Collection Teena Marie
No white artist has sang R&B more convincingly than Teena Marie,
whose big, robust vocals are so black-sounding that when she was
starting out, some listeners wondered if she was a light-skinned
African-American. Not to be confused with Brazilian jazz singer Tânia
Maria, Marie grew up in west Los Angeles in a neighborhood that was
nicknamed "Venice Harlem" because of its heavy black population. The
singer/songwriter/producer was in her early twenties when, around 1977,
she landed a job at Motown Records. It was at Motown that she met her
mentor and paramour-to-be, Rick James, who ended up doing all of the
writing and producing for her debut album of 1979, Wild and Peaceful.
That LP, which boasted her hit duet with James, "I'm Just a Sucker for
Your Love," didn't show Marie's picture -- so many programmers at black
radio just assumed she was black. When her second album, Lady T, came
out, much of the R&B world was shocked to see how fair-skinned she
was. But to many of the black R&B fans who were eating her music up,
it really didn't matter -- the bottom line was she was a first-rate
soul singer whose love of black culture ran deep.
By her third album, 1980's gold Irons in the Fire, Marie was doing most
of her own writing and producing. That album boasted the major hit "I
Need Your Lovin'," and Marie went gold again with her next album, It
Must Be Magic (which included the major hit "Square Biz"). It Must Be
Magic turned out to be her last album for Motown, which she had a nasty
legal battle with. Marie got out of her contract with Motown, and the
case ended up with the courts passing what is known as "The Teena Marie
Law" -- which states that a label cannot keep an artist under contract
without putting out an album by him or her.
Switching to Epic in 1983, Marie recorded her fifth album, Robbery, and
had a hit with "Fix It." In 1984, Marie recorded her sixth album,
Starchild, and had her biggest pop hit ever with "Lovergirl." Though
Marie had often soared to the top of the R&B charts, "Lovergirl"
marked the first time she'd done so well in the pop market. Ironically,
Marie was a white singer who had enjoyed little exposure outside the
R&B market prior to "Lovegirl."
Three more Epic albums followed: 1986's Emerald City, 1988's Naked to
the World (which contained her smash hit "Ooh La La La"), and 1990's
Ivory. Unfortunately, Marie's popularity had faded considerably by the
late '80s, and Epic dropped her. In 1994, the singer released Passion
Play on her own Sarat label. Ten years later, she signed to Cash Money
and released La Doña, featuring assistance from Gerald LeVert, Rick
James, and MC Lyte. Sapphire followed two years later. Though both La
Doña and Sapphire peaked at number three on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart, she switched to Stax for her next album, 2009's Congo Square.
Album: Wild and Peaceful (1979)
01. I'm A Sucker For Your Love
02. Turning Me On
03. Don't Look Back
04. De Ja Vu (I've Been Here Before)
05. I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)
06. I Can't Love Anymore
http://www31.zippyshare.com/v/8800375/file.html
Album: Lady T (1980)
01. Behind The Groove
02. Now That I Have You
03. Lonely Desire
04. Aladdin's Lamp
05. You're All The Boogie I Need
06. Can It Be Love
07. Young Girl In Love
08. Why Did I Have To Fall In Love With You
