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Happy People/U Saved Me

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Happy People/U Saved Me
Studio album by
R. Kelly
ReleasedAugust 24, 2004
StudioThe Chocolate Factory, Chicago, Illinois
Length100:12
LabelJive
ProducerR. Kelly
R. Kelly chronology
The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1
(2003) 		Happy People/U Saved Me
(2004) 		Unfinished Business
(2004)
Singles from Happy People/U Saved Me
  1. "Happy People"
    Released: September 14, 2004
  2. "U Saved Me"
    Released: October 19, 2004

Happy People/U Saved Me is the sixth studio album and the second double album by American R&B singer R. Kelly, where he mixed feel-good danceable soul records (Happy People) with gospel anthems (U Saved Me). Released in 2004, it peaked at No. 2 on the pop albums chart and went on to be certified three times Platinum. The album contained the hit single "Happy People" (US No. 19, UK No. 6), and the minor hit "U Saved Me" (US No. 52, UK No. 6). On "Red Carpet (Pause, Flash)," Kelly sampled the song "Step in the Name of Love" on his previous album, which was released a year earlier.[1]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic66/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Blender[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+/B-[4]
Los Angeles Times[5][6]
Rolling Stone[7]
Stylus MagazineB−[8]
Uncut[9]
The Village VoiceD+[10]

Happy People/U Saved Me received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 66 based on 16 reviews.[2] Richard Cromelin from Los Angeles Times found that "the album’s sonic signature is a celebrative clap" and further remarked: "Charming, unpretentious and effortless, the singer presides over a party whose pace never flags and whose soul is fun-loving and wholesome."[5] AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine felt that "since Happy People/U Saved Me delivers two distinct and cohesive albums, it could conceivably offer further ammunition for those defenders of Kelly who claim that he's made the best music of his career when under fire. There's some validity to that argument." He called the album a "definitive work of sorts since he's at the top of his game as both a craftsman and conman."[3] Uncut described the album as "a cunning, crackling, can't-keep-still classic."[9]

Gail Mitchell from Billboard found that "Kelly's winning musical streak" was continuing with Happy People/U Saved Me and noted that he had "an uncanny ability to mix retro sounds with tasty dollops of contemporary seasoning."[11] PopMatters remarked that while Happy People "finds Kelly honing his already well developed skills at creating effortless dance hooks, the second disc Kelly seems to be trapped in staid evangelical idioms and drowning in itchy church choir robes."[12] Similarly, Entertainment Weekly's David Browne noted the "problem separating sinner and salvation seeker into two albums becomes apparent as U Saved Me gets bogged down in one indistinct, syrup-doused ballad after another."[4] On the contrary, Dan Leroy from Launch.com found that "the sacred material on U Saved Me, by contrast, is more exciting – and troubling."[13] In his review for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau remarked that Kelly's "productivity isn't exuberance, it's greed; his PG rating isn't scruples, it's cowardice."[10] Kefelah Sanneh, writing for The New York Times, felt that there was "something rather unambitious about this set."[14]

Commercial performance

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In his home country of the United States, Happy People/U Saved Me debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 264,000 copies in its first week, behind Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dying.[15] The album was the sixth consecutive Kelly solo album (seventh overall) to debut at number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In its second week, the album remained in the top ten at Billboard 200, falling to number six, selling 127,000 copies.[16] On September 24, 2004, the double album has been certified 3× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipping more than 3 million units (in this case, 1.5 million double album sets, which are double-counted by the RIAA).[17] As of December 6, 2011, Happy People/U Saved Me has sold 5.2 million copies worldwide.[18]

Track listing

[edit]
  • All songs written, produced and arranged by R. Kelly.
Happy People — Disc one[19]
No.TitleLength
1."Weatherman"2:41
2."Red Carpet (Pause, Flash)"3:37
3."Love Signals"5:28
4."Love Street"4:37
5."Ladies' Night (Treat Her Like Heaven)"3:45
6."If"4:49
7."The Greatest Show On Earth"4:48
8."It's Your Birthday"2:44
9."Steppin' Into Heaven"3:54
10."If I Could Make the World Dance"5:28
11."Happy People"7:49
U Saved Me — Disc two[19]
No.TitleLength
1."3-Way Phone Call" (featuring Kelly Price, Kim Burrell & Maurice Mahon)7:03
2."U Saved Me"6:13
3."Prayer Changes"6:24
4."How Did You Manage"3:45
5."I Surrender"4:45
6."When I Think About You"4:06
7."Diary of Me"4:19
8."Spirit"3:57
9."Leap of Faith"4:51
10."Peace"5:09

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[20]

Charts

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Certifications

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Sales and certifications for Happy People/U Saved Me
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[17] 3× Platinum 1,500,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 5,200,000[18]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Danton, Eric R. (August 26, 2004). "Half sweet but half sickening". Hartford Courant. p. 91. Retrieved September 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Happy People / U Saved Me - R. Kelly > Critic Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "R. Kelly: Happy People/U Saved Me" at AllMusic. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  4. ^ a b Browne, David (August 16, 2004). "Happy People". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Cromelin, Richard (August 22, 2004). "R. Kelly puts his legal strife aside in a fine new set". Los Angeles Times. p. 66. Retrieved September 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Cromelin, Richard (August 22, 2004). "Jubilant and purposeful songs". Los Angeles Times.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon (September 2, 2004). "R. Kelly: Happy People/U Saved Me". Rolling Stone.
  8. ^ Burns, Todd (August 25, 2004). "R. Kelly: Happy People / U Saved Me". Stylus. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  9. ^ a b "R Kelly - Happy People". Uncut. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  10. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (November 30, 2004). "Consumer Guide: Mine Enemy the Turkey". The Village Voice. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  11. ^ Mitchell, Gail (September 4, 2004). "Billboard Album Reviews". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 28, 2004. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  12. ^ "R. Kelly: Happy People/U Saved Me". PopMatters. September 16, 2004. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  13. ^ Leory, Dan (September 15, 2004). "Albun Review – Happy People/U Saved Me". Launch.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2004. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  14. ^ Sanneh, Kefelah (September 19, 2004). "Rap of Ages". The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  15. ^ Whitmire, Margo (September 1, 2004). "McGraw's 'Live' Powers To No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  16. ^ Whitmire, Margo (September 8, 2004). "McGraw Lives Large At No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  17. ^ a b "American album certifications – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me". Recording Industry Association of America.
  18. ^ a b "R. Kelly: Worldwide Album Sales". Rkellynews.blogspot.com. December 6, 2011. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  19. ^ a b R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me (CD, Album) at Discogs
  20. ^ Happy People/U Saved Me - R. Kelly | Credits at AllMusic
  21. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 152.
  22. ^ "Austriancharts.at – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  23. ^ "Ultratop.be – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  24. ^ "Ultratop.be – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  25. ^ "Albums : Top 100". Jam!. September 16, 2004. Archived from the original on December 10, 2004. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  26. ^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. October 7, 2004. Archived from the original on October 10, 2004. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  27. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  28. ^ "Lescharts.com – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  29. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  30. ^ "Italiancharts.com – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  31. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  33. ^ "Swisscharts.com – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  34. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – R. Kelly – Happy People / U Saved Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  35. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  36. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  37. ^ "R. Kelly Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  38. ^ "R. Kelly Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  39. ^ "Best of 2004 – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  40. ^ "Best of 2004 – R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  41. ^ "Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2004" (PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 17, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  42. ^ "British album certifications – R Kelly – Happy People/U Saved Me". British Phonographic Industry.
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