How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye is a studio album by the American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released by Arista Records on September 29, 1983, in the United States. Recorded during the spring of 1983, Warwick worked with the singer and songwriter Luther Vandross, who also appears on the hit title track. The album includes the original version of the song "So Amazing", which Vandross would record later for his Give Me the Reason album, and a remake of The Shirelles' 1960 hit "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", featuring the original group on guest vocals.
Despite strong reviews, How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye failed to reprise the commercial success of its predecessor Heartbreaker (1982) and became a commercial disappointment, stalling at number 57 on the US Billboard 200. Lead single "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" hit number 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart and number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the upbeat "Got a Date" peaked at number 45 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 15 on the Dance Club Songs charts.[3]
Track listing
All tracks produced by Luther Vandross.[4]
2014 re-issue bonus tracks| Title | Writer(s) |
|---|
| 9. | "Got a Date" (7” Version) | | 4:10 |
|---|
| 10. | "Got a Date" (Special Remix) | | 6:59 |
|---|
| 11. | "Got a Date" (Instrumental) | | 4:56 |
|---|
| 12. | "Got a Date" (Single Version) | | 3:29 |
|---|
| 13. | "Two Ships Passing in the Night" (Instrumental) | Warwick | 5:01 |
|---|
| 14. | "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" (Instrumental) | Goldman | 3:28 |
|---|
Personnel and credits
Musicians
- Dionne Warwick – vocals, backing vocals (2, 6)
- Nat Adderley Jr. – keyboards
- Cliff Branch – clavinet (1)
- Marcus Miller – synthesizers (1, 3), bass (1–5, 8)
- Skip Anderson – synthesizers (2, 4, 5, 7)
- Doc Powell – guitars (1–5, 8)
- Georg Wadenius – guitars (1–5, 8)
- Peter Frampton – guitar solo (1, 3)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (6)
- Abraham Laboriel – bass (6)
- Yogi Horton – drums (1–5, 7, 8)
- Carlos Vega – drums (6)
- Sammy Figueroa – congas (1, 3)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3–5, 7, 8)
- Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (1, 3)
- Patti Austin – backing vocals (1, 4)
- Phillip Ballou – backing vocals (1, 4)
- Cissy Houston – backing vocals (1, 4)
- Yvonne Lewis – backing vocals (1, 2, 4)
- Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (1)
- Luther Vandross – backing vocals (1, 2, 4), vocals (4)
- Brenda White – backing vocals (1, 3, 4)
- Damaris Carbaugh – backing vocals (2)
- Lani Groves – backing vocals (2)
- Louise Bethune – backing vocals (3)
- Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals (3, 4)
- Diana Graselli – backing vocals (3)
- Alfa Anderson – backing vocals (4)
- The Shirelles – backing vocals (8)
- Music arrangements
- Marcus Miller – rhythm and synthesizer arrangements (1)
- Luther Vandross – vocal arrangements (1–3), rhythm arrangements (2)
- Nat Adderley Jr. – rhythm arrangements (2, 4–6, 8), synthesizer arrangements (4–7), horn and string arrangements (6)
- Paul Riser – horn and string arrangements (2, 7)
- Jimmy Webb – horn and string arrangements (4, 8)
- Leon Pendarvis – horn and string arrangements (5)
Production
- Luther Vandross – producer, mixing
- Marcus Miller – mixing
- Ray Bardani – mixing, engineer
- Carl Beatty – engineer
- Michael H. Brauer – engineer
- Michael Christopher – engineer, assistant engineer
- Doug Epstein – engineer
- Bill Stein – engineer
- Mark Cobrin – assistant engineer
- Scott Mabuchi – assistant engineer
- Jim Scott – assistant engineer
- Harry Spiridakis – assistant engineer
- Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
- Donn Davenport – art direction
- Frank Laffitte – photography
- Clifford Peterson – hair
- Wynona Price – make-up
- Lisa Daurio – stylist
- G.M.I. – management
References
- Elias, Jason. "Dionne Warwick: How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
- The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 749.
- "Dionne Warwick | Biography, Music & News". Billboard.
- How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye (booklet). Dionne Warwick. Arista Records. 1983.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
- "Swedishcharts.com – Dionne Warwick – How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- "Official Albums Chart on 30/10/1983 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- "Billboard Top LPs & Tape" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 95, no. 48. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. November 26, 1983. p. 67. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Black LPs" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 95, no. 49. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. December 3, 1983. p. 43. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XLV, no. 27. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. December 3, 1983. p. 31. ISSN 0008-7289.
- "Top Black Contemporary 75 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XLV, no. 26. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. November 26, 1983. p. 23. ISSN 0008-7289.
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