09. Too Many Colors
10. Why Can't I Get Next To You
11. Co Pilot To Pilot
http://www53.zippyshare.com/v/62317058/file.html
Album: Irons in the Fire (1980)
01. I Need Your Lovin'
02. Young Love
03. First Class Love
04. Irons In The Fire
05. Chains
06. You Make Love Like Springtime
07. Tune In Tomorrow
08. You Make Love Like Springtime (Reprise)
http://www11.zippyshare.com/v/8230996/file.html
Album: It Must Be Magic (1981)
01. It Must Be Magic
02. Revolution
03. Where's California
04. 365
05. Opus Iii (Does Anybody Care)
06. Square Biz
07. Ballad Of Cradle Rob & Me, The
08. Portuguese Love
09. Yes Indeed
10. Square Biz (Instrumental)
11. Someday We'll All Be Free ( Live)
12. Deja Vu (We've Been Here Before) (Live)
http://www5.zippyshare.com/v/89816158/file.html
Album: Robbery (1983)
01. Robbery
02. Playboy
03. Shadow Boxing
04. Midnight Magnet
05. Fix It
06. Ask Your Momma
07. Dear Lover
08. Stop The World
09. Casanova Brown
10. Playboy (12In Remix)
11. Midnight Magnet (Instrumental)
http://www75.zippyshare.com/v/16854525/file.html
Album: Starchild (1984)
01. Lovergirl
02. Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party
03. Out on a Limb
04. Alibi
05. Jammin'
06. Starchild
07. We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)
08. My Dear Mr. Gaye
09. Light
http://www15.zippyshare.com/v/44253821/file.html
Album: Emerald City (1986)
01. Emerald City
02. Once Is Not Enough
03. Lips to Find You
04. You So Heavy
05. Shangri-La
06. Batucada Suite
07. Love Me Down Easy
08. Sunny Skies
http://www35.zippyshare.com/v/69675619/file.html
Album: Naked To The World (1988)
01. Trick Bag
02. Call Me (I Got Yo Number)
03. Ooo La La La
04. Crocodile Tears
06. Surrealistic Pillow
08. Work It
09. The Ball
10. Naked To The World
http://www2.zippyshare.com/v/33575375/file.html
Album: Ivory (1990)
01. Here's Looking At You
02. The Sugar Shack Prelude
03. The Sugar Shack
04. If I Were A Bell
05. Just Us Two
06. Mr. Icecream
07. Ivory (Atone Poem)
08. Snap Your Fingers
09. Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter
10. How Can You Resist It
11. Since Day One
12. Miracles Need Wings To Fly
13. The Red Zone
http://www20.zippyshare.com/v/88695422/file.html
Album: Greatest Hits (1991)
01. Lovergirl
02. Work It
03. Ooo la la La
04. If I Were a Bell
05. Dear Lover
06. Here's Looking at You
07. Call Me (I Got Yo Number)
08. Cassanova Brown
09. My Dear Mr. Gaye
10. Out on a Limb
http://www17.zippyshare.com/v/13351505/file.html
Album: Passion Play (1994)
01. Warm As Mommas Oven
02. Main Squeeze
03. Wild Horses
04. Smooth Tip
05. Hypnotized Prelude
06. Hypnotized
07. Parking Music
08. Sweet On You
09. Slow Grind
10. Climb The Walls
11. Breakfast In Bed
12. Passion Play
13. Pretty Man
14. The Air I Breathe
http://www51.zippyshare.com/v/84088604/file.html
Album: I Need Your Lovin'- The Best of Teena Marie (1994)
01. I Need Your Lovin'
02. Behind the Groove
03. Every Little Bit Hurts
04. Irons in the Fire
05. Portuguese Love
06. It Must Be Magic
07. Déjà Vu (I've Been Here Before)
08. Don't Turn Your Back on Me
09. Square Biz
10. Turnin' Me On
11. Now That I Have You
12. I'm a Sucker for Your Love
http://www12.zippyshare.com/v/68146091/file.html
Album: Lovergirl- The Teena Marie Story (1997)
01. Just Us Two
02. Ooo La La La [12-Inch Version]
03. Sugar Shack [Extended Club Mix]
04. If I Were a Bell
05. Stop the World
06. My Dear Mr. Gaye
