1998 Brandy – Never Say Never

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Never Say Never is the second studio album by American singer Brandy. It was released on June 9, 1998, by Atlantic Records. Atlantic consulted David Foster, as well as producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and his team to work with Norwood on the record; Jerkins went on to craft the majority of the album and would evolve as Norwood’s mentor and head producer on her succeeding projects.

The lyrical themes on the album include the singer’s personal experiences with love, monogamy, media bias, and maturity. Influenced by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, Norwood wanted to present a more mature facet of herself with the album, incorporating a ballad-heavy style and an adult contemporary feel into her urban pop sound for the album.

Upon its release, Never Say Never facilitated Norwood in becoming a viable recording artist with media-crossing appeal. It debuted at No. 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 160,000 copies in its first week, and peaked at No. 2 the following week, remaining within the chart’s top 20 for 28 weeks. Six of the album’s 16 songs were chosen as singles, including duet with Monica “The Boy Is Mine” and “Have You Ever?”, which both topped the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as “Top of the World”, which become an international hit.

Tracks

1  Intro 00:49
2  Angel In Disguise (Rodney Jerkins; Lashawn Daniels; Fred Jerkins III; Tye-V; Traci Hale) 04:48
3  The Boy Is Mine (Rodney Jerkins; Brandy; Lashawn Daniels; Fred Jerkins III; Japhe Tejeda) 04:01
4  Learn The Hard Way (Rodney Jerkins; Brandy; Fred Jerkins III; Lashawn Daniels; Sybil Jerkins; Rick Williams) 04:51
5  Almost Doesn’t Count (Shelly Peiken; Guy Roche) 03:37
6  Top Of The World (Rodney Jerkins; Fred Jerkins III; Lashawn Daniels; Isaac Phillips; Tye-V; Mason Betha) 04:20
7  U Don’t Know Me (Like U Used To) (Rodney Jerkins; Sean Bryant; Isaac Phillips; Paris Davis) 03:38
8  Never Say Never (Rodney Jerkins; Brandy; Fred Jerkins III; Lashawn Daniels; Japhe Tejeda; Rick Williams) 05:09
9  Truthfully (Marc Nelson; Harvey Mason Jr) 04:58
10  Have You Ever? (Diane Warren) 04:10
11  Put That On Everything (Rodney Jerkins; Brandy; Fred Jerkins III; Lashawn Daniels; Japhe Tejeda) 04:50
12  In The Car Interlude 01:08
13  Happy (Rodney Jerkins; Brandy; Fred Jerkins III; Lashawn Daniels; Japhe Tejeda) 04:06
14  One Voice (Gordon Chambers; Phil Galdston) 04:08
15  Tomorrow (Fred Jerkins III; Brandy; Rodney Jerkins; Lashawn Daniels; Japhe Tejeda) 05:19
16  (Everything I Do) I Do It For You (Bryan Adams; Michael Kamen; Robert John Lange) 04:10

Musicians

2 Angel In Disguise

Background VocalsJoseph Thomas
VocalsBrandy


3 The Boy Is Mine

GuitarIsaac Phillips
VocalsMonica Denise Arnold
VocalsBrandy


4 Learn The Hard Way

GuitarRick Williams
VocalsBrandy


5 Almost Doesn’t Count

GuitarMichael Annas Allaf
Background VocalsShelly Peiken
VocalsBrandy


6 Top Of The World

RapMase
VocalsBrandy


7 U Don’t Know Me (Like U Used To)

VocalsBrandy


8 Never Say Never

GuitarRick Williams
VocalsBrandy


9 Truthfully

BassNathan East
Drums (programming)Rodney Jerkins
GuitarMichael Thompson
KeyboardsHarvey Mason Jr
PercussionHarvey Mason Sr
Background VocalsMarc Nelson
VocalsBrandy


10 Have You Ever?

GuitarMichael Thompson
KeyboardsDavid Foster
ProgrammingSimon Franglen
VocalsBrandy


11 Put That On Everything

VocalsBrandy


13 Happy

MusicianRun-DMC
VocalsBrandy


14 One Voice

Drums (programming)Chuckii Booker
GuitarMichael Thompson
KeyboardsDavid Foster
ProgrammingChuckii Booker
ProgrammingFelipe Elgueta
Background VocalsAlex Brown
Background VocalsAlfie Silas
Background VocalsBebe Winans
Background VocalsBobette Jamison
Background VocalsBridgette Bryant
Background VocalsCarmen Carter
Background VocalsCarmen Twillie
Background VocalsDonyle Jones
Background VocalsDorian Holley
Background VocalsJamie McCrary
Background VocalsKayla Parker
Background VocalsKristle Murden
Background VocalsLaTonya Holman
Background VocalsMaxine Willard Waters
Background VocalsMeri Thomas
Background VocalsMervyn Warren
Background VocalsMona Lisa Young
Background VocalsNikisha Grier
Background VocalsOren Waters
Background VocalsRichard Jackson
Background VocalsRick Nelson
Background VocalsVatrena King
Background VocalsWillie Norwood
Background VocalsPhyllis Yvonne Williams
VocalsBrandy


