1989 Benny Mardones – Benny Mardones

Benny Mardones is the fourth studio album from American rock and pop singer Benny Mardones, released in 1989. It was Mardones’ first release since the 1981 album Too Much to Lose after battling personal issues such as a drug addiction.

The album was Mardones’ first of two albums for Curb Records. The album was recorded and released after the successful re-issue of Mardones’ 1980 hit song “Into the Night”.

In 1989, a Where Are They Now? Arizona radio segment spurred Los Angeles DJ Scott Shannon to add the “Into the Night” song to his playlist, ultimately rocketing the song back onto the national charts, on May 6, 1989. Mardones’ recording peaked this time at #20 the first week in July (the original 1980 issue peaked at #11), adding 17 weeks to its previous run of 20, to add up to a total of 37 (non consecutive) weeks, breaking the record set by Laura Branigan with her single “Gloria”, which charted for 36 (consecutive) weeks from July 1982 to March 1983, for the longest-charting single of the 1980s by a solo artist.

Curb Records quickly signed Mardones to their label, where he re-recorded “Into the Night”, and a full album of new material soon followed. The self-titled album, or “the blue album” as referred by Mardones’ fans was released to little success, as Curb was best known for being a country label and was not able to capitalize on the success of the “Into the Night” re-issue.

The album had announced the return of Joel Diamond as Mardones’ manager. Originally, Diamond was the first man to give Mardones’ a job in the music industry and got him to start writing songs.[2] Diamond was the album’s executive producer.

The album was the first where Mardones’ son Michael Everett Mardones is listed as a backup singer. It was produced entirely by Michael Lloyd.

For the album, Mardones mainly wrote the tracks with Mark Mangold and Duane Evans, whilst “Never Far Away” was written between Mardones, Mangold and Al Frisch. “I’ll Be Good to You” was written by Mark Spiro and Steve Kipner. Evans had previously co-wrote the track “Sheila C.” from Mardones’ 1981 album Too Much to Lose.

Tracks

1  I Never Really Loved You At All (Benny Mardones; Mark Mangold) 04:29
2  For A Little Ride (Benny Mardones; Mark Mangold) 03:43
3  How Could You Love Me (Benny Mardones; Duane Evans) 04:49
4  Into The Night (Benny Mardones; Robert Tepper) 04:22
5  We’ve Got To Run (Benny Mardones; Duane Evans) 04:42
6  I’ll Be Good To You (Mark Spiro; Steve Kipner) 04:04
7  If You Loved Me (Benny Mardones; Duane Evans) 04:10
8  Never Far Away (Benny Mardones; Al Frisch; Benny Mardones; Mark Mangold) 03:57
9  Close To The Flame (Benny Mardones; Duane Evans) 04:56
10  Run To You (Benny Mardones) 04:15

Musicians

1 I Never Really Loved You At All

BassJohn Pierce
DrumsJeffrey Porcaro
GuitarDave Amato
GuitarDuane Evans
PercussionAlex Acuna
Background VocalsAl Fritsch
VocalsBenny Mardones


2 For A Little Ride

BassJohn Pierce
DrumsJeffrey Porcaro
GuitarDave Amato
GuitarDuane Evans
Hammond OrganRobert Martin
KeyboardsMark Mangold
Background VocalsDave Amato
Background VocalsDuane Evans
Background VocalsGary Falcone
VocalsBenny Mardones


3 How Could You Love Me

BassJohn Pierce
DrumsJeffrey Porcaro
GuitarDuane Evans
KeyboardsDuane Evans
ProgrammingMichael Lloyd
SaxRobert Martin
Background VocalsDuane Evans
Background VocalsDave Amato
Background VocalsGary Falcone
VocalsBenny Mardones


4 Into The Night

BassDennis Belfield
DrumsRon Krasinski
GuitarRon Bloom
PianoDuane Evans
Background VocalsDuane Evans
VocalsBenny Mardones


5 We’ve Got To Run

All InstrumentsDuane Evans
Background VocalsMichael Everett
Background VocalsDuane Evans
VocalsBenny Mardones


6 I’ll Be Good To You

BassDennis Belfield
DrumsMichael Lloyd
GuitarMichael Thompson
VocalsBenny Mardones


7 If You Loved Me

All InstrumentsDuane Evans
Background VocalsDuane Evans
VocalsBenny Mardones


8 Never Far Away

BassJohn Pierce
DrumsJeffrey Porcaro
GuitarDave Amato
GuitarDuane Evans
KeyboardsDuane Evans
KeyboardsMark Mangold
PercussionAlex Acuna
Background VocalsAl Fritsch
VocalsBenny Mardones


9 Close To The Flame

BassDennis Belfield
DrumsMark Mangold
GuitarDave Amato
GuitarAl Fritsch
SynthesizerMark Mangold
Background VocalsAl Fritsch
VocalsBenny Mardones


10 Run To You

BassJohn Pierce
DrumsJeffrey Porcaro
GuitarDuane Evans
KeyboardsDuane Evans
Background VocalsDuane Evans
Background VocalsDave Amato
Background VocalsGary Falcone
VocalsBenny Mardones

Liner Notes

Producer – Michael Lloyd
Producer (Executive) – Joel Diamond
Coordinator – Marguerite Luciani, Debbie Lytton, Jeni Lytton
Engineer – Carmine Rubino
Engineer (Additional) – Dan Nebenzal
Engineer (Assistant) – John Valentino
Mastered By – Steve Hall, Steve Hall
Mixed By – Carmine Rubino, Dan Nebenzal, Hans Peter Huber, Michael Lloyd
Mixed By (Assistant) – Charlie Pollack, Toby Wright

Art Direction – Wilson Design Group
Photography – Jeff Katz

Mastered At Future Disc
Mastered At Future Disc
Recorded At Can-Am Recorders
Recorded At The Village Recorder
Recorded At EBS Studios
Recorded At Calliope Studios
Recorded At The Pasha Music House
Phonographic Copyright Curb Records
Copyright Curb Records