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The Return of Bruno (album)

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The Return of Bruno
Studio album / soundtrack album by
Bruce Willis
ReleasedJanuary 20, 1987
Recorded1986
Studio
Genre
Length40:34
LabelMotown
ProducerRobert Kraft
Bruce Willis chronology
The Return of Bruno
(1987) 		If It Don't Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger
(1989)
Singles from The Return of Bruno
  1. "Respect Yourself"
    Released: December 1986
  2. "Young Blood"
    Released: May 1987
  3. "Under the Boardwalk"
    Released: May 1987
  4. "Secret Agent Man"
    Released: September 1987
  5. "Comin' Right Up"
    Released: January 1988

The Return of Bruno is the debut studio album by American actor Bruce Willis. Released by Motown Records in January 1987, the album contains backing musicians including Booker T. Jones, the Pointer Sisters, and the Temptations. It is a companion piece to an HBO special of the same name, which aired shortly after the album's release. A re-issue was distributed by Razor & Tie in 1997.

Overview

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The album peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard 200.[2] In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Willis was awarded a US Gold album in March 1987.

The lead single "Respect Yourself", a duet with June Pointer featuring background vocals by the Pointer Sisters, was a hit. It peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[3] number 7 on the UK Singles Chart and number 8 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. Follow-up singles "Young Blood" and "Under the Boardwalk" did not fare nearly as well, peaking at number 68 and number 59, in the US respectively. Though "Under the Boardwalk" fared poorly in the US, in the UK the single reached number 2 in the charts and became the UK's 12th best-selling single of 1987. Other singles were released in the United Kingdom, including "Secret Agent Man" (peaked at number 43) and "Comin' Right Up" (peaked at number 73).

A TV special (and home video release), similarly titled The Return of Bruno, was released at the same time. It was produced as a "mockumentary" purporting to chronicle the career of Bruno Radolini (Willis). It was directed by Jim Yukich and produced by Paul Flattery for their company, Split Screen. It was nominated for a CableACE Award for writing.

Reception and legacy

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Reviews of the album were mixed. In February 1987, People magazine gave the album a B+, calling Willis' cover of "Under the Boardwalk" "surprisingly okay", also noting that the album "shows us that he (Willis) can't shout songs quite as well as Don Johnson. So Springsteen he ain't. Funny he is."[4] AllMusic observes that Willis "doesn't quite have the conviction or skill of the Blues Brothers", adding that The Return of Bruno is today little more than a kitsch artifact.[5]

Track listing

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  1. "Comin' Right Up" (Brock Walsh) – 3:30
  2. "Respect Yourself" (Luther Ingram, Mack Rice) (originally by The Staple Singers) – 3:53
  3. "Down in Hollywood" (Ry Cooder, Tim Drummond) (originally by Ry Cooder) – 5:20
  4. "Young Blood" (Jerry Leiber, Doc Pomus, Mike Stoller) (originally by The Coasters) – 4:08
  5. "Under the Boardwalk" (Kenny Young, Arthur Resnick) (originally by The Drifters) – 3:03
  6. "Secret Agent Man / James Bond Is Back" (Steve Barri, P.F. Sloan) / (John Barry) – 4:48
  7. "Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)" (Robert Kraft, Bruce Willis) – 4:12
  8. "Fun Time" (Allen Toussaint) (originally by Joe Cocker) – 3:38
  9. "Lose Myself" (Larry John McNally, Jon Lind) – 3:56
  10. "Flirting with Disaster" (Brock Walsh, Jeff Lorber) – 4:33

