The Comfort Zone is the second studio album by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released on August 20, 1991, by Mercury's Wing Records Label.
The first single from the album was "Running Back to You", an uptempo song that peaked at number one on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "The Comfort Zone", the second single, peaked at number 62 on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Save the Best for Last" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. "Just for Tonight" was the fourth single from the album, reaching number 26 on the Hot 100, followed by "Work to Do", which achieved moderate success.
The album peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard 200 and reached number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 24 upon its release in April 1992 before quickly falling out of the top 50.
The album has since been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA).
Track listing[edit]
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Length
1.
"The Comfort Zone"
Kipper Jones
Reggie Stewart
Gerry Brown
Jones
3:59
2.
"Running Back to You"
Trevor Gale
Kenni Hairston
Bob Rosa
Hairston
DJ L.A. Jay
Rob Von Arx
Gale
4:39
3.
"Work to Do" (featuring Dres)
O'Kelly Isley, Jr.
Ronald Isley
Rudolph Isley
Andres "Dres" Titus
Dr. Jam
Brown
Phase 5
Vanessa Williams
4:36
4.
"You Gotta Go" (featuring Brian McKnight)
Dr. Jam
McKnight
Mark Stevens
McKnight
Dr. Jam
Brown
6:21
5.
"Still in Love"
Derek Bramble
Bramble
5:22
6.
"Save the Best for Last"
Phil Galdston
Jon Lind
Wendy Waldman
Keith Thomas
3:38
7.
"What Will I Tell My Heart?"
Irving Gordon
Jack Lawrence
Peter Tinturin
Brown
Williams
4:17
8.
"Strangers Eyes"
Dr. Jam
Brown
Stevens
Dr. Jam
Brown
Stevens
6:16
9.
"2 of a Kind"
Dr. Jam
Williams
Dr. Jam
Brown
Williams
5:16
10.
"Freedom Dance (Get Free!)"
Jones
Stewart
Bruce Carbone
Dave Darlington
Brown
Jones
4:14
11.
"Just for Tonight"
Thomas
Cynthia Weil
Thomas
4:28
12.
"One Reason"
Thomas
Weil
Thomas
4:52
13.
"Better off Now"
Thomas
Bryndle
Thomas
4:14
14.
"Goodbye"
Gary Chapman
Thomas
Thomas
4:21
European edition bonus track[3]
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Length
15.
"The Right Stuff" (Norman Cook 12″ remix)
Rex Salas
Kipper Jones
Salas
Norman Cook
6:18
Japanese edition bonus track[4]
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Length
16.
"Running Back to You" (DNA 7″ mix)
Gale
Kenni Hairston
Rosa
Hairston
Jay
Von Arx
Gale
DNA
3:25
The tracks "Work to Do" and "What Will I Tell My Heart?" both appeared in the film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man; the latter also appeared on the film's soundtrack album.
Personnel[edit]
Musicians[edit]
Drums – DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, Mark Hammond, Harvey Mason Sr.
Drum programming – Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Mark Hammond, Reggie Stewart, Keith Thomas
"Beats" – D.J. LA Jay, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx
Samples – Phase 5, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx
Keyboards – Greg Arnold, Derek Bramble, Merv DePyere, DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, David Frank, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Fred McFarlane, Monty Seward, Keith Thomas
Piano – Jorgen Kaufma, Brian McKnight, Randy Waldman
Bass – Stanley Clarke, Fred McFarlane, Cornelius Mims, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Keith Thomas
Synthesized bass – David Frank
Guitars – Dann Huff, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jerry McPherson, Wah Wah Watson
Mandolin – Jerry McPherson
Saxophone – Gerald Albright, Pete Christlieb, Mark Douthit, Thomas Haas, Scott Mayo
Trumpet – Fernando Pullum
Trombone – Duane Benjamin
Flute – Hubert Laws
Strings – The Nashville String Machine
Horns arranged by Scott Mayo
Strings arranged by Keith Thomas
Backing vocals – Debbie Cole, Dres, Lori Fulton, Vicki Hampton, Kipper Jones, Valerie Mayo, Donna McElroy, Rick Nelson, Tata Vega
Vocals arranged by Gerry Brown, Kipper Jones, Brian McKnight, Mark Stevens, Keith Thomas and Vanessa Williams
Technical[edit]
Produced by Vanessa Williams (also executive), Ed Eckstine (executive), Keith Thomas, Brian McKnight, Kenni Hairston, Derek Bramble, Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Kipper Jones, Phase 5, Mark Stevens and Reggie Stewart
Engineers – Derek Bramble, Claude Demers, Joe Schiff, Will Schillinger, Allen Sides, Kieran Walsh, Matt Wells, Gerry Brown
Assistant engineers – Steve Charles, Foley, Roy Gamble, Marty Lester, Todd Moore, Gary Paczosa, Mike Piersante, Brian Soucey
Mixing – Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, Humberto Gatica, Bill Whittington, Vanessa L. Williams
Mix assistants – Jeff Gledt, John Kunz, John David Parker, Brian Soucey
Mastering – Herb Powers
Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (1992)
Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[5]
29
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6]
24
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[7]
28
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[8]
52
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[9]
29
UK Albums (OCC)[10]
24
US Billboard 200[11]
17
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[12]
1
Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (1992)
Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13]
6
Certifications[edit]
Region
Certification
Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[14]
Gold
50,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[15]
Gold
100,000^
United States (RIAA)[16]
3× Platinum
3,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
See also[edit]
List of number-one R&B albums of 1992 (U.S.)
References[edit]
^https://www.allmusic.com/album/r21917
^May, Mitchell (November 7, 1991). "Vanessa Williams The Comfort Zone". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 22, 2018. CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
^"Australiancharts.com – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
^"Top RPM Albums: Issue 2129". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
^"Dutchcharts.nl – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
^"Offiziellecharts.de – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
^"Swisscharts.com – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
^"Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
^"Vanessa Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
^"Vanessa Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
^"Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
^"Canadian album certifications – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Music Canada. May 29, 1992.
^"Japanese album certifications – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 23, 2020. Select 1994年2月 on the drop-down menu
^"American album certifications – Vanessa Williams – The Comfort Zone". Recording Industry Association of America. October 30, 1996. Retrieved October 22, 2018. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
vteVanessa Williams
Discography
Awards and nominations
Studio albums
The Right Stuff
The Comfort Zone
The Sweetest Days
Star Bright
Next
Silver & Gold
Everlasting Love
The Real Thing
Compilations
Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years
Love Songs
Singles
"The Right Stuff"
"(He's Got) the Look"
"Dreamin'"
"Darlin' I"
"Running Back to You"
"The Comfort Zone"
"Save the Best for Last"
"Work to Do"
"Just for Tonight"
"Love Is"
"The Sweetest Days"
"The Way That You Love"
"Colors of the Wind"
"Where Do We Go from Here"
"Do You Hear What I Hear / The Little Drummer Boy"