Only Human (Jeffrey Osborne album)

1990 studio album by Jeffrey Osborne

Only Human

Studio album by

Jeffrey Osborne

Released| November 20, 1990
Genre|

* Funk
* Soul

Length| 51:11
Label| Arista
Producer|

* Robert Brookins
* Darryl Duncan
* Barry J. Eastmond
* Jeffrey Osborne
* Shep Pettibone
* Kendo Scott

Jeffrey Osborne chronology
| One Love – One Dream
(1988)  | Only Human
(1990)  | Something Warm for Christmas
(1997)

|
|

Only Human is the sixth studio album by American singer Jeffrey Osborne. It was released by Arista Records on November 20, 1990.[1] His debut with the label, it reached number 9 on the US Top R&B Albums chart.[2]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [3]
Entertainment Weekly| A−[4]
Q| [1]

AllMusic editor Ed Hogan found that "while it could be argued that Osborne's A&M albums were generally "too pop," he seems absolutely regenerated on Only Human, digging his vocal chops into material that accommodates his extensive range. It's a head-scratcher as to why this is his only Arista release; it would have been very interesting to hear Osborne continue in this mode."[3] Entertainment Weekly wrote that "Osborne’s voice is so silky and warm that he can anchor a varied collection of songs – ranging from the up-tempo [...] to the more personal, blustery [...] For any other singer, such an eclectic mix of musical styles like in Only Human, might seem like a desperate, unfocused grab for pop-chart success. But for Osborne it’s merely a reflection of a 20-year-long career that has dominated both black and pop radio [...] For all his forays into many musical genres, Osborne seems most at home, as he always has, in the ballads, where the drum machines don’t crowd his voice."[4] Ian Cranna in Q Magazine remarked that "the chief pleasure here is in Osborne's confident, accomplished singing".[1]

## Track listing

[edit]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Producer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "If My Brother's in Trouble"|

* William Clift
* David Barratt

| Shep Pettibone| 4:33
2.| "Only Human"|

* Barry J. Eastmond
* Jeffrey Osborne

| Eastmond| 4:53
3.| "Good Things Come to Those Who Wait"| Glenn "Daddy-O" Bolton| Daddy-O, Kendo Scott| 5:06
4.| "The Morning After I Made Love to You"|

* Eastmond
* Osborne

| Eastmond| 4:27
5.| "Lay Your Head"|

* Eastmond
* Osborne

| Eastmond| 4:59
6.| "Baby Wait a Minute"|

* Darryl Duncan
* Osborne

| Osborne, Duncan| 4:13
7.| "Sending You a Love Song"|

* Eastmond
* Osborne

| Eastmond| 4:49
8.| "Feel Like Making Love"| Eugene McDaniels| Osborne, Robert Brookins| 4:35
9.| "Back in Your Arms"|

* Eastmond
* Osborne

| Eastmond| 4:13
10.| "Nitetime"|

* Eastmond
* Osborne

| Eastmond| 4:42
11.| "Getting Better All the Time"| Sam Dees| Eastmond| 4:44

2012 expanded edition[5]No.| Title| Writer(s)| Producer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|

12.| "If My Brother's in Trouble" (Extended Hip Hop Mix)|

* Clift
* Barratt

| Pettibone| 5:10
13.| "If My Brother's in Trouble" (Dub Mix)|

* Clift
* Barratt

| Pettibone| 5:34
14.| "If My Brother's in Trouble" (Club Mix)|

* Clift
* Barratt

| Pettibone| 7:23
15.| "Only Human" (7" Single Version)|

* Eastmond
* Osborne

| Eastmond| 4:33
16.| "Never"|

* Osborne
* Brookins

* Osborne
* Brookins

| 4:39

## Personnel

[edit]

