Studio Album · No. 2
Never Let Me Go Songwriting Credits by Luther Vandross
Produced by Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller · Engineered by Ray Bardani, Shelly Yakus, Michael Morongell
Epic
R&BSoulQuiet Storm
Artist
82%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 9 of 11 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 11 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Luther Vandross carries a lyricist or composer credit.
9 trackswritten by Luther Vandross
2 tracksoutside writers
Luther Vandross's roles on this album
Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist82%
Composer82%
Producer100%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
11
Tracks
11
Lyricists
2
Producers
1993
Released
Data Insight
Vandross has a writing credit on nine of the eleven tracks, and not one of the nine is his alone. Marcus Miller co-wrote six, Reed Vertelney two, and Hubert Eaves III one, with Alan Roy Scott joining Vandross and Vertelney on "Can't Be Doin' That Now". The last two entries belong to other writers outright. Track ten is a medley of the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love", written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, and the Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody", written by Joseph Jefferson and Charles Simmons, and the closing title song is Johnny Ace's 1954 ballad, written by Joseph Scott. Wikipedia's track listing folds Joseph Scott into the medley credits and leaves Charles Simmons out of them, which the release itself does not support: MusicBrainz ties the medley recording to the Jefferson and Simmons work, and Scott's name belongs to track eleven.
Never Let Me Go is Luther Vandross's eighth studio album, released by Epic on May 26, 1993 and cut between October 1992 and February 1993 at A&M and The Village in Los Angeles and Right Track and The Hit Factory in New York. Vandross and Marcus Miller produced all eleven tracks, with Miller playing bass and keyboards and programming most of the rhythm beds. It reached number six on the Billboard 200 but stopped at number three on the R&B albums chart, the first Vandross studio record that did not go to number one there.
Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)
#10
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Percussion Programming, Music Arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Jason Miles (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Lisa Fischer (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Cindy Mizelle (Backing Vocals)Kevin Owens (Backing Vocals)Tamira C. Sanders (Backing Vocals)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 2 |
Heaven Knows
#24
|
Luther VandrossReed Vertelney | Luther VandrossReed Vertelney | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Keyboards, Additional Drum Programming, Music Arrangement)Reed Vertelney (Keyboard Programming, Drum Programming, Music Arrangement)Philippe Saisse (Acoustic Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboard Programming)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Ivan Hampden (Drum Fills)Jason Miles (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Phillip Ballou (Backing Vocals)Michelle Cobbs (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 3 |
Love Me Again
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Percussion Programming, Music Arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Michael White (Cymbals)Jason Miles (Sound Programming)Eric Persing (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Lisa Fischer (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Cindy Mizelle (Backing Vocals)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 4 |
Can't Be Doin' That Now
|
Luther VandrossReed VertelneyAlan Roy Scott | Luther VandrossReed VertelneyAlan Roy Scott | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Keyboards, Additional Drum Programming, Music Arrangement)Reed Vertelney (Keyboard Programming, Drum Programming, Music Arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Jason Miles (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 5 |
Too Far Down
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Percussion Programming, Music Arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Jason Miles (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Lisa Fischer (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Cindy Mizelle (Backing Vocals)Kevin Owens (Backing Vocals)Tamira C. Sanders (Backing Vocals)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 6 |
Love Is On the Way (Real Love)
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Percussion Programming, Music Arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Eric Persing (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Myrna Smith-Schilling (Backing Vocals)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 7 |
Hustle
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Percussion Programming, Music Arrangement)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Eric Persing (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Myrna Smith-Schilling (Backing Vocals)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 8 |
