The Sweetest Days
Studio album by
Vanessa Williams
ReleasedDecember 6, 1994 (1994-12-06)
RecordedJanuary 1993–October 1994
Studio
Genre
Length52:08
Label
Producer
Vanessa Williams chronology
The Comfort Zone
(1991)		 The Sweetest Days
(1994)		 Star Bright
(1996)
Singles from The Sweetest Days
  1. "The Sweetest Days"
    Released: October 18, 1994
  2. "The Way That You Love"
    Released: January 24, 1995
  3. "Colors of the Wind"
    Released: April 25, 1995
  4. "You Can't Run"
    Released: July 17, 1995
  5. "Higher Ground"
    Released: October 10, 1995
  6. "Betcha Never"
    Released: January 30, 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment Weekly[3]
Muzik[1]
Robert Christgau(neither)[4]

The Sweetest Days is the third studio album by American singer Vanessa Williams, released on December 6, 1994, by Wing Records and Mercury Records. The album peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 25 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[5]

The album includes the singles "You Can't Run", "Betcha Never", "The Way That You Love", and the title track. It also includes the first recording of the song "Higher Ground" later covered by Barbra Streisand as the title track from her 1997 self-titled album, as well as cover versions of songs previously recorded by Patti Austin and Sting. The album was re-released in 1995 with the additional track "Colors of the Wind", the theme from the Disney animated film Pocahontas.

"The Way That You Love" and "You Can't Run" were nominated at the 1996 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female and Best R&B Song, respectively.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro-Lude"
0:55
2."The Way That You Love"
  • J. Dibbs
  • Abenaa
  • Brown
  • Williams
  • J. Dibbs[a]
4:48
3."Betcha Never"BabyfaceBabyface3:55
4."The Sweetest Days"
Keith Thomas3:31
5."Higher Ground"
  • Steve Dorff
  • George Gree
  • Brown
  • Williams
4:19
6."You Don't Have to Say You're Sorry"Patti Austin
  • Brown
  • Williams
4:10
7."Ellamental"
  • Laythan Armor
  • Bunny Hull
  • Brown
  • Williams
6:06
8."Sister Moon"Sting
  • Brown
  • Williams
5:28
9."You Can't Run"BabyfaceBabyface4:27
10."Moonlight Over Paris"
  • Brown
  • Williams
5:07
11."Constantly"Donald Robinson
  • Brown
  • Williams
  • Galdston[a]
5:04
12."Long Way Home"
  • Brown
  • Williams
4:18
1996 Japanese reissue bonus tracks[6]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Love Is" (duet with Brian McKnight)
  • Brown
  • Williams
  • McKnight
4:46
14."Colors of the Wind" (radio mix)
Thomas4:20
1995 Target exclusive edition (bonus CD single)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."For All the Children"
  • Brown
  • Moroch
3:20
2."Colors of the Wind" (radio mix)
  • Menken
  • Schwartz
Thomas4:18

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.[7]

