Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American singer Patti LaBelle, released in 1989 on the MCA label, her second album with the company following 1986’s platinum hit, Winner in You. The album features the single, “If You Asked Me To” (a US R&B top 10 single by LaBelle, later covered by Celine Dion), which is also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill, and the top ten Prince-written hit, “Yo Mister”. The album marked LaBelle’s foray into new jack swing music with the tracks, “I Got It Like That”, produced by Full Force and the aforementioned “Yo Mister”.
Tracks 1 If You Asked Me To (Diane Warren) 04:00 2 I Cant Complain (Raymond Jones; Sami McKinney) 05:09 3 Be Yourself (Bunny Hull; Jeff Hull; Thelma Houston) 05:44 4 Yo Mister (Prince) 05:11 5 I Got It Like That (Full Force) 05:38 6 Love 89 (Prince; Sheena Easton) 05:06 7 Still in Love (Jeffrey Cohen; Narada Michael Walden) 04:38 8 Im Scared of You (Alan Roy Scott; Allan Rich) 04:48 9 Can’t Bring Me Down (Gary Prim; Tena Clark) 04:16 10 Need A Little Faith (Burt Bacharach; Carole Bayer Sager) 04:02 11 I Can Fly (James Budd Ellison; Patti LaBelle; Theodore McLean) 05:18
Musicians
1 If You Asked Me To Bass (synthesizer) - Aaron Zigman Drums - JR Robinson Guitar - Mike Landau Synthesizer - Aaron Zigman Percussion - Lenny Castro Background Vocals - Bunny Hull Background Vocals - Paulette Brown Background Vocals - Valerie Pinkston Vocals - Patti LaBelle
2 I Can’t Complain Drums (programming) - Larry Robinson Keyboards - Raymond Jones Sax - Gerald Albright Vocals - Patti LaBelle
4 Yo Mister All Instruments - Prince Vocals - Patti LaBelle
5 I Got It Like That All Instruments - Full Force Background Vocals - Cheryl Riley Background Vocals - Lisa Lisa Vocals - Patti LaBelle
6 Love 89 All Instruments - Prince Vocals - Patti LaBelle
7 Still In Love Bass (synthesizer) - Randy Jackson Drums - Narada Michael Walden Guitar - Corrado Rustici Keyboards - David Sancious Keyboards - Walter Afanasieff Synthesizer - Ren Klyce Sax - Kenny G Cymbal - Greg Conway Background Vocals - Claytoven Richardson Background Vocals - Jim Gilstrap Background Vocals - Kitty Beethoven Background Vocals - Melisa Kary Vocals - Patti LaBelle
8 Im Scared Of You Bass - Domenic Genova Drums - Tom Walsh Guitar - Mark Leggett Keyboards - Brad Cole Background Vocals - Lyndie White Background Vocals - Mona Campbell Background Vocals - Ronee Martin Vocals - Patti LaBelle
9 Can’t Bring Me Down Drums (programming) - Jim Salamone Guitar - Herb Smith Keyboards - James Ellison Keyboards - Nathaniel Wilkie Synthesizer - Nathaniel Wilkie Programming - Jim Salamone Sax - Michael Patterson Jr Background Vocals - Deborah Dukes Background Vocals - Annette Hardeman Background Vocals - Charlene Holloway Background Vocals - Paula Holloway Vocals - Patti LaBelle
10 Need A Little Faith Bass - Neil Stubenhaus Drums - Jeffrey Porcaro Guitar - Dann Huff Piano - Randy Kerber Synthesizer - Randy Kerber Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Background Vocals - Joe Pizzulo Background Vocals - Julia Tillman Waters Background Vocals - Maxine Willard Waters Background Vocals - Oren Waters Background Vocals - Phil Perry Background Vocals - Stephanie Spruill Vocals - Patti LaBelle
