Be Yourself
Studio album by
Patti LaBelle
ReleasedJune 26, 1989
Recorded1986–1989
StudioWestlake Audio and Elumba Studios (Los Angeles, California); Conway Studios, Sunset Sound, Ocean Way Recording and Trax Recording Studio (Hollywood, California); Alchemy Recording Studios (Woodland Hills, California); Tarpan Studios (San Rafael, California); Chartmaker Studios (Malibu, California); Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, California); Kajeem/Victory Studios, RPM Studios and Sigma Sound Studios (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Soundworks (New York City, New York); Paisley Park (Minneapolis, Minnesota).
Genre
Length53:38
LabelMCA
Producer
Patti LaBelle chronology
Winner in You
(1986) 		Be Yourself
(1989) 		This Christmas
(1990)
Singles from Be Yourself
  1. "If You Asked Me To"
    Released: June 12, 1989
  2. "Yo Mister"
    Released: July 1989
  3. "I Can't Complain"
    Released: 1990
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Rolling Stone[3]
Spin(favorable)[4]

Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 26, 1989 in the United States. Her second album with the company following her 1986 platinum album Winner in You, it features the single, "If You Asked Me To" which was also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill (1989), and the R&B 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 "Love 89", another Prince contribution.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."If You Asked Me To"Diane WarrenStewart Levine3:58
2."I Can't Complain"
  • Sami McKinney
  • Raymond Jones
  • McKinney
  • Jones
5:08
3."Be Yourself"
James R. "Budd" Ellison5:40
4."Yo Mister"PrincePrince5:08
5."I Got It Like That"Full ForceFull Force5:38
6."Love 89"
Prince5:09
7."Still in Love"
Walden4:36
8."I'm Scared of You"
  • Alan Roy Scott
  • Allan Dennis Rich
  • Scott
  • Rich
4:46
9."Can't Bring Me Down"
  • Tena Clark
  • Gary Prim
Ellison4:13
10."Need a Little Faith"
  • Bacharach
  • Sager
4:00
11."I Can Fly"
  • Theodore McLean
  • Ellison
  • Patti LaBelle
Ellison5:23

Personnel

Credits lifted from the album's liner notes.[5]

Production and Technical

Charts

US Cashbox Charts (1989) Peak

position

Top 75 R&B Albums[10] 14
Top 200 Albums[11] 97

References

  1. ^ "Be Yourself - Patti LaBelle - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Patti LaBelle Be Yourself (MCA) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR..." Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  3. ^ "RollingStone.com - Patti LaBelle Recordings". Rolling Stone. 4 May 2002. Archived from the original on 4 May 2002. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  4. ^ Linden, Amy (February 1990). "Spins". Spin. p. 74. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  5. ^ Patti LaBelle (1989). Be Yourself (booklet). MCA Records.
  6. ^ "Patti LaBelle Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  7. ^ "Patti LaBelle Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  8. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  9. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  10. ^ "Cashbox Magazine" (PDF). 1989-11-04. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-08-12.
  11. ^ "Cashbox Magazine" (PDF). 1989-11-11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-08-12.
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