Here I Am (Barbara McNair album)

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Here I Am
Studio album by
Barbara McNair
Released1966
StudioHitsville USA, Detroit and in Los Angeles[1][2]
GenreSoul, pop, jazz
LabelMotown
Barbara McNair chronology
The Livin' End
(1964) 		Here I Am
(1966) 		I Enjoy Being A Girl
(1966)
Singles from Here I Am
  1. "Here I Am Baby"
    Released: 1967

Here I Am is the fifth studio album by singer Barbara McNair released on the Motown label.

History[edit]

This album was McNair's first album on the Motown label, released in 1966. McNair recorded several singles before this album was released. The album featured songwriters Clarence Paul, Smokey Robinson, Eddie Holland, and Ron Miller.[3] However, the album failed to chart.[3] The only single, "Here I Am Baby", peaked at No. 125 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4][5] The album appeared on the New Album Releases on Billboard magazine, the only album on the Motown category.[6] "Here I Am Baby" was later covered by the Marvelettes for their Sophisticated Soul album.[7]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]

Rob Theakson from AllMusic stated "Here I Am is a far cry from the sexy Motown sessions and takes a turn into vocal standards and sultry jazz numbers, but McNair is equally up to the task to deliver a fine session of performances. It was also a precursor for many of the outstanding vocal spotlights she would perform on her critically acclaimed variety show five years later."[8] Billboard wrote that "Miss McNair tackles recent pop hits, adds her own stylings with emphasis on the blues feel, and the result is a programming delight with much sales potential."[9]

Track listing[edit]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."My World Is Empty Without You"Holland–Dozier–Holland3:03
2."Message to Michael"Burt Bacharach, Hal David2:51
3."Everything is Good About You"Eddie Holland, James Dean3:24
4."Here I Am Baby"Smokey Robinson2:50
5."Steal Away Tonight"Clarence Paul, Dave Hamilton3:00
6."For Once in My Life"Ron Miller, Orlando Murden3:00
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."The Shadow of Your Smile"Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster3:02
8."I Will Wait for You"Michel Legrand, Jacques Demy3:12
9."The Sweetheart Tree"Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer2:21
10."What A Day"R. Miller2:48
11."Strangers in the Night"Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder2:59
12."Fancy Passes"Avery Vandenburg, R. Miller, William O'Malley3:29

Charts[edit]

Singles[edit]

Year Single Chart positions
US[10]
1967 "Here I Am Baby" 125

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Don't Forget the Motor City". www.dftmc.info.
  2. ^ "Don't Forget the Motor City". www.dftmc.info.
  3. ^ a b Bogdanov, Vladimir (February 16, 2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 978-0-87930-744-8 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Here I Am Baby (song by Barbara McNair) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.
  5. ^ Betts, Graham (June 2, 2014). Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. ISBN 978-1-311-44154-6 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. January 7, 1967 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Taylor, Marc (2004). The Original Marvelettes – Motown's Mystery Girl Group. New York: Aloiv Publishing Company.
  8. ^ a b Theakson, Rob. "Barbara McNair – Here I Am: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 79, no. 1. January 7, 1967. p. 34 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "Barbara McNair Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com.

External links[edit]

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