Ivory (Teena Marie album)

Ivory is the ninth album by the American singer-songwriter Teena Marie, released on July 17, 1990. It was her last album for Epic Records.^[4] Marie supported the album with a North American tour.^[1]

Ivory
Studio album by Teena Marie
Released	July 17, 1990
Recorded	1990
Genre	R&B[1] soul[2] dance pop[3]
Length	69:42
Label	Epic
Producer	Teena Marie
Teena Marie chronology
Naked to the World (1988) Ivory (1990) Passion Play (1994)
Singles from Ivory
"Here's Looking At You" Released: July 13, 1990 "If I Were A Bell" Released: October 16, 1990 "Just Us Two" Released: January 19, 1991 "Since Day One" Released: July 19, 1991

The album reached No. 27 on the US Black Albums chart and No. 132 on the Billboard 200 (her lowest-placing album on both charts up to that date). Two singles from the album, "If I Were a Bell" and "Here's Looking at You", performed respectably on the Black Singles chart, peaking at No. 8 and No. 11 respectively. "Since Day One" reached No. 69 in the UK, Marie's highest charting single in that country since "I Need Your Lovin'" ten years previously.

Production

The album was produced primarily by Marie; she considered it to have a rawer sound than previous albums.^[5][6] "Since Day One" was produced by Jazzie B of Soul II Soul.^[7] Marie and Michael Bivins rapped on "Here's Looking at You".^[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Chicago Tribune	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[7]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	7/10[4]

The Los Angeles Times noted that "longtime fans should find the title cut inviting—it resembles one of those I-am-womanhood-personified poems that Nikki Giovanni used to write back in the early '70s."^[9] The Chicago Tribune wrote that "the ballads ... are crushed beneath the weight of Marie's tedious new age philosophizing."^[3] The Los Angeles Daily News deemed Ivory "another singular collection of soul ballads and rhythmic dance numbers."^[2]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Here's Looking at You"	Teena Marie	6:15
2.	"The Sugar Shack Prelude"	Marie, Penny "P.J." Johnson	1:06
3.	"The Sugar Shack"	Marie, James Stewart	5:48
4.	"If I Were a Bell"	Marie	6:41
5.	"Just Us Two"	Marie, James Reese	6:08
6.	"Mr. Icecream"	Marie	6:06
7.	"Ivory (A Tone Poem)"	Marie	1:21
8.	"Snap Your Fingers"	Marie, James Allen	5:07
9.	"Cupid Is a Real Straight Shooter"	Marie	5:46
10.	"How Can You Resist It"	Marie, Johnson	5:29
11.	"Since Day One"	Jazzie B, Marie, Michael J McEvoy	6:44
12.	"Miracles Need Wings to Fly"	Marie	5:12
13.	"The Red Zone"	Marie	7:59
Total length:			69:42

All tracks are written by Teena Marie, except where noted.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1990) Peak position US Billboard 200[10] 132 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 27

Year-end charts Chart (1991) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[12] 84

References

1. Darling, Cary (January 21, 1991). "R&B singer Teena Marie rejects the idea of herself as pioneer". Orange County Register. p. F1.
2. Britt, Bruce (January 25, 1991). "Teena dancer". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L3.
3. May, Mitchell (27 Dec 1990). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 9.
4. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 240–241.
5. Summers, Gerrie E. (Nov 3, 1990). "Teena Marie Carves Hit from 'Ivory'". Billboard. 102 (44): 31.
6. Johnson, Kevin C. (November 2, 1990). "Teena Marie Finds Her Roots Again". USA Today.
7. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 695–696.
8. "Ivory Review by Alex Henderson". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
9. Johnson, Connie (28 Oct 1990). "In Brief". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 74.
10. "Teena Marie Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
11. "Teena Marie Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
12. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2021.

External links

• Ivory on Discogs