11 I Can Fly Drums (programming) - Jim Salamone Guitar - Herb Smith Keyboards - James Ellison Piano - George Duke Horns - Jack Faith Strings - Jack Faith Background Vocals - Annette Hardeman Background Vocals - Deborah Dukes Background Vocals - Freddie Washington Background Vocals - Gabriel Hardeman Background Vocals - OJ Smallewood Background Vocals - Charlene Holloway Background Vocals - Paula Holloway Vocals - Patti LaBelle
Liner Notes
Producer – Stewart Levine (Track 1) Producer – Raymond Jones, Sami McKinney (Track 2) Producer – James Budd Ellison (Tracks 3, 9, 11) Producer – Prince (Tracks 4, 6) Producer – Full Force (Track 5) Producer – Narada Michael Walden (Track 7) Producer – Alan Roy Scott, Allan Rich (Track 8) Producer – Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager (Track 10) Producer (Executive) – Patti LaBelle Arranged By – Aaron Zigman (Track 1) Arranged By – James Budd Ellison (Track 3) Arranged By – Full Force (Track 5) Arranged By – Burt Bacharach (Track 10) Arranged By (Strings) – Jerry Hey (Track 7) Arranged By (Synthesizer) – Nathaniel Wilkie (Tracks 3, 11) Coordinator – Christopher Lofaro (Track 1) Engineer – Jeffrey Woodruff (Track 10) Engineer (Recording, Mixing) – Arthur Stoppe, Joe Tarsia, Michael Tarsia (Tracks 3, 9, 11) Engineer (Recording) – Susan Rogers (Track 4) Engineer (Recording) – Tony Maserati (Track 5) Engineer (Recording) – Eddie Miller (Track 6) Engineer (Remix) – Erik Zobler (Track 3) Engineer (Remix) – Alan Gregorie (Track 4) Engineer (Assistant) – Adam Silverman, Alphonse Faggiolo, John Sullivan, Ronnie DiStasio, Sal Viarellie (Tracks 3, 9, 11) Engineer (Assistant) – Coke Johnson (Track 4) Engineer (Assistant) – Dana Jon Chappelle (Track 7) Engineer (Assistant) – Tom Armeni, Clark Germain (Track 10) Engineer (Recording Assistant) – David Dill, Scott Gootman (Track 5) Mastered By – Steve Hall Mixed By – Daren Klein (Track 1) Mixed By – Larry Ferguson (Track 2) Mixed By – Bob Finiz, Joe Tarsia (Track 3) Mixed By – Full Force, Tony Maserati (Track 5) Mixed By – David Frazer (Track 7) Mixed By – Mick Guzauski (Track 10) Mixed By (Assistant) – Donnell Sullivan (Track 2) Recorded By – Daren Klein (Track 1) Recorded By – Larry Ferguson, Larry DeCarmine (Track 2) Recorded By – David Frazer (Track 7) Recorded By – Michael J McDonald, Gene Leone (Track 8) Recorded By – Mick Guzauski (Track 10) Recorded By (Assistant) – Jeff Chestek (Track 2) Remix – Louil Silas Jr (Tracks 3, 11) Remix – Timmy Regisford (Track 4) Design – Amy Dakos, John Kosh Photography – Carol Friedman Mastered At Future Disc Mixed At Westlake Audio Mixed At Elumba Studios Mixed At Sigma Sound Studios Recorded At Westlake Audio Recorded At Alchemy Recording Recorded At Kajem/Victory Studios Victory East, Philadelphia, PA Recorded At RPM Studios, Philadelphia Recorded At Sigma Sound Studios Recorded At Sunset Sound Recorded At Soundworks, New York Recorded At Paisley Park Studios Recorded At Tarpan Studios Recorded At Chartmaker Studios Recorded At Trax Recording Studio Recorded At Ocean Way Recording Recorded At Conway Studios Remixed At Can-Am Recorders Phonographic Copyright MCA Records, Inc Copyright MCA Records, Inc
