Surprise (Crystal Waters album)
Surprise | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 25, 1991 | |||
Recorded | 1990–1991 | |||
Genre | House | |||
Length | 45:33 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Producer | The Basement Boys | |||
Crystal Waters chronology | ||||
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Singles from Surprise | ||||
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Surprise is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Crystal Waters released on June 25, 1991,[1] by Mercury Records. It includes the hit singles "Makin' Happy", "Surprise" and the top ten hit "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)", which peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[2] and number 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
Although the album stalled at number 197 on the US Billboard 200, it performed better in both the club/dance and urban music markets, peaking at number 65 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It also peaked at number 23 on the Top Heatseekers chart.[3]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [4] |
Robert Christgau | [5] |
Entertainment Weekly | A[6] |
Los Angeles Daily News | (favorable)[7] |
Melody Maker | (mixed)[8] |
Music & Media | (favorable)[9] |
NME | 5/10[10] |
The New York Times noted that "the tension between Ms. Waters's eccentric, melodic songwriting and the streamlined, dance-floor production makes for quirky, modern music."[11]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Gypsy Woman" (Radio Mix) | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 3:48 |
2. | "Surprise" | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 4:24 |
3. | "Makin' Happy" | Neal Conway, Mark Harris, Crystal Waters | 5:33 |
4. | "Small Cry" | Bert Collins, Crystal Waters | 4:43 |
5. | "Tell Me" | Bert Collins, Crystal Waters | 9:11 |
6. | "Good Lovin'" | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 5:02 |
7. | "Twisted" | Wardell Gray, Annie Ross | 2:27 |
8. | "Deepest of Hearts" | Crystal Waters | 2:54 |
9. | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" (Basement Boy(s) "Strip to the Bone" Mix) | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 7:31 |
Chart positions
[edit]Album
[edit]Chart (1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [12] | 177 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] | 23 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14] | 81 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] | 45 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 24 |
US Billboard 200[17] | 197 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[18] | 65 |
Singles
[edit]Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Hot Dance Music/Club Play[19] | 1 |
1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[20] | 1 |
1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[21] | 25 |
1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Billboard Hot 100[22] | 8 |
1991 | "Makin' Happy" | US Hot Dance Music/Club Play[19] | 1 |
1991 | "Makin' Happy" | US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[20] | 1 |
1991 | "Makin' Happy" | US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[21] | 63 |
1991 | "Surprise" | US Hot Dance Music/Club Play[19] | 35 |
1992 | "Surprise" | US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[20] | 9 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Inquirer.com: Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes". Inquirer.com. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Billboard.com – Artist Chart History – Crystal Waters
- ^ "Crystal Waters Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ "Crystal Waters". Robert Christgau. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ^ "Surprise". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- ^ Bruce Britt (1991). "Crystal Waters – Surprise. Los Angeles Daily News – via Milwaukee Journal. (September 8, 1991).
- ^ Push (July 27, 1991). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 32. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
- ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. August 10, 1991. p. 10. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
- ^ Glennie, Jo (August 3, 1991). "Long Play". NME. p. 26. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
- ^ Watrous, Peter (June 9, 1991). "'Gypsy Woman': Of Pathos and Pride". The New York Times. p. A26.
- ^ "Crystal Waters ARIA chart history 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 19, 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Crystal Waters – Surprise" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Crystal Waters – Surprise" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Crystal Waters – Surprise" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Crystal Waters – Surprise". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ "Crystal Waters Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ "Crystal Waters Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Crystal Waters Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Crystal Waters Chart History: Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ a b "Crystal Waters Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ "Crystal Waters Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2022.