| Product Summary | | Label: SONY MUSIC | | UPC: 00696998638624 | | Release Date: 6/24/2003 | | Buy.com Sku: 60604199 | | Item#: MWP5QQ | | Buy.com Sales Rank: 25079 | Format:  CD |
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| Song Listing |  |
Disc 1
| | Song Title | Sample | | 1. Crazy In Love | ------ | | 2. Naughty Girl | ------ | | 3. Baby Boy | ------ | | 4. Hip Hop Star | ------ | | 5. Be With You | ------ | | 6. Me, Myself And I | ------ | | 7. Yes | ------ | | 8. Signs | ------ | | 9. Speechless | ------ | | 10. That's How You Like It | ------ | | 11. The Closer I Get To You | ------ | | 12. Dangerously In Love 2 | ------ | | 13. Beyoncé Interlude | ------ | | 14. Gift From Virgo | ------ | | 15. Daddy | ------ | |
| When the 21-year-old's dynamic vocals take center stage, as on the "Strawberry Letter 23" which inspired "Be with You," the power ballad title track, and the jazzy "Gift from Virgo," her star shines so brightly that it nearly implodes. It may not be history making, as her beau, Jay-Z, boasts on "Crazy in Love", but with the intimate Dangerously in Love, a grown-up Beyoncé takes worthy strides toward controlling her own destiny.
| | Album Notes and Credits |
Notes & Personnel Info |  | This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. | | Contains a hidden track following "Gift From Virgo." | | Personnel: Beyonce Knowles, Luther Vandross, Sean Paul (vocals); Jay-Z, Big Boi, Missy Elliott, Sleepy Brown (rap vocals); Nat Adderley, Jr. (arranger, electric piano); Skip Anderson (arranger, keyboards, programming); Focus, Rich Harrison (various instruments); Dan Workman, Phil Hamilton, John "Jab" Brousard (guitar); Byron Miller (bass); Ivan Hampden (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Cissy Houston, Tawatha Agee, Brenda White-King, Candace Thomas (background vocals). | | Producers include: Beyonce Knowles, Rich Harrison, Scott Storch, Focus, Bryce Wilson. | | DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Dangerously In Love" won for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. "The Closer I Get To You" won for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals. "Crazy In Love" won for Best R&B Song and for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The song was also nominated for Record of the Year. | | This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. | | Personnel: Dan Workman, John Broussard , Phil Hamilton (guitar); Nat Adderley, Jr. (electric piano); Skip Anderson (keyboards, programming); Ivan Hampden (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Cissy Houston, Brenda White-King, Candace Thomas, Tawatha Agee (background vocals). | | Audio Mixers: Dexter Simmons; Scott Kieklak; Ray Bardani; Tony Maserati. | | Recording information: Baseline Studios, NY; COE.BE.3 Studios, Stone Mountain, GA; Patchwerk Studios, Atlanta, GA; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; Soho Studios, New York, NY; Sony Studios, New York, NY; South Beach Studios, Miami, FL; Stankonia Studios, Atlanta, GA; Sugar Hill Studios, Houston, TX; The Enterprise, Burbank, CA; The Hit Factory, New York, NY. | | Photographer: Markus Klinko. | | Arrangers: Skip Anderson; Mark Batson; Nat Adderley, Jr. | | Beyonc? Knowles was always presented as the star of Destiny's Child -- which probably shouldn't be a big surprise since her father managed the group. So it was a natural step for her to step into the diva spotlight with a solo album in 2003, particularly since it followed on the heels of her co-starring role in Mike Myers' 2002 comedy hit, Austin Powers in Goldmember. Still, a singer takes a risk when going solo, as there's no guarantee that her/his star will still shine as bright when there's nobody to reflect upon. Plus, Survivor often sounded labored, as Knowles struggled to sound real. The Knowles clan -- Beyonc? and her father Mathew, that is (regrettably, Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool is no relation) -- were apparently aware of these two pitfalls since they pull off a nifty trick of making her debut album, Dangerously in Love, appeal to a broad audience while making it sound relatively easy. Sometimes that ease can translate into carelessness (at least with regard to the final stretch of the album), with a prolonged sequence of ballads that get stuck in their own treacle, capped off by the unbearably mawkish closer, "Gift from Virgo," where she wishes her unborn child and her husband to be like her daddy. (Mind you, she's not pregnant or married, she's just planning ahead, although she gets tripped up in her wishes since there's "no one else like my daddy.") Although these are a little formless -- and perhaps would have been more digestible if spread throughout the record -- they are impeccably produced and showcase Knowles' new relaxed and smooth delivery, which is a most welcome development after the overworked Survivor. Knowles doesn't save this voice just for the ballads -- she sounds assured and sexy on the dance numbers, particularly when she has a male counterpart, as on the deliriously catchy "Crazy in Love" with her man Jay-Z or on "Baby Boy" with 2003's dancehall superstar, Sean Paul. These are the moments when Dangerously in Love not only works, but sounds like Knowles has fulfilled her potential and risen to the top of the pack of contemporary R&B divas. It's just too bad that momentum is not sustained throughout the rest of the record. About halfway through, around the astrological ode "Signs" with Missy Elliott, it starts crawling through its ballads and, while listenable, it's not as exciting as the first part of the record. Still, the first half is good enough to make Dangerously in Love one of the best mainstream urban R&B records released in 2003, and makes a strong case that Knowles might be better off fulfilling this destiny instead of reuniting with Destiny. