Stone Jam

Stone Jam
Studio album by
Slave
ReleasedNovember 1980 (1980-11)
GenreFunk
LabelCotillion
ProducerJimmy Douglass, Steve Washington
Slave chronology
Just a Touch of Love
(1979) 		Stone Jam
(1980) 		Show Time
(1981)

Stone Jam is the fifth album by the American funk band Slave. It was released in 1980 on Cotillion Records and reissued in 1997 on Rhino Records. It was produced by Jimmy Douglass and Steve Washington. The album was listed on the Billboard 200, Billboard's 1981 Year-End Chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA. It contains the hit singles "Sizzlin' Hot", "Feel My Love", and "Watching You".

Overview

Slave's fifth album, Stone Jam, was their highest charting since their first, Slave,[1] and their second to be certified Gold,[2] Slave received the certification in 1977.[3] The band's drummer, Steve Arrington, took on more singing responsibilities than on previous albums and this, combined with the vocals of Starleana Young, contributed to the album's success.[4] The single "Watching You" entered the Billboard Hot 100 and also joined "Sizzlin' Hot" and "Feel My Love" on the R&B Singles Chart.[5]

Reception and accolades

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]

The Morning Call deemed the album "musically boring," but conceded that "Sizzlin' Hot" and "Let's Spend Some Time" "may cut it on the dance floor."[6]

Alex Henderson of AllMusic breaks Slave's brand of funk into two categories; 'hardcore' and 'sophisticated'. He notes that their earlier work falls into the former category but, with the exception of the tracks "Stone Jam" and "Sizzlin' Hot", this album is in the later. He goes on to write that this "sleeker" approach is "every bit as appealing" as their earlier more aggressive work. He describes the tracks "Dreamin'", "Feel My Love" and "Let's Spend Some Time" as "addictive jams" and the album as "consistently melodic".[4]

Jam-Master Jay of Run–D.M.C. has named it as one of his favorite albums.[7] The album made the Billboard 1981 Year-End Pop Chart at number 99[8] and the Soul Chart at number 7.[9]

The song "Watching You" was interpolated twice by rapper Snoop Dogg, first in the chorus of "Gin and Juice" in 1993,[10] then in "Let's Get Blown" in 2004.[11]

Tracks

  1. "Let's Spend Some Time" (Mark Antone Adams/Jimmy Douglass/Mark Hicks/Jennifer Ivory/Curt Jones/Ray Turner/Steve Washington/Starleana Young) – 4:38
  2. "Feel My Love" (Adams/Steve Arrington/Hicks/Jones/Turner/Washington/Danny Webster) – 4:31
  3. "Starting Over" (Adams/Hicks/Jones/Floyd Miller/Turner/Young) – 4:27
  4. "Sizzlin' Hot" (Adams/Arrington/Miller/Turner/Washington/Webster) – 5:07
  5. "Watching You" (Adams/Arrington/Turner/Washington/Webster) – 4:41
  6. "Dreamin'" (Adams/Arrington/Jones/Miller/Turner/Washington) – 4:20
  7. "Never Get Away" (Adams/Arrington/Hicks/Jones/Turner/Webster) – 5:09
  8. "Stone Jam" (Adams/Hicks/Jones/Turner/Washington/Webster/Young) – 6:43

Bonus tracks

  • "Feel My Love" (Disco Mix) – 4:47
    1. "Sizzlin' Hot" (Single Version) – 4:06
    2. "Watching You" (Single Version) – 3:28

    Personnel

    Charts and sales certification

    Album charts

    Year Chart Peak
    1981 Billboard 200 53[1][12]
    R&B Albums 5[12]

    Single charts

    Year Single Chart Peak
    1980 "Sizzlin' Hot" R&B Singles Chart 57[5]
    1981 "Feel My Love" 62[5]
    "Watching You" 6[5]
    Billboard Hot 100 78[5]

    RIAA certification

    Format Certification Date
    Album Gold 30 March 1981[13]

    Release history

    Year Format Label Catalog
    1980 Vinyl Cotillion SD 5224
    1997 CD Rhino 72625[14]

    References

    1. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2007). The Billboard Albums: Includes Every Album That Made the Billboard 200 Chart. Record Research Inc. p. 963. ISBN 978-0-89820-166-6. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    2. ^ "General News". Billboard. 1 August 1981. p. 6. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    3. ^ "Slave Slave". RIAA - Gold & Platinum Database. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    4. ^ a b c Henderson, Alex. "Slave - Stone Jam Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
    5. ^ a b c d e "Billboard singles: Stone Jam". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    6. ^ Sweeney, Bev (13 Dec 1980). "Records". Weekender. The Morning Call. p. 67.
    7. ^ Rasen, Edward (May 1985). "Rap 'n' Roll". Spin. p. 27. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    8. ^ "Year End-Pop". Billboard. 26 December 1981. p. YE–8. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    9. ^ "Year End-Soul". Billboard. 26 December 1981. p. YE–28. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    10. ^ "'80s Rewind: Rap Songs that Sample Hits from the 1980s\". BET. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
    11. ^ Kimble, Julian (20 November 2014). "10 Years Later: How Pharrell Revived Snoop Dogg's Career With 'R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece'". Vibe. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
    12. ^ a b "Billboard albums: Stone Jam". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    13. ^ "Slave Stone Jam". RIAA - Gold & Platinum Database. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
    14. ^ "Overview: Stone Jam". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 11 December 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2011.