1994 Vanessa Williams – The Sweetest Days
The Sweetest Days is the third studio album by Vanessa Williams, released on December 6, 1994. The album peaked at No. 57 on the U.S. pop albums chart and at No. 25 on the R&B albums chart and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
It includes the singles, “You Can’t Run”, “Betcha Never”, “The Way That You Love” and the title track. It also includes the first recording of the song “Higher Ground” later covered by Barbra Streisand as the title track from her 1997 album as well as cover versions of songs previously recorded by Patti Austin and Sting. The album was re-released in 1995 with the additional track, “Colors of the Wind”, the theme from the Disney animated film, Pocahontas.
Tracks
1 Intro-lude (Nick Moroch; Gerry E Brown) 00:56
2 The Way That You Love (J Dibbs; Abenaa) 04:48
3 Betcha Never (BabyFace) 03:58
4 The Sweetest Days (Jon Lind; Phil Galdston; Wendy Waldman) 03:31
5 Higher Ground (George Green; Steve Dorff) 04:21
6 You Don’t Have To Say You’re Sorry (Patti Austin) 04:10
7 Ellamental (Laythan Armor) 06:06
8 Sister Moon (Sting) 05:27
9 You Can’t Run (BabyFace) 04:26
10 Moonlight Over Paris (Jim Mayer; Peter Mayer; Roger Guth) 05:06
11 Constantly (Donald Robinson) 05:04
12 Long Way Home (Eric Carmen; Brock Walsh; Phil Galdston) 04:19
Biography
Musicians
1 Intro-lude
| Guitar | Nick Moroch |
| Keyboards | Gerry E Brown |
| Effects | Gerry E Brown |
2 The Way That You Love
| Guitar | Nick Moroch |
| Piano | Leon Pendarvis |
| Programming | J Dibbs |
| Vibraphone | Roy Ayers |
| Background Vocals | Abenaa |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
3 Betcha Never
| Drums (programming) | BabyFace |
| Guitar | Ricardo Silveira |
| Keyboards | BabyFace |
| Programming | Randy Walker |
| Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
4 The Sweetest Days
| Bass | Keith Thomas |
| Drums (programming) | Mark Hammond |
| Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Acoustic Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Piano | Keith Thomas |
| Programming | Keith Thomas |
| Background Vocals | Tabitha Fair |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
5 Higher Ground
| Bass (synthesizer) | Nick Moroch |
| Guitar | Nick Moroch |
| Mellotron | Nick Moroch |
| Organ | Joel Diamond |
| Strings | Jeff Bova |
| Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
6 You Don’t Have To Say You’re Sorry
| Guitar (solo) | Larry Carlton |
| Guitar | Bill Malina |
| Fender Rhodes | Greg Phillinganes |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
7 Ellamental
| Guitar | Nick Moroch |
| Acoustic Guitar | Ron Carter |
| Electric Piano | Gerry E Brown |
| Fender Rhodes | Laythan Armor |
| Sax | Ron Blake |
| Trumpet | Roy Hargrove |
| Background Vocals | Fonzi Thornton |
| Background Vocals | Kenny Hicks |
| Background Vocals | Bunny Hull |
| Rap | Soul Man |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
8 Sister Moon
| Bass | Armand Sabal-Lecco |
| Acoustic Bass | Ron Carter |
| Drums | Kenwood Dennard |
| Drums | Peter Erskine |
| Keyboards | Jeff Bova |
| Piano | Philippe Saisse |
| Harmonica | Toots Thielemans |
| Background Vocals | Sting |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
9 You Can’t Run
| Drums (programming) | BabyFace |
| Keyboards | BabyFace |
| Programming | Randy Walker |
| Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
10 Moonlight Over Paris
| Bass | Anthony Jackson |
| Bass | Pino Palladino |
| Guitar | Nick Moroch |