Emotion Eyes
|
Luther VandrossHubert Eaves III | Luther VandrossHubert Eaves III | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Hubert Eaves III (Keyboard Programming, Music Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Additional Keyboards)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Jason Miles (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 9 |
Lady, Lady
|
Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Keyboards, Drum Programming, Percussion Programming, Music Arrangement, Backing Vocals)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Jason Miles (Sound Programming)Tawatha Agee (Backing Vocals)Phillip Ballou (Backing Vocals)Cissy Houston (Backing Vocals)Paulette McWilliams (Backing Vocals)Cindy Mizelle (Backing Vocals)Tamira C. Sanders (Backing Vocals)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Brenda White-King (Backing Vocals) |
| 10 |
How Deep Is Your Love / Love Don't Love Nobody (Instrumental Interlude)
|
Barry GibbRobin GibbMaurice GibbJoseph JeffersonCharles Simmons | Barry GibbRobin GibbMaurice GibbJoseph JeffersonCharles Simmons | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Nat Adderley Jr. (Keyboards, Music Arrangement)Marcus Miller (Bass, Additional Keyboards)Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar)Doc Powell (Guitar)Eric Persing (Sound Programming)Joe Soldo (String Contractor)Fonzi Thornton (Backing Vocals)Myrna Smith-Schilling (Backing Vocals) |
| 11 |
Never Let Me Go
|
Joseph Scott | Joseph Scott | Luther VandrossMarcus Miller | Luther Vandross (Lead Vocals, Vocal Arrangement)Kirk Whalum (Saxophone Solo) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 33 contributors
LV
Luther Vandross
Writer · Producer · Vocals
MM
Marcus Miller
Writer · Producer · Vocals
RV
Reed Vertelney
Writer · Keyboard Programming
AR
Alan Roy Scott
Writer
BG
Barry Gibb
Writer
CS
Charles Simmons
Writer
HE
Hubert Eaves III
Writer · Keyboard Programming
JJ
Joseph Jefferson
Writer
JS
Joseph Scott
Writer
MG
Maurice Gibb
Writer
RG
Robin Gibb
Writer
BW
Brenda White-King
Vocals
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Frequently Asked Questions Never Let Me Go
Did Luther Vandross write "Never Let Me Go"?
No. The title track is a cover of the 1954 Johnny Ace ballad, written by Joseph Scott. Vandross sings it, with a saxophone solo from Kirk Whalum, but the song is not his.
Which songs on the album are covers?
Two of the eleven. Track ten is a medley of the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love" and an instrumental interlude on the Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody", and track eleven is Johnny Ace's "Never Let Me Go". Everything else carries a Vandross co-writing credit.
Who produced Never Let Me Go?
Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller produced the whole record together. Miller also played bass on most of it, handled the drum and percussion programming, and arranged the music on seven tracks.
How did the album do on the charts?
It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and number three on the R&B albums chart, making it the first Vandross studio album that did not reach number one on the R&B chart. It went to number eleven in the UK and was certified platinum in the United States.
Did the album get any Grammy recognition?
It drew three nominations at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. His reading of "How Deep Is Your Love" was up for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, and both "Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)" and "Heaven Knows" were nominated for Best R&B Song.
Data note: Track 11 is a cover of the Johnny Ace ballad and is written by Joseph Scott alone; Wikipedia's track listing places his name in the track 10 medley credits instead and omits Charles Simmons, who MusicBrainz confirms as co-writer of "Love Don't Love Nobody" with Joseph Jefferson. Sleeve credits for track 11 name only the vocal and the saxophone solo, so no rhythm-section personnel are itemized for it. Some CD pressings group the closing song into the track 10 medley as part 10c; the US and European originals list it as a separate eleventh track.
Sources
Wikipedia: Never Let Me Go (Luther Vandross album)
Wikipedia: Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)
Wikipedia: Heaven Knows (Luther Vandross song)
Wikipedia: Never Let Me Go (Johnny Ace song)
Wikipedia: How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees song)
Discogs: Never Let Me Go, Europe CD with full per-track credits (release 2195633)
Discogs: Never Let Me Go, US CD (release 1417079)
Discogs: Never Let Me Go, CD pressing grouping the closing song into the medley (release 12153321)
MusicBrainz: Never Let Me Go release group
MusicBrainz: Never Let Me Go release track listing
MusicBrainz: work Love Don't Love Nobody, writers Joseph Jefferson and Charles Simmons
Cover Art Archive: Never Let Me Go front cover
Cover Art Archive: Never Let Me Go by Luther Vandross