07. Shadow Boxing
08. Light
09. Out on a Limb
10. Lovergirl
11. Dear Lover
12. Fix It [12-Inch Version]
13. Cassanova Brown
http://www76.zippyshare.com/v/7525829/file.html
Album: Love Songs (2000)
01. Cassanova Brown
02. Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter
03. Miracles Need Wings To Fly
04. Ooo La La La
05. If I Were A Bell
06. Ivory (A Tone Poem)
07. Dear Lover
08. My Dear Mr. Gaye
09. Opus III (Part 2)
10. Fire And Desire
11. Shadow Boxing
12. We've Got To Stop Meeting Like This
13. Shangri-La
14. Sunny Skies
http://www49.zippyshare.com/v/85506899/file.html
Album: Ultimate Collection (2000)
01. Square Biz
02. Behind the Groove
03. If I Were a Bell
04. Portuguese Love
05. Lovergirl
06. Fire and Desire
07. My Dear Mr. Gaye
08. I'm a Sucker for Your Love
09. Irons in the Fire
10. Young Love
11. I Need Your Lovin'
12. Now That I Have You
13. Latin Lullaby
14. It Must Be Magic
15. Work It
http://www63.zippyshare.com/v/82480617/file.html
Album: La Dona (2004)
01. La Dona (Intro)
02. Still In Love
03. Honey Call
04. Baby I'm Your Fiend
05. My Body's Hungry
06. A Rose By Any Other Name
07. Off The Chain
08. Makavelli Never Lied
09. Revelations 38 Introduction
10. Recycle Hate To Love
11. The Mackin' Game
http://www53.zippyshare.com/v/52521420/file.html
Album: Sapphire (2006)
01. God Has Created
02. Cruise Control
03. Baby Who's Is It
04. Make It Hot
05. Ooh Wee
06. Sleeping With the Enemy
07. A.P.B
08. Love Is a Gangsta
09. Ladies Choice
10. Somebody Just Like You
11. You Blow Me Away
12. Simmer Down
13. Romantica
14. The Way You Love Me
15. Ecstasy
16. Resilient (Sapphire)
http://www75.zippyshare.com/v/18719017/file.html
Album: Congo Square (2009)
01. The Pressure
02. Can't Last a Day
03. Baby I Love You
04. Ear Candy 101
05. Lover's Lane
06. Marry Me
07. You Baby
08. Milk N' Honey
09. What U Got 4 Me
10. Rovleta's Jass
11. Congo Square
12. Harlem Blues
13. Black Cool
14. Ms. Coretta
15. Soldier Boy
16. The Rose N' Thorn
http://www59.zippyshare.com/v/68309846/file.html
Album: Beautiful (2013)
01. Luv Letter
02. Sweet Tooth
03. Rare Breed (Feat. Alia Rose & Ty James)
04. Love Starved
05. Definition Of Down
06. Maria Bonita (For My Mother)
07. Beautiful (For Alia)
08. The Long Play
09. Carte Blanche
10. Give Me Your Love (Feat. Alia Rose)
11. Wild Horses
12. The Perfect Feeling
http://www74.zippyshare.com/v/93653289/file.html
Enjoy!!!!
Thank you for the reminder of how awesome Lady T was :)
ReplyDeletethanks gil
ReplyDeleteDon't you have the 6th Whodini's album named "Six"? Thanks anyway! Great albums here!
ReplyDeleteYou sir...you and your blog are probably the only things that have kept me sane for the past 2-3 years. I cannot thank you enough. Also, I hate to bother you, but by any chance, do you have any Cheryl Lynn?
ReplyDeleteMR. GILBERT YOU ARE BIG TIME. YOU JUST BROUGHT ME WAY BACK. MAN THIS IS GREAT. I DO HAVE A REQUEST WHICH I HOPE YOU FULFILL I AM CRAVING NO HUNGRY NO STARVING FOR SO JERMAINE JACKSON MUSIC. PLEASE I KNOW YOU GOT IT. YOU ARE THE MAN.
ReplyDeleteForce MD's...?
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for a such complete discography for a long time. Any chance you re-upload any time soon? By the way, nice review. Thanks and regards. Martín.
ReplyDeleteShame on you! Teena Marie's links are deader than a doornail! There's no point in keeping a website like that!
ReplyDelete