  • Abenaa – composer, background vocals
  • Laythan Armor – arranger, composer, fender rhodes, programming, rhythm arrangements
  • Ryan Arnold – assistant engineer
  • Patti Austin – composer
  • Roy Ayers – guest artist, vibraphone
  • Babyface – composer, drum programming, guest artist, keyboards, producer
  • Ron Blake – saxophone
  • Anthony Block – cover typeset
  • Jeff Bova – keyboards, mellotron, programming, strings, synthesizer programming
  • Gerry Brown – arranger, composer, guitar, keyboards, mixing, electric piano, producer, special effects, tape effects
  • Jackie Brown – assistant producer, production assistant
  • Larry Carlton – guest artist, guitar
  • Eric Carmen – composer
  • Bryan Carrigan – assistant engineer
  • Ron Carter – acoustic bass, guest artist
  • Marietta Ciriello – stylist
  • Tim Conklin – assistant engineer
  • Mick Corey – technical support
  • Dominic Cortese – accordion
  • Martin Czembor – assistant engineer
  • Paulinho Da Costa – guest artist, percussion
  • Kenwood Dennard – drums
  • Joel Diamond – organ
  • J. Dibbs – arranger, composer, producer, programming, rhythm arrangements
  • Tim Donovan – assistant engineer
  • Steve Dorff – composer
  • Derek Duffey – production assistant
  • Barry Duryea – technical support
  • Suzanne Dyer – assistant engineer
  • Ed Eckstine – executive producer
  • Peter Erskine – drums
  • Tabitha Fair – background vocals
  • Brent Fischer – orchestration, strings orchestrator
  • Clare Fischer – conductor, string arrangements
  • Eric Fischer – assistant engineer
  • Phil Galdston – arranger, composer, keyboards, producer, synthesizer, synthesizer programming, vocal arrangement
  • Odile Gilbert – hair stylist
  • Brad Gilderman – engineer
  • Carl Glanville – assistant engineer
  • Carl Gorodetzky – contractor
  • George Gree – composer
  • Roger Guth – composer
  • Mick Guzauski – mixing
  • Mark Hammond – drum programming, programming
  • Roy Hargrove – guest artist, trumpet
  • Kenny Hicks – vocal arrangement, background vocals
  • Dann Huff – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Ronn Huff – conductor, string arrangements
  • Bunny Hull – composer, background vocals
  • Anthony Jackson – bass
  • Tim Leitner – assistant engineer, engineer, mixing assistant
  • Jon Lind – composer
  • Peter Lindbergh – photography
  • Marty Maidenberg – artwork, cover design, package layout
  • Bill Malina – digital editing, engineer, mixing
  • Stephanie Marais – make-up
  • James Mayer – composer
  • Peter Mayer – composer
  • Brian McKnight – guest artist
  • Joe Mennona – accordion
  • Vaughn Merrick – assistant engineer
  • Jay Militscher – assistant engineer
  • Jen Monnar – assistant engineer
  • Todd Moore – production coordination
  • Nick Moroch – arranger, composer, guitar, guitars, mandolin, mellotron, synthesizer, synthesizer bass
  • James Murphy – drums
  • The Nashville String Machine – strings
  • Marty Ogden – assistant engineer
  • Pino Palladino – bass, bass slide
  • Greg Parker – assistant engineer
  • Leon Pendarvis – piano
  • Jamey Perenot – assistant engineer
  • Greg Phillinganes – fender rhodes
  • Joe Pirrera – assistant engineer
  • Herb Powers – mastering
  • Morris Repass – conductor, string contractor
  • Marnie Riley – assistant engineer
  • Max Risenhoover – digital Editing
  • Donald Robinson – composer
  • Rory Romano – assistant engineer
  • Armand Sabal-Lecco – bass
  • Philippe Saisse – keyboards, piano
  • Al Schmitt – engineer
  • Ivy Scott – production coordination
  • Mike Scott – mixing, assistant engineer
  • Ira Siegel – guitar
  • Ricardo Silveira – guitar
  • Dexter Simmons – assistant engineer
  • Artie Smith – technical support
  • Bill Smith – assistant engineer
  • Robert Smith – assistant engineer
  • Soul Man – rap
  • Brian Sperber – assistant engineer
  • Carol Steele – percussion
  • Sting – composer, guest artist, background vocals
  • Casey Stone – assistant Engineer
  • Toots Thielemans – guest artist, harmonica
  • Keith Thomas – arranger, bass, piano, producer, programming, string arrangements, synthesizer programming
  • Chris Thompson – art direction
  • Fonzi Thornton – background vocals
  • Wendy Waldman – composer
  • Randy Walker – MIDI programming, programming
  • Brock Walsh – arranger, composer, vocal arrangement, background vocals
  • Bill Whittington – engineer, mixing
  • Christian "Wicked" Wicht – technical support
  • King Williams – assistant engineer
  • Vanessa Williams – arranger, lead vocals, primary artist, producer, vocal arrangement, vocals, background vocals
  • Victor Winograd – cartage
  • Dann Wojnar – assistant engineer

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for The Sweetest Days
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[15] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[5] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 Jones, Bob (September 1995). "Vanessa Williams: Sweetest Days" (PDF). Muzik. No. 4. p. 81. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022.
  2. ↑ AllMusic review
  3. ↑ Dyson, Michael Eric (9 March 1995). "Recordings". Rolling Stone. Vol. 703.
  4. ↑ Consumer Guide: Vanessa Williams
  5. 1 2 "American album certifications – Vanessa Williams – The Sweetest Days". Recording Industry Association of America. August 1, 1995. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Sweetest Days : Vanessa Williams". HMV Japan. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  7. ↑ The Sweetest Days - Vanessa Williams | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-02-11
  8. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 303.
  9. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Vanessa Williams – The Sweetest Days" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  10. ↑ "スウィーテスト・デイ" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Vanessa Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Vanessa Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – ヴァネッサ・ウィリアムス (Vanessa Williams) – スウィーテスト・デイズ (The Sweetest Days)" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 23, 2020. Select 1995年2月 on the drop-down menu
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