The Force Behind the Power
The Force Behind the Power is the nineteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 10, 1991, by Motown Records. The album reached No. 11 on the UK Albums chart and became the biggest selling studio album of her career there, selling over half a million copies in the UK alone.
Singles
The album spun off five hit singles in the UK — most successfully "When [You Tell Me That You Love Me]" which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles chart, earning a BPI Silver disc for UK sales of over 200,000 copies. "One Shining Moment" and the album's Stevie Wonder-produced title track reached numbers 10 and 27 on the UK singles chart, respectively."If We Hold on Together" reached No. 11 on the UK singles chart, while a cover of Barbra Streisand's "Heart " reached No. 31 on the UK singles chart.
"No Matter What You Do", a duet with Al B. Sure!, peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, while "You're Gonna Love It" written by Cydney Davis and Lloyd Tolbert reached No. 24 on the US Dance/Club Play chart.
"If We Hold on Together" was originally recorded for Don Bluth's 1988 animated adventure film The Land Before Time. It rose to prominence after it was released as a single worldwide in the latter part of 1988. It reached No. 1 on the Japanese International single charts for 12 weeks making it the biggest selling record by a foreign artist; and in total, sold over 465,000 copies.
Commercial reception
In the UK the album certified platinum for sales exceeding 300,000 copies.Track listings
US edition- "Change of Heart" – 4:02
- "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" – 4:13
- "Battlefield" – 3:35
- "Blame It on the Sun" – 3:55
- "Heavy Weather" – 4:59
- "The Force Behind the Power" – 4:45
- "Heart " – 4:19
- "Waiting in the Wings" – 4:52
- "One Shining Moment" – 4:48
- "You're Gonna Love It" – 5:11
- "If We Hold on Together" – 4:09
- "Change of Heart" – 4:03
- "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" – 4:13
- "Battlefield" – 3:35
- "Blame It on the Sun" – 3:55
- "You're Gonna Love It" – 5:11
- "Heavy Weather" – 4:59
- "The Force Behind the Power" – 4:42
- "Heart " – 4:19
- "Waiting in the Wings" – 4:52
- "You and I" – 4:09
- "One Shining Moment" – 4:48
- "If We Hold on Together" – 4:13
- "No Matter What You Do" – 5:09
Personnel
- Diana Ross – vocals
- John Barnes – keyboards, synthesizers, synthesizer programming, Synclavier, Synclavier programming and arrangements
- Lloyd Tolbert – keyboards, synthesizer programming, arrangements
- Kevin Perry – additional programming
- Andrew Scheps – additional programming
- James Anthony Carmichael – arrangements, keyboards, synthesizers
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards
- Andrew Gold – organ, acoustic guitar
- Stevie Wonder – all instruments, arrangements, choir arrangements
- Rob Arbittier – programming
- Atle Bakken – programming
- Malcolm Cecil – programming
- Randy Kerber – keyboards
- Guy Moon – keyboards
- Al B. Sure! – keyboards, vocals, backing vocals
- Kyle West – keyboards
- Carlos Rios – guitars
- Michael Landau – guitars
- Waddy Wachtel – guitars
- Freddie Washington – bass
- Larry Klein – bass
- Leland Sklar – bass
- Carlos Vega – drums
- Russ Kunkel – drums
- Michael Fisher – percussion, vibraphone
- Nathaniel Kunkel – percussion
- Warren Ham – harmonica
- John Helliwell – saxophone
- David Campbell – BGV arrangements, orchestra arrangements and conductor
- Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader
- Isobel Griffiths – orchestra contractor
- Marva King – backing vocals
- Arnold McCuller – backing vocals
- Deborah Thomas – backing vocals
- Fred White – backing vocals
- Peter Asher – backing vocals, tambourine, drum and percussion programming
- Valerie Carter – backing vocals
- Kate Markowitz – backing vocals
- Cydney Davis – backing vocals
- The [Andraé Crouch Singers] – choir
- Tabitha Brace – backing vocals
- Craig Derry – backing vocals
Production
- Diana Ross – executive producer, design concepts
- Debbie Sandridge – A&R direction
- James Anthony Carmichael – producer
- Peter Asher – producer
- Stevie Wonder – producer
- Nathan Watts – associate producer
- Al B. Sure! – producer
- Kyle West – producer
- Stephanie Andrews – project coordinator
- Marylata E. Jacob – album coordinator
- Dennis Woloch – art direction
- Painting – Barry Kamen
- Herb Ritts – photography
- Rosanne Shelnutt – marketing direction
- Judith Service – assistant to Diana Ross
- Chris Bellman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering
- Calvin Harris – recording, mixing
- Jack Rouben – recording
- Frank Wolf – recording, mixing
- Steve Van Arden – recording, mixing
- Larry Alexander – recording
- Eddie F – recording
- Mark Harder – recording
- Roey Shamir – recording
- Eric Stark – recording
- Al B. Sure! – recording
- Mark Hagen – assistant engineer
- Andrew Scheps – assistant engineer
- Bryant Arnett – assistant engineer
- Darren Godwin – assistant engineer
- Mike Harlow – assistant engineer
- Nathaniel Kunkel – assistant engineer
- Ken Lauber – assistant engineer
- Gil Morales – assistant engineer
- Jimmy Sandweiss – assistant engineer
- R.R. Harlan – digital editing
- Keith Evans – recording assistant
- Michael Gilbert – recording assistant
- Marnie Riley – mix assistant