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine | | Besides deft, pitch-perfect hit songs, the talented if volatile Destiny's Child was remarkable for its unpredictability, not always a defining characteristic of mainstream R&B. While there was certainly a formula at play in the songs, the structure was subtly unstable, never following standard progressions. Yet most of their singles flew to the top of both the pop and R&B charts. While DC was generally a collective, Beyonce Knowles clearly emerged as the most high-profile member, even before major turns on the big screen, signaling anticipation for her debut album, DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE. | | Beyonce's opening salvo should disappoint neither her fans nor the general public, as it features skillful songwriting balancing innovation and abundant hooks. DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE starts with a flourish, as the omnipresent Jay-Z brashly introduces the feverishly catchy, brass-fueled dance cut "Crazy In Love," followed by three more lush club-bangers, including a typically inviting guest toast by Sean Paul and some tongue-twisters from Outkast's Big Boi. From there, the soulstress shifts into ballad mode, the starkest moment coming with "Yes," beautifully reminiscent of the DC sound. On DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE, Beyonce both remains true to her past success while forging intriguing new ground. |
Engineer: Chris Carmouche; Vincent Alexander; Dan Workman; Carlos Bedoya; Guru; Jim Caruana; Pat Thrall; Stan Wallace; Brian Springer |
Musical Guests | | Jay-Z | | Sean Paul | | Luther Vandross | | Sleepy Sleepy Brown | | Cissy Houston | | Missy Elliott | | Byron Miller | | Big Boi |
| | Artist Overview | | Beyonce Knowles rose to fame as a member of the R&B ensemble Destiny's Child. With Beyonce's father as a manager, the group garnered massive success with their 2001 album, SURVIVOR. Soon Beyonce, sporting a sexy yet girl-next-door image, broke out on her own, with major roles in the Austin Powers movie GOLDMEMBER, a hip-hop version of the opera CARMEN, and her star turn as a Diana Ross-esque diva in the film DREAMGIRLS. With the release of her more eclectic solo albums and acting roles, Beyonce became a full-fledged international superstar and role model. It has been rumored that after her 2008 marriage to rap mogul Jay Z, Beyonce would be performing and recording less and focussing on A&R work. |
| | Compilation Appearances |
| | Associated Artists and Works |
| | Technical Info | | Release Date : 06/24/2003 | | Original Release Date : 2003 | | Catalog ID : 86386 | | Label : Columbia (USA) | | Number of Discs : 1 | | Studio/Live : Studio | | Mono/Stereo : Stereo | | SPAR Code : n/a | | UPC : 00696998638624 |
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| | Professional Reviews | | Rolling Stone (12/25/03, p.104)
- Included in Rolling Stone's "50 Best Albums of 2003"Rolling Stone (07/24/03, p.86)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "...Beyonce sounds loose and sexy....she sounds like she's having fun..." Entertainment Weekly (12/26/03-1/2/04, p.140)
- "Crazy in Love" ranked #3 in Entertainment Weekly's 2003 "Records of the Year" - "...Beyonce swoons, Jigga glides, the recycled Chi-Lites horns vroom--and Destiny's Child seem like a distant memory." Mojo (Publisher)
(9/03, p.105)
- 3 stars out of 5 - "...Her deliciously smooth reworking of Bootsy Collins' 'Be With You', 'Naughty Girl's' reference to Donna Summer's 'Love to Love You Baby', and the JB-style funk of 'Work It Out' are all exceptional cuts..." |
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| | Bio | | | Ask Beyonce what she wants people to hear when they listen to Dangerously In Love, her debut solo album, and the multi-platinum-selling pop/urban recording artist answers, "My range. I want them to hear all of the musical influences from hip-hop to rock to jazz, there's even a Shuggie Otis sample. I want them to really hearthe talent. I know that folks love me as a pop star. Now I want them to understand me as an artist."
That they will. Musically challenging and lyrically honest, Dangerously In Love is more than just a solo CD from a superstar. It is everything you'd expect from Beyonce and more than you could have hoped for. Another side of someone we've loved for years, Dangerously In Love is equally divided between seductive mid-tempos, lush ballads and fiery club bangers, providing a sharp focus on who Beyonce is right now: as a performer, as a woman, and as a creative force to be reckoned with. The vibe is more mature, more playful, more deeply passionate and sexually aggressive. Dangerously In Love is the sound of a grown woman clearly staking her claim in the world and, in the process, redefining expectations of who she is.