| Mandolin | Nick Moroch |
| Keyboards | Jeff Bova |
| Accordion | Joe Mennonna |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
11 Constantly
| Guitar | Nick Moroch |
| Organ | Joel Diamond |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
12 Long Way Home
| Bass | Pino Palladino |
| Drums | James Murphy |
| Guitar | Ira Siegel |
| Keyboards | Phil Galdston |
| Programming | Phil Galdston |
| Percussion | Carol Steele |
| Background Vocals | Brock Walsh |
| Vocals | Vanessa Williams |
Other Musicians
Strings – Nashville String Machine (Track 4)
Liner Notes
Producer – Vanessa Williams, Gerry E Brown (Tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12)
Producer – Babyface (Tracks 3, 9)
Producer – Keith Thomas (Track 4)
Producer – Phil Galdston Track 12)
Co-producer – J. Dibbs (Track 2)
Production Assistant – Derek Duffy
Arranged By – Keith Thomas (Track 4)
Arranged By – Vanessa Williams (Tracks 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12)
Arranged By – Gerry E Brown (Tracks 5, 6, 8, 10, 11)
Arranged By – Nick Moroch (Tracks 5, 8, 10, 11)
Arranged By – Bill Malina (Track 6)
Arranged By – Phil Galdston Track 12)
Arranged By – Brock Walsh (Track 12)
Arranged By – Phil Galdston Track 12)
Arranged By (Backing Vocals) – Kenny Hicks (Track 8)
Arranged By (Rhythm) – J. Dibbs (Track 2)
Arranged By (Strings) – Ronn Huff (Track 4)
Arranged By (Strings) – Clare Fischer (Track 6)
Conductor – Ronn Huff (Track 4)
Conductor – Clare Fischer (Tracks 6, 12)
Contractor – Carl Gorodetzky (Track 4)
Contractor (Strings) – Morris Repass (Track 6)
Coordinator – Todd Moore (Track 4)
Coordinator – Ivy Skoff (Track 9)
Edited By – Bill Malina, Max Risenhoover
Engineer – Bill Malina (Tracks 2, 7)
Engineer – Brad Gilderman (Tracks 3, 9)
Engineer – Al Schmitt (Track 6)
Engineer (Additional) – Tim Leitner (Track 4)
Engineer (Assistant) – Bill Smith, Brian Sperber, Bryan Carrigan, Bryan Carrigan, Carl Glanville, Casey Stone, Dan Wojnar, Dexter Simmons, Eric Fischer, Greg Parker, Jamie Perrenot, Jay Militscher, Jen Monnar, Joe Pirerra, King Williams, Marnie Riley, Martin Czembor, Marty Ogden, Robert Smith, Rory Romano, Ryan Arnold, Suzanne Dyer, Tim Conklin, Tim Donovan, Vaughan Merrick
Engineer (Assistant) – Mike Scott (Track 12)
Mastered By – Herb Powers
Mixed By – Gerry E Brown (Tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, 10)
Mixed By – Bill Malina (Tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11)
Mixed By – Mick Guzauski (Tracks 3, 9, 12)
Mixed By – Bill Whittington (Track 4)
Mixed By – Nick Moroch (Track 11)
Orchestrator – Brent Fischer (Track 12)
Recorded By – Bill Whittington (Track 4)
Recorded By – Bill Malina (Tracks 5, 6, 10, 11)
Technician – Artie Smith, Barry Duryea, Christian Wicht, Dream Hire, Mick Corey
Art Direction – Chris Thompson
Design – Marty Maidenberg
Photography – Peter Lindbergh
Recorded At Axis Studios
Recorded At Battery Studios, New York
Recorded At Electric Lady Studios
Recorded At Power Station
Recorded At The Hit Factory
Recorded At Bass Hit Studios
Recorded At Sorcerer Sound
Recorded At Right Track Recording
Recorded At RPM Studios
Recorded At East Wing Studios
Recorded At Sony Music Studios, NYC
Recorded At Capitol Studios
Recorded At Westlake Studios
Recorded At Mad Hatter Studios
Recorded At Music Grinder Studios
Recorded At Larrabee Sound Studios
Recorded At The Bennett House
Recorded At Javelina Recording Studios
Recorded At Goodnight Studios
Phonographic Copyright PolyGram Records Inc
Copyright PolyGram Records Inc