Naughty (Chaka Khan album)

Naughty
Studio album by Chaka Khan
Released	March 26, 1980
Recorded	1979–1980
Studio	Atlantic Studios, New York City
Genre	Funk R&B soul
Length	40:03
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Arif Mardin
Chaka Khan chronology
Masterjam (with Rufus) (1979) Naughty (1980) What Cha' Gonna Do for Me (1981)
Singles from Naughty
"Clouds" Released: April 9, 1980 "Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly)" Released: June 18, 1980 "Get Ready, Get Set" Released: September 17, 1980

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B+[2]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)[3]

Naughty is the second solo album by American R&B and funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980.

Biography[edit]

By the early '80s Chaka Khan and producer Arif Mardin had a great working relationship that was responsible for her hit solo debut, 1979's Chaka... Naughty presents the two in a more centered working relationship... most of Naughty represents Khan in a holding pattern, without much material to accommodate her widening range. That being said, Naughty is only a few songs away from being a bona fide classic.

— Jason Elias, Allmusic^[4]

Three singles were released from Naughty: the club hit "Clouds" (penned by Ashford & Simpson who also wrote Chaka's "I'm Every Woman"). "Clouds" features background vocals performed by a 16-year-old Whitney Houston and her mother Cissy Houston (US R&B #10), "Get Ready, Get Set" (#48) and the big hit "Papillon (a.k.a. Hot Butterfly)" (#22). The album track "Our Love's in Danger" featured prominent background vocals from Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston.

Chart performance[edit]

On Billboard's charts, the album reached #6 on Black Albums, #43 on Pop Albums. Naughty garnered Khan her first American Music Award nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the 8th American Music Awards in 1981.

Following the release of Naughty Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1981's Camouflage. Her third solo album What Cha' Gonna Do for Me followed later that same year.

Reissue[edit]

Naughty finally saw a United States CD re-release in 1998 as part of the Warner Bros. Black Music Ol' Skool series.

Legacy and impact[edit]

Naughty was ranked at number 65 on The 80 Greatest Albums of 1980 by Rolling Stone.^[5]

Track listing[edit]

Personnel[edit]

• Chaka Khan - lead vocals, backing vocals
• Anthony Jackson - bass guitar track 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10
• Jeff Mironov – guitar track 1, 3, 7, 9, 10
• Hamish Stuart – guitar track 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9
• Phil Upchurch – guitar track 7, 10
• Steve Khan – guitar track 2, 4
• Steve Ferrone - drums
• Ken Bichel – synthesizer track 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
• Arthur Jenkins - percussion track 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 clavinet track 5, 6, electric piano track 7, 8
• Leon Pendarvis - piano track 1, 10 electric piano track 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 synthesizer track 4, 8
• Peter Gordon - French horn track 3, 8
• John Trevor Clark - French horn track 3, 8
• Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone track 4, 5, 7, 10
• Harvey Estrin - tenor saxophone track 9, alto saxophone track 10
• David Tofani - alto saxophone track 5
• Eddie Daniels - alto saxophone track 7, 9, tenor saxophone track 10
• Lewis Delgatto - baritone saxophone track 5, 7
• Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone track 9, 10
• Randy Brecker – trumpet track 5, 7, 9, 10
• Marvin Stamm – trumpet track 7
• Barry Rogers – trombone track 5, 7
• James E. Pugh – trombone track 9, 10
• Alan Shulman, Alfred Brown, Anahid Ajemian, Fred Zlotkin, Frederick Buldini, Gerald Tarack, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Homer Mensch, Jonathan Abramowitz, Kermit Moore, Leo Kahn, Lewis Eley, Marilyn Wright, Matthew Raimondi, Mitsue Takayama, Paul Gershman, Peter Dimitriades, Richard Maximoff, Ted Hoyle - strings
• Gene Orloff – concertmaster

Track 1 “Clouds” Backing Vocals – Chaka Khan, Charlotte Crossley, Cissy Houston, Mark Stevens, Whitney Houston

Track 2 “Get Ready, Get Set” Backing Vocals – Chaka Khan, Mark Stevens Bass – Willie Weeks Electric Piano – Don Grolnick Guitar – Steve Khan Guitar, Soloist – Hiram Bullock

Track 3 "Move Me No Mountain" Backing Vocals – Chaka Khan, Cissy Houston Guitar, Sitar, Soloist – Jeff Mironov Guitar, Soloist – Phil Upchurch Tuba – Robert Stewart, David Bargeron, Howard Johnson, Joseph Daley

Track 4 “Nothing's Gonna Take You Away” Backing Vocals – Luther Vandross, Mark Stevens, Hamish Stuart Guitar – Steve Khan Percussion – Sammy Figueroa

Track 5 “So Naughty” Bass – Marcus Miller

Track 6 “Too Much Love” Bass – Mark Stevens Guitar, Soloist – Hiram Bullock Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos, Sammy Figueroa

Track 7 “All Night's All Right” Violin [Electric] – Noel Pointer

Track 8 “What You Did” Bass – Mark Stevens Guitar – Hiram Bullock Percussion – Sammy Figueroa Tuba – Robert Stewart, David Bargeron, Howard Johnson, Joseph Daley

Track 9 “Papillon (Aka Hot Butterfly)” Backing Vocals – Cissy Houston, Luther Vandross, Mark Stevens, Ullanda McCullough, Hamish Stuart Bass – Willie Weeks Harmonica, Soloist – Hugh McCracken Piano – Don Grolnick Alto Saxophone, Soloist [Alto Fill] – Eddie Daniels

Track 10 “Our Love's in Danger” Backing Vocals – Charlotte Crossley, Cissy Houston, Hamish Stuart, Luther Vandross, Mark Stevens, Whitney Houston Synthesizer – Richard Tee

Production[edit]

• Arif Mardin - record producer, musical arranger (horns, strings)
• Lew Hawn - recording, mix
• Michael O'Reilly - assistant engineer
• George Marino - mastering
• Photography: Glen Wexler

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Naughty at Discogs