Dancing On The Ceiling is Lionel Richie‘s third solo album, recorded beginning in 1985 and released in mid-1986. The album was originally to be titled Say You, Say Me, after the Academy Award-winning track of the same name, but it was renamed after Richie rewrote the album. The album was released to generally positive reviews and warm sales, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 and moving 4 million copies. Following the album’s release Richie went on a long hiatus, releasing his first album of entirely new material ten years later.
Lionel Richie had risen to prominence as a member of the Commodores during the late 1970s, but after tensions arose in the band he left in 1981. His first two solo albums, Lionel Richie (1982) and Can’t Slow Down (1983), were runaway successes: Lionel Richie moved 4 million units, while Can’t Slow Down sold 10 million copies and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Dancing on the Ceiling was his third solo album.
Recording of the songs later used on Dancing on the Ceiling began in 1985. The track “Say You, Say Me” was used in that year’s White Nights, for which it had won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Work on the album was done while Richie was finalizing his work with “We Are the World”.
During early production, the album was intended to be titled Say You, Say Me and released in December 1985. However, Richie found that he did not “want to do those songs” owing to the social conditions he saw, and as such he began rewriting it “to express what [he] felt the world was boxing itself into”. Ultimately, the album’s title was changed to Dancing on the Ceiling, as the titular song was Richie’s next single. Recording for the album took over a year and a half, and Richie later stated that he tried to include a mixture of sounds.
Tracks 1 Dancing On The Ceiling (Lionel Richie, Carlos Rios, Michael Frenchik) 4:35 2 Sela (Greg Phillinganes, Lionel Richie, Greg Phillinganes) 5:56 3 Ballerina Girl (Lionel Richie) 3:39 4 Don’t Stop (John Barnes, Lionel Richie) 8:10 5 Deep River Woman (John Barnes, Lionel Richie) 4:38 6 Love Will Conquer All (Cynthia Weil, Greg Phillinganes, Lionel Richie) 5:45 7 Tonight Will Be Alright (Lionel Richie) 5:09 8 Say You, Say Me (Lionel Richie) 4:05 9 Night Train (Smooth Alligator) (Jeffrey Cohen, Narada Michael Walden, Preston Glass, Walter Afanasieff, Sade Adu, Ray St. John) 4:57
Musicians
1 Dancing On The Ceiling Bass - Neil Stubenhaus Drums - JR Robinson Guitar - Carlos Rios Piano - John Barnes Synthesizer - Carlos Rios Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Vocals - Lionel Richie
2 Sela Bass - Nathan East Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - Carlos Rios Keyboards - Michael Boddicker Synthesizer - Greg Phillinganes Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Vocals - Lionel Richie
3 Ballerina Girl Bass - Nathan East Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - Tim May Keyboards - Mike Lang Keyboards - Neil Larsen Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Vocals - Lionel Richie
4 Don’t Stop Guitar - Charles Fearing Synthesizer - John Barnes Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Percussion - Sheila Escovedo Vocals - Lionel Richie
5 Deep River Woman Bass - Joe Chemay Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - Tim May Guitar - Louie Shelton Keyboards - Greg Phillinganes Keyboards - Michael Boddicker Vocals - Lionel Richie
6 Love Will Conquer All Bass - Nathan East Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - David Cochrane Keyboards - Lionel Richie Synthesizer - Greg Phillinganes Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Vocals - Lionel Richie
7 Tonight Will Be Alright Bass - Joe Chemay Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - Carlos Rios Guitar - Tim May Guitar (solo) - Eric Clapton Keyboards - Greg Phillinganes Keyboards - Lionel Richie Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Vocals - Lionel Richie
8 Say You, Say Me Bass - Abraham Laboriel SR Drums - JR Robinson Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - Steve Lukather Guitar - Tim May Acoustic Guitar - Carlos Rios Keyboards - Greg Phillinganes Keyboards - Lionel Richie Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Synthesizer - Greg Phillinganes Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Vocals - Lionel Richie
9 Night Train (Smoot Alligator) Bass - Randy Jackson Drums - Narada Michael Walden Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - Vernon Black Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Background Vocals - Jennifer Hall Background Vocals - Kitty Beethoven Background Vocals - Marva King Vocals - Lionel Richie
Other Musicians
Background Vocals - Maxine Anderson Background Vocals - Billie Barnum Background Vocals - Kitty Beethoven Background Vocals - James Anthony Carmichael Background Vocals - Melinda Chatman Background Vocals - Jeff Cook Background Vocals - Kevin Dorsey Background Vocals - Teddy Gentry Background Vocals - Jennifer Hall Background Vocals - Wayne Hargrave Background Vocals - Richard Marx Background Vocals - Julia Tillman Waters Background Vocals - Carmen Twillie
Liner Notes
Producer – James Anthony Carmichael, Lionel Richie Producer – Narada Michael Walden (Track 9) Arranged By (Background, Rhythm, Vocals) – Lionel Richie (Tracks 1, 5) Arranged By (Choir, Rhythm, Vocals) – Lionel Richie (Track 2) Arranged By (Rhythm, Vocals) – Lionel Richie (Tracks 3, 7, 8) Arranged By (Background, Vocals) – Lionel Richie (Track 4) Arranged By (Horns) – James Anthony Carmichael (Track 1, 7) Arranged By (Rhythm) – Carlos Rios (Track 1) Arranged By (Rhythm) – James Anthony Carmichael (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 7) Arranged By (Rhythm, Strings) – James Anthony Carmichael (Tracks 3, 5) Arranged By (Rhythm) – Greg Phillinganes (Track 6) Arranged By (Rhythm) – Lionel Richie (Track 6) Arranged By (Rhythm, String) – James Anthony Carmichael (Track 8) Art Direction – Johnny Lee Photography – Aaron Rapoport Mixed At Ocean Way Recording Overdubbed At Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios Recorded At The Music Mill, Nashville, TN Recorded At Bear Creek Studios Recorded At Ocean Way Recording Phonographic Copyright Motown Record Corporation Copyright Motown Record Corporation
