Special Love

Special Love
Special Love
Studio album by Deniece Williams
Released	1989
Genre	Urban contemporary gospel, R&B, soul
Length	49:07
Label	MCA/Sparrow
Producer	Brad Westering, Roby Duke
Deniece Williams chronology

Special Love is the second full-length gospel album by American R&B singer Deniece Williams, released in 1989.^[1] The album was distributed by both MCA Records (conventional record stores) and Sparrow Records (Christian bookstores).^[2] Williams was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group for the track "We Sing Praises" with R&B singer Natalie Cole at the 32nd Grammy Awards. The track "Every Moment" was serviced to both mainstream Contemporary R&B and CCM radio stations accompanied by a music video. Williams re-recorded the track "Healing" from her 1986 album Hot on the Trail for this album. Some North American CD editions of Special Love contained a bonus track of "Do You Hear What I Hear?", originally recorded for the 1988 Sparrow Records Christmas album, simply titled Christmas co-produced by Christian singer-songwriter Roby Duke. Williams' then-husband Brad Westering produced the album. Special Love peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Chicago Tribune	^[1]

In a review for the Chicago Tribune, Mitchell May rated the album three out of four stars. May wrote that Special Love avoids "excessive fanfare or overkill" and makes good use of Williams' "rich soprano" on every track.^[1] In the New York Daily News, Hugh Wyatt wrote that the album has "a refreshing absence of soap opera lyrics and other pop-music trash."^[4]

Track listings

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Special Love"	Deniece Williams, Lee Ritenour, Greg Mathieson	3:56
2.	"Fire Inside My Soul"	Russ Hollingsworth, Mark Baldwin	3:54
3.	"Healing"	Jeremy Lubbock, Paul Gordon	4:40
4.	"Free"	Sheldon Gooch	5:34
5.	"Every Moment"	D. Williams, David Raynor	4:13
6.	"Who's Who"	D. Williams, Brad Westering, Roby Duke	4:03
7.	"His Eye Is on the Sparrow"	Civilla D. Martin, Charles H. Gabriel; arranged by D. Williams, G. Mathieson	5:05
8.	"Give It All to You"	D. Williams, D. Raynor, Kenny Lamar	4:58
9.	"Somebody Loves You"	D. Williams, Bob Baldwin, Porter Carroll, Jr.	3:48
10.	"We Sing Praises" (duet with Natalie Cole)	D. Williams, D. Raynor, Jay Gruska	4:50

North American bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Do You Hear What I Hear?"	Noël Regney, Gloria Shayne	4:16

Note: "Do You Hear What I Hear?" was produced by Brad Westering and Roby Duke; all other tracks produced by Westering.

Charts

Chart (1989)	Peak position
US Billboard Top Christian Albums^[5]	11

Radio singles

Year	Singles	Peak positions
Year	Singles	CCM AC^[6]	CCM CHR^[7]	US R&B^[8]
1989	"Healing"	1	3	—
1989	"Every Moment"	2	3	55
1990	"We Sing Praises" (with Natalie Cole)	7	23	—
1990	"Somebody Loves You"	7	8	—
1990	"Fire Inside My Soul"	—	9	—

References

^ ^a ^b ^c May, Mitchell (December 7, 1989). "Recordings: Deniece Williams Special Love (MCA)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 1, 2022 – via ProQuest.
^ Medearis, John (December 14, 1989). "Sparrow Goes Beyond Gospel to Bolster Sales". Los Angeles Times. p. D2.
^ Deniece Williams – Special Love: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
^ Wyatt, Hugh (November 17, 1989). "And now it's gospel according to Deniece". New York Daily News. p. 52.
^ "Deniece Williams: Special Love (Top Christian Albums)". Billboard.
^ Brothers, Jeffrey Lee, ed. (2003). CCM Hot Hits: AC Charts 1978 – 2001. AuthorHouse. p. 230. ISBN 1-4107-3294-0.
^ Brothers, Jeffrey Lee, ed. (1999). CCM Hot Hits: Christian Hit Radio - 20 Years of Charts, Artist Bios and More. CCM Books. p. 180. ISBN 0-8230-7718-7.
^ "Deniece Williams: "Every Moment" (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.

[chicago-1] May, Mitchell (December 7, 1989). "Recordings: Deniece Williams Special Love (MCA)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 1, 2022 – via ProQuest.

[latimes-2] Medearis, John (December 14, 1989). "Sparrow Goes Beyond Gospel to Bolster Sales". Los Angeles Times. p. D2.

[allmusic-3] Deniece Williams – Special Love: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2022.

[nydn-4] Wyatt, Hugh (November 17, 1989). "And now it's gospel according to Deniece". New York Daily News. p. 52.

[5] "Deniece Williams: Special Love (Top Christian Albums)". Billboard.

[6] Brothers, Jeffrey Lee, ed. (2003). CCM Hot Hits: AC Charts 1978 – 2001. AuthorHouse. p. 230. ISBN 1-4107-3294-0.

[7] Brothers, Jeffrey Lee, ed. (1999). CCM Hot Hits: Christian Hit Radio - 20 Years of Charts, Artist Bios and More. CCM Books. p. 180. ISBN 0-8230-7718-7.

[8] "Deniece Williams: "Every Moment" (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.

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v t e Deniece Williams
Studio albums	This Is Niecy (1976) Song Bird (1977) When Love Comes Calling (1979) My Melody (1981) Niecy (1982) I'm So Proud (1983) Let's Hear It for the Boy (1984) So Glad I Know (1986) Water Under the Bridge (1987) Special Love (1989) This Is My Song (1998)
Duet albums	That's What Friends Are For (1978) (with Johnny Mathis)
Compilation albums	From the Beginning (1990)
Singles	"Free" (1976) "That's What Friends Are For" (1977) "Baby, Baby My Love's All for You" (1977) "I've Got the Next Dance" (1979) "What Two Can Do" (1981) "Silly" (1981) "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" (1982) "Waiting by the Hotline" (1982) "Do What You Feel" (1983) "I'm So Proud" (1983) "Let's Hear It for the Boy" (1984) "Next Love" (1984) "Black Butterfly" (1984) "Wiser and Weaker" (1986) "Never Say Never" (1987) "I Confess" (1987) "I Can't Wait" (1988) "This Is as Good as It Gets" (1988)
Duet singles	"Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" (1978) (with Johnny Mathis) "You're All I Need to Get By" (1978) (with Johnny Mathis) "Love Won't Let Me Wait" (1984) (with Johnny Mathis)
Related topics	Discography Family Ties