* Jeffrey Osborne – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11), arrangements (6, 8)
* Terry Burrus – keyboards (1)
* Alan Friedman – programming (1)
* Barry Eastmond – keyboards (2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11), drum programming (2, 5, 7, 9, 10), arrangements (2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11), synth solo (7), string arrangements and conductor (9, 11)
* Eric Rehl – synthesizers (2, 4, 7, 9-11), synthesizer programming (2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11)
* Ron Skies – additional synthesizer programming (2)
* Kendo Scott – keyboards (3)
* Darryl Duncan – all instruments (6), arrangements (6)
* Robert Brookins – all keyboards (8), all programming (8), arrangements (8)
* Mike Campbell – guitars (2, 5)
* Georg Wadenius – guitars (4)
* Nick Moroch – guitars (11)
* Anthony Jackson – bass (4, 11)
* Sam Sims – bass (9)
* Buddy Williams – drums (4)
* Terry Silverlight – drums (11)
* Vincent Henry – alto sax solo (4)
* Grover Washington Jr. – alto sax solo (5)
* Al Boson – vocal arrangements (3)
* Edith Wint – string contractor (9, 11)
* Richard Hendrickson – concertmaster (9, 11)
* Kathryn Russell – backing vocals (1)
* Dian Sorel – backing vocals (1)
* Lillias White – backing vocals (1)
* B.J. Nelson – backing vocals (2, 9)
* Karen Anderson – backing vocals (3)
* Cydné Monet – backing vocals (3)
* Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (4)
* Dennis Collins – backing vocals (4)
* Yolanda Lee – backing vocals (4, 7, 10)
* Nikki Richards – backing vocals (4)
* Alex Brown – backing vocals (6, 8)
* Joey Diggs – backing vocals (6)
* Portia Griffin – backing vocals (6)
* BRIGHT EYES – rap (6)
* Lynne Fiddmont – backing vocals (8)
* Marlena Jeter – backing vocals (8)
* Keith John – backing vocals (8)

## Production

[edit]

* P. Dennis Mitchell – recording engineer (1)
* Earl Cohen – recording and mixing (2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11)
* Khaliq-O-Vision (Khaliq Glover) – recording (6, 8), mixing (6)
* Keith Cohen – mixing (8)
* Carl Beatty – string recording (9, 11)
* Curt Frasca – assistant engineer (1)
* Garvey Clark Jr. – recording and mix assistant (2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11)
* Mike Harlow – recording and mix assistant (2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11)
* Dave Lebowitz – recording and mix assistant (2, 4, 5, 7, 9-11)
* Tracy Chisholm – assistant engineer (6)
* Kimm James – assistant engineer (8)
* Carolyn Quan – art direction, design
* Adrian Buckmaster – photography
* Cecille Parker – wardrobe stylist
* Rudy Calvo – grooming, make-up
* Jack Nelson – management

Studios

* Recorded at Axis Studios, East Bay Studios, Soundtrack Studios and Greene Street Recording (New York, NY); Studiodad Digital (Brooklyn, NY); Wings West Recording (Northridge, CA).
* Strings recorded at Right Track Recording (New York, NY).
* Mixed at The Sandbox Studios (Easton, CT); Soundcastle and Larrabee Sound Studios (Hollywood, CA).

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1990)  | Peak
position

|

US Billboard 200[6] | 95
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[2] | 9

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1991)  | Position

|

US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] | 21

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Cranna, Ian (March 5, 1991). "Only Human review". Q Magazine. 55: 76.
2. ^ a b "Jeffrey Osborne Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
3. ^ a b "Only Human". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
4. ^ a b "Only Human". Entertainment Weekly. December 21, 1990. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
5. ^ "Only Human – Expanded Edition". iTunes (US). May 1990. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
6. ^ "Jeffrey Osborne Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
7. ^ "1991 Year-End Chart – Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Jeffrey Osborne

Albums|

* Jeffrey Osborne (1982)
* Stay with Me Tonight (1983)
* Don't Stop (1984)
* Emotional (1986)
* One Love – One Dream (1988)
* Only Human (1991)

Singles|

* "I Really Don't Need No Light" (1982)
* "On the Wings of Love" (1982)
* "You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)" (1986)
* "Love Power" (1987)
* "She's on the Left" (1988)
* "Far Longer than Forever" (1994)
* "Yes, I'm Ready" (2005)

Related|

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