Sylvester Levay (Track 6)
Arranged By (Co-arrangement) – Bill Seidman (Track 9)
Engineer – Brian Reeves, Michael Frondelli
Engineer – Dave Concors (Track 9),
Engineer – Elliot Scheiner, Rick Ruggieri (Track 10)
Engineer (Co-engineering) – Bill Seidman (Track 9)
Engineer (Mixing) – Jack Joseph Puig (Track 10)
Mastered By – Greg Fulginiti
Design – Christopher Whorf, Jeffery Fey
Photography By – Harry Langdon
Phonographic Copyright (p) – The David Geffen Company
Copyright (c) – The David Geffen Company
Phonographic Copyright (p) – PolyGram Records, Inc.
Manufactured By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
Designed At – Art Hotel
Recorded At – Electric Lady Studios
Recorded At – Oasis Recording Studios
Recorded At – Carla Ridge
Recorded At – Northern Music Recorders
Recorded At – Bill Schnee Studios
Recorded At – Sunset Sound
Mixed At – Oasis Recording Studios
Mixed At – Westlake Studios
Mastered At – Artisan Sound Recorders
Mastered At – Sheffield Lab Matrix
What a Feelin’ is the second album by American singer-songwriter Irene Cara and her most successful album to date. Released in November 1983, this album is dominated by dance-pop and Euro disco songs produced by the legendary producer Giorgio Moroder, unlike her R&B-heavy debut. Many of the songs were co-written by Cara herself. The album includes the major hit singles, “Dream (Hold On to Your Dream)” (U.S. #37), “Flashdance… What a Feelin'” (her only #1 hit in the U.S.), “Why Me?” (U.S. #13), “You Were Made for Me” (U.S. #78) and “Breakdance” (which was her third and last Top 10 single in the U.S., reaching #8).