Very Special (Debra Laws album)

Very Special
Very Special
Studio album by Debra Laws
Released	1981
Recorded	1981
Studio	Concorde Recording Center
Genre	R&B, soul
Label	Elektra
Producer	Hubert Laws; Ronnie Laws;
Debra Laws chronology
Singles from Very Special
	"Very Special"; Released: 1981; "Be Yourself"; Released: 1981; "Meant for You"; Released: 1981;

Very Special is the debut album by Debra Laws, released in 1981 on Elektra Records.^[1]^[2]

The album peaked at No. 70 on the Billboard 200 and No. 13 on Billboard's Top Black Albums chart. The title track and "Be Yourself" were top 40 hits on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart.

Track listing

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"On My Own"	R. Laws	4:19
2.	"Meant for You"	Lasley, Seeman	3:59
3.	"Very Special"	Peters, Jeffery	4:28
4.	"Be Yourself"	D. Laws, East	5:00

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
5.	"Long As We're Together"	R. Laws	4:21
6.	"Your Love"	Mitchell	3:42
7.	"How Long"	Grey, Hanks	4:02
8.	"All The Things I Love"	Lasley, Seeman	3:55

Personnel

Debra Laws - lead vocals
Gwen Matthews - backing vocals (2, 4, 6-8)
Marlena Jeter - backing vocals (2, 4, 6-8)
David Lasley - backing vocals (2)
Eloise Laws - backing vocals (5)
Arnold McCuller - backing vocals (2)
Alexandra Brown - backing vocals (7)
Stephanie Hayes - backing vocals (7)
Nathan East – bass (1-2, 4-5, 7-8)
Alex Smith – bass (3)
Welton Gite – bass (6)
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums (1-2, 5, 7)
Darryl Clifton – drums (3)
Raymond Pounds – drums (4, 6)
Roland Bautista - guitar (except 3)
Melvin Robinson - guitar (3)
Arthur Adams - guitar (3, 7)
Pat Kelley - guitar (5)
Bobby Lyle - keyboards (except 3)
Michael Robinson - keyboards (3)
Larry Dunn – synthesizer (1, 4-6, 8)
Ronnie Laws - saxophone (1, 3-4), duet vocals (3) [uncredited]
Hubert Laws - flute (4)

Production

Producer: Hubert Laws, Ronnie Laws
Engineer: Gerry E. Brown
Photography: Ron Slenzak

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[3]	70
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[4]	13

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)	Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[5]	26

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1981	"Very Special"	Billboard Hot 100^[6]	90
	"Very Special"	Billboard Hot Soul Singles^[7]	11
	"Be Yourself"	Billboard Hot Soul Singles^[8]	31
	"Meant for You"	Billboard Hot Soul Singles^[9]	47

References

^ "Debra Laws Kept Other Job Despite Records Success". Jet. 61 (14). Johnson Publishing Company: 57. December 24, 1981. Retrieved August 13, 2020 – via Google Books.
^ "Soul Albums". Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 51. Nielsen Business Media. December 26, 1981. p. 28. Retrieved August 13, 2020 – via Google Books.
^ "Debra Laws, TLP". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
^ "Debra Laws, BLP". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
^ "Very Special (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
^ "Very Special (R&B)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
^ "Be Yourself". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
^ "Meant for You". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.

External links

Very Special at Discogs
Very Special at AllMusic

[1] "Debra Laws Kept Other Job Despite Records Success". Jet. 61 (14). Johnson Publishing Company: 57. December 24, 1981. Retrieved August 13, 2020 – via Google Books.

[2] "Soul Albums". Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 51. Nielsen Business Media. December 26, 1981. p. 28. Retrieved August 13, 2020 – via Google Books.

[3] "Debra Laws, TLP". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.

[4] "Debra Laws, BLP". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.

[5] "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2021.

[6] "Very Special (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.

[7] "Very Special (R&B)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.

[8] "Be Yourself". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.

[9] "Meant for You". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2020.

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