A 21-year-old Houston native, Beyonce Knowles is a founding member and chief songwriter of Destiny's Child, one of the biggest selling female acts of all time. With many of the group's hit songs co-written and co-produced by Beyonce, Destiny's Child has sold more than 33 million records worldwide. When Beyonce won the 2001 ASCAP Pop Songwriter Of The Year Award, she became the first African-American woman -- and the second woman ever -- to receive that honor.
Led by founding members Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland, Destiny's Child burst on the scene in 1997 with their multi-platinum single, "No, No, No," from their self-titled album. That success was dwarfed when Destiny's Child's The Writing's On The Wall was released in 1999. The album would go on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide, driven in part by three Top 10 hits: "Jumpin, Jumpin," "Say My Name" and "Bills, Bills, Bills," which spent 9 weeks at #1 on the Billboard RandB singles chart.
A year after Michelle Williams joined Destiny's Child in 2000, the group recorded Survivor, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Survivor was certified double platinum four weeks after its release and has gone on to sell more than nine million copies worldwide. In 2001 Destiny's Child took home two Grammy awards: Best RandB song ("Say My Name") and Best RandB performance by a Duo or Group ("Say My Name"). Destiny's Child has won numerous other awards, among them Billboard Artist of the year, NAACP Image Awards, American Music Awards, Nickelodeon Kid's Choice and The Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year at the Soul Train Awards. The group has toured worldwide and performed at many high profile events including The Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Concert Special and the Concert For New York City.
Given the fact that the general public is so familiar with chart-topping songs such as "Say My Name," "Independent Woman, Part I" and "Survivor," it's fair to enquire how Dangerously In Love differs from a Destiny's Child project. "Naturally the songs on my album are going to share some similarities," Beyonce admits. "But this time because I only had to write for myself, my songs are much more personal. I also wanted beats that were harder and to be able to collaborate with other people. Basically this record was a chance for me to grow as a writer and a singer. There are more ballads. The vocals aren't as precisely produced and because it's just me, there aren't as many harmonies. The experience was very liberating and therapeutic. I felt free, because I could go into the studio and talk about whatever I wanted, but in many ways it was actually harder to be on my own creatively. I depend so much on Destiny's Child (Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) to tell me if they like something or not. I'm so critical of myself that it's scary to have to depend on your own instincts."
Helping Beyonce trust those instincts are an impressive array of musical collaborators, among them Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, Sean Paul, Mark Batson, Mario Winans, D-Roy and Mr. B, OutKast's Big Boi, Rich Harrison, Fanatic, Scott Storch, and the legendary Luther Vandross on "The Closer I Get To You." Beyonce shares co-executive producer credits on Dangerously In Love with her father and manager Mathew Knowles. She took an active role in all aspects of the album: from writing and choosing material to producing, mastering and mixing the tracks. Beyonce pays tribute to her father on the hidden bonus track, "Daddy," which was produced by Beyonce and Mark Batson.
The sexy first single, "Crazy In Love," featuring Jay-Z, was co-produced by Beyonce and Rich Harrison. Jay-Z returns the favor for Beyonce's part on his hit "Bonnie and Clyde 03." With a beat that Beyonce says is "so hard it makes your heart hurt!," "Crazy In Love" is about that moment when you realize you're falling into love and looking crazy but you simply don't care. The abandon continues on "Speechless," produced by Fanatic. "As soon as I heard the track it inspired me," she admits. "It's very sexy, very sensual. The sort of ballad that I've never done before. This song is definitely a population increaser!"
Laced with an Arabic ambience, fused with a ghetto-fied edge and encompassing a sample from Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby," "Naughty Girl" is uptempo and party perfect: a sexy fantasy about having that one night where you lose all your inhibitions, head to theclub and work it like a naughty girl. "Many of the songs on the album examine aspects of relationships, and this is one element."
Also sexy is the dancehall-Arabic flavored "Baby Boy," featuring the red hot Sean Paul. "I knew Sean had to be on my album because I love his approach," she says. "'Baby Boy' is another song about a fantasy and it's one of my favorites."
Such unabashed and upfront emotions might come as a surprise to long time fans but make no mistake, Dangerously In Love isn't a rejection of DC's sound. "I love Destiny's Child and I am a member of the group, "she asserts. "We haven't broken up. We're going to continue to tour and record and be a group. We've recorded a song, 'I Know,' for "The Fighting Temptations" soundtrack. We all decided a long time back to explore solo projects and I'm the third member of the group to release my own record. Things like working apart keep the fire going and keep the fans eager for you. I'm not trying to get away from DC or the legacy we have. I just wanted to show a different approach and the growth I've experienced. "
That growth is evident in Beyonce's burgeoning acting career. In 2001 she starred in MTV's "Carmen." In 2002 she appeared as Foxy Cleopatra in "Austin Powers in Goldmember." This year she will co-star with Cuba Gooding Jr. in "The Fighting Temptations." She has two more features currently in production and can also be seen on the small screen in a series of Spike Lee-directed commercials for Pepsi-Cola. She is also the spokesperson for L'Oreal.
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