Personnel

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  • Bruce Willis – lead vocals, harmonica, arrangements (7)
  • Alan Pasqua – keyboards (1, 3, 6, 9)
  • Steve Thoma – keyboards (1-4, 7-9), arrangements (2-4, 7, 8), backing vocals (4)
  • Michael Boddicker – keyboards (2)
  • Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (2)
  • Booker T. Jones – Hammond organ (6)
  • Jeff Lorber – keyboards (10), drum programming (10)
  • Danny Grenier – guitars (1-4, 7-9), arrangements (2-4, 7, 8), backing vocals (3, 4)
  • Duane Sciacqua – guitars (1-4, 7-9), arrangements (2-4, 7, 8), backing vocals (4)
  • James Harrah – guitars (5)
  • Dann Huff – guitars (6, 10)
  • Buzz Feiten – guitars (9)
  • Dave Chamberlain – bass (1-4, 7-9), arrangements (2-4, 7, 8), backing vocals (3)
  • Jeff Steele – bass (2)
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass (5, 6)
  • Marty Fera – drums (1-4, 7-9), arrangements (2-4, 7, 8)
  • Rick Marotta – drums (6)
  • Wendel D'Howell Jr. – drums (10)
  • Michael Fisher – percussion (1-3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
  • Chris Mostert – saxophones (1-4, 7-9), arrangements (2-4, 7, 8)
  • Greg Smith – saxophones (1-4, 7-9), arrangements (2-4, 7, 8)
  • Joel Peskin – saxophone (6)
  • Gary Grant – trumpet (1, 2)
  • Jerry Hey – trumpet (1, 2), brass arrangements (1, 2)
  • Ken Johnson – SFX (5)
  • George Budd – SFX (6)
  • Brock Walsh – rhythm arrangements (1), drum programming (10), backing vocals (10)
  • Robert Kraft – arrangements (2, 5-7), SFX (5), backing vocals (6)
  • Hoogie D'Howell – string arrangements (5)
  • Lynn Davis – backing vocals (1, 3, 8, 10)
  • Siedah Garrett – backing vocals (1, 3, 8, 10)
  • June Pointer – co-lead vocals (2)
  • The Pointer Sisters – backing vocals (2)
  • Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (3, 6, 8, 10)
  • Daryl Phinnessee – backing vocals (3, 6, 8)
  • Rob Trow – backing vocals (3, 6, 8, 9)
  • The Temptations – backing vocals (5)
  • Rita Bitar – backing vocals (6)
  • Bruce Di Mattia – backing vocals (6)
  • Shari Dub – backing vocals (6)
  • Alexis England – backing vocals (6)
  • Jan Gorman – backing vocals (6)
  • Jolie Levine – backing vocals (6)
  • John Vigran – backing vocals (6)
  • Tim Stone – backing vocals (8, 9)
  • Jon Lind – backing vocals (9)
  • Harry Mulvey – backing vocals (9)

Production

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  • Robert Kraft – producer
  • John Vigran – recording
  • David Lazerus – mixing
  • Ron DaSilva – assistant engineer
  • David Eaton – assistant engineer
  • Dan Garcia – assistant engineer
  • Cliff Kane – assistant engineer
  • Julie Last – assistant engineer
  • Mike Ross – assistant engineer
  • David Benson – technical assistant
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
  • Jan Gorman – production assistant
  • Jolie Levine – production coordinator
  • Bob Hart – project management
  • Chip Rachlin – project management
  • Johnny Lee – art direction
  • Andy Engel – design
  • David Alexander – photography

Certifications

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Certifications for The Return of Bruno
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[6] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[7] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b AllMusic review
  2. ^ "Bruce Willis - The Return of Bruno: Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  3. ^ Gimarc, George; Reeder, Pat (1996). Hollywood Hi-Fi: Over 100 of the Most Outrageous Celebrity Recordings Ever! (1 ed.). New York: St. Martin's Griffin. p. 121. ISBN 0312143567. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  4. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Bruce Willis: the Return of Bruno". People Magazine. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  5. ^ "AllMusic Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Bruce Willis – The Return of Bruno". Music Canada. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  7. ^ "British album certifications – Bruce Willis – The Return of Bruno". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  8. ^ "American album certifications – Bruce Willis – The Return of Bruno". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
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