15 Tomorrow

VocalsBrandy


16 (Everything I Do) I Do It For You

GuitarMichael Thompson
Acoustic GuitarDean Parks
KeyboardsDavid Foster
PianoDavid Foster
ProgrammingFelipe Elgueta
VocalsBrandy

Other Musicians

Strings – The Darkchild Orchestra (Track 3)

Liner Notes

Producer – Rodney Jerkins (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15)
Producer – Brandy (Tracks 2, 3, 13, 15)
Producer – Fred Jerkins III (Tracks 5, 15)
Producer – Guy Roche (Track 5)
Producer – Brad Gilderman, Harvey Mason Jr, Marc Nelson (Track 9)
Producer – David Foster (Tracks 10, 14, 16)
Producer (Additional) – Brandy (Tracks 4, 6, 7, 8, 11)
Producer (Vocals) – Lashawn Daniels (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 15)
Producer (Vocals) – Rodney Jerkins (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15)
Producer (Vocals) – Dallas Austin (Track 3)
Producer (Vocals) – Brandy (Tracks 4, 8, 9, 11, 13)
Producer (Vocals) – Fred Jerkins III (Track 6)
Producer (Vocals) – Marc Nelson (Track 9)
Producer (Executive) – Brandy, Craig Kallman, Paris Davis, Rodney Jerkins
Arranged By – David Foster (Tracks 10, 14, 16)
Arranged By (Choir) – Mervyn Warren (Track 14)
Arranged By (Strings) – Larry Gold, Rodney Jerkins (Tracks 3, 15)
Arranged By (Strings) – David Foster, William Ross (Tracks 14, 16)
Arranged By (Vocals) – Lashawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins (Tracks 2, 6)
Arranged By (Vocals) – Fred Jerkins III (Track 6)
Arranged By (Vocals) – Marc Nelson (Track 9)
Engineer – Fred Jerkins III, Mario Luccy, Moana Suchard (Track 5)
Engineer – Felipe Elgueta (Tracks 10, 14, 16)
Engineer (Recording) – Leslie Brathwaite (Track 3)
Engineer (Assistant) – Brian Young (Track 2)
Engineer (Assistant) – Victor McCoy (Tracks 3, 4, 8, 9, 13)
Engineer (Assistant) – Greg Thompson (Track 3)
Engineer (Assistant) – Moana Suchard (Track 5)
Engineer (Assistant Recording) – Carlton Lynn (Track 3)
Mastered By – Brian Gardner
Mixed By – Dave Way (Tracks 2, 15)
Mixed By – Rodney Jerkins (Tracks 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13)
Mixed By – Dexter Simmons (Tracks 3, 6, 7, 11)
Mixed By – Brad Gilderman (Tracks 4, 8, 9, 13)
Mixed By – Fred Jerkins III, Gerry Brown (Track 5)
Mixed By – Mick Guzauski (Tracks 10, 14, 16)
Mixed By – Ken Deranteriasian (Track 12)
Mixed By (Assistant) – Tom Bender (Tracks 10, 14, 16)
Recorded By – Ken Deranteriasian (Tracks 2, 12)
Recorded By – Victor McCoy (Tracks 2, 15)
Recorded By – Ben Garrison, Dexter Simmons (Track 3)
Recorded By – Brad Gilderman (Tracks 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15)
Recorded By – Rodney Jerkins (Tracks 6, 7, 9)
Recorded By – Lashawn Daniels (Tracks 6, 7)
Recorded By – Jean-Marie Horvat, Rick Sigel (Track 6)
Recorded By (Strings) – Chris Tergesen (Track 3)
Recorded By (Strings) – Al Schmitt (Tracks 14, 16)
Recorded By (Strings) – Ben Garrison (Track 15)

Art Direction – Thomas Bricker
Photography – Reisig & Taylor

Mastered At Bernie Grundman Mastering
Mixed At Pacifique Studios
Mixed At The Hit Factory
Mixed At The Enterprise
Mixed At Larrabee Sound Studios
Mixed At Scream Studios
Mixed At Barking Doctor Recording
Recorded At Pacifique Studios
Recorded At The Hit Factory
Recorded At Record One, Los Angeles
Recorded At DARP Studios
Recorded At The Enterprise
Recorded At Banana Boat Studios
Recorded At Chartmaker Studios
Recorded At Sony Studios, Culver City
Phonographic Copyright Atlantic Recording Corporation
Copyright Atlantic Recording Corporation