Jermaine Jackson (album) - Misplaced Pages

Jermaine Jackson (released internationally as Dynamite) is the tenth studio album by United States singer-songwriter Jermaine Jackson, released in 1984. It was his debut album with Arista after leaving Motown. The album features then-unknown Whitney Houston and his brothers Michael, Tito and Randy.

Overall, it stands as one of Jermaine Jackson's most commercially successful albums, selling over 900,000 copies in the US to date and being certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Background

Jermaine Jackson was Jackson's first of numerous albums released with Arista Records, after leaving Motown, who he had been with for thirteen years. The album was released internationally under the title Dynamite. The album went on to be Jermaine's second-most successful album in the United States, peaking at No. 19 — 13 places below Let's Get Serious — on the main Billboard album chart, but becoming the #1 R&B album on July 7, 1984.

The disc achieved Gold status, eventually surpassing 900,000 in US sales. Internationally, it was Jackson's most successful album, peaking within the charts of four non-US territories. "When the Rain Begins to Fall", originally recorded for the soundtrack of Voyage of the Rock Aliens, was later included on the album after its success as a single.

The album track "Take Good Care of My Heart," a duet with the then relatively unknown American R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston, was also the B-Side of the released "Dynamite" single. The song later appeared on Houston's self-titled debut album, released February 14, 1985 on Arista Records.

The album was re-issued in 2005 in the US with little difference compared to the original album. It was reissued again in Japan in 2009 with "When the Rain Begins to Fall" and two bonus tracks, and again in the US in 2012. This edition also contained "When the Rain Begins to Fall", both bonus tracks on the Japanese edition, as well as three more bonus tracks.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Record Mirror
Smash Hits	7/10

Jason Elias from AllMusic gave the album a retrospective positive track-by-track view, saying " has him doing a slickly produced variant of the R&B/pop his brother was making sound effortless." and concluded "While Jermaine Jackson's not a perfect album, despite the ground covered, it is a strong one."

Singles

"Dynamite" was released as the album's second single, and became Jackson's fourth top 20-charting single, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally, the song performed less well, reaching No. 46 in France, and No. 19 in New Zealand. "Do What You Do", the album's third single, performed as one of Jackson's best-selling singles to date, reaching the top 20 in the US, as well as topping the Belgium (Flanders) chart, and reaching the top ten in Ireland, Netherlands, and the UK, where it was certified Silver by the BPI. It also reached #40 in Germany, and #12 in France.

"When the Rain Begins to Fall", a duet with Pia Zadora, was originally recorded for the soundtrack of Voyage of the Rock Aliens, and went on to become one of both artists' best-selling singles. Although less successful in the US and UK (respectively peaking at No. 54 and No. 68), the song topped the charts of numerous European territories, including Belgium (Flanders), Netherlands, and France. The song also peaked within the top ten of Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. The song also went Gold in Germany, and Platinum in France. Due to the success of the single, it was included on later pressings of the album.

Track listing

Original International Edition: *Dynamite*
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dynamite"	Andrew Goldmark, Bruce Roberts	6:01
2.	"Sweetest Sweetest"	Arthur Jacobson, Ellison Chase, Robin Lerner	4:05
3.	"Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" (featuring Michael Jackson)	Bruce Sudano, Jay Gruska, Michael Omartian	4:22
4.	"Escape from the Planet of the Ant Men" (featuring Tito Jackson and Randy Jackson)	David Batteau, Don Freeman	5:04
5.	"Come to Me (One Way or Another)"	Jermaine Jackson	5:17
6.	"Do What You Do"	Larry Di Tomaso, Ralph Dino	4:46
7.	"Take Good Care of My Heart" (duet with Whitney Houston)	Peter McCann, Steve Dorff	4:17
8.	"Some Things are Private"	Sudano, Omartian	4:05
9.	"Oh Mother"	Elliot Willensky, Jackson	4:48

Re-release: *Jermaine Jackson*
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dynamite"	Goldmark, Roberts	6:01
2.	"Sweetest Sweetest"	Jacobson, Chase, Lerner	4:05
3.	"Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming (Too Good To Be True)" (featuring Michael Jackson)	Sudano, Gruska, Omartian	4:22
4.	"Escape from the Planet of the Ant Men" (featuring Tito Jackson and Randy Jackson)	Batteau, Don Freeman	5:04
5.	"When the Rain Begins to Fall" (duet with Pia Zadora)	Michael Bradley, Peggy March, Steve Wittmack	4:06
6.	"Come to Me (One Way or Another)"	Jackson	5:17
7.	"Do What You Do"	Tomaso, Dino	4:46
8.	"Take Good Care of My Heart" (duet with Whitney Houston)	McCann, Dorff	4:17
9.	"Some Things are Private"	Sudano, Omartian	4:05
10.	"Oh Mother"	Willensky, Jackson	4:48

Japanese re-release
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Dynamite" (12" Mix)	Goldmark, Roberts	7:49
12.	"Do What You Do" (Club Mix)	Tomaso, Dino	5:38

US re-release
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
11.	"Sweetest Sweetest" (Special U.S. Remix)	Jacobson, Chase, Lerner	5:24
12.	"Come to Me (One Way or Another)" (12" Remix Version)	Jackson	5:24
13.	"Do What You Do" (12" Remix Version)	Tomaso, Dino	5:44
14.	"Dynamite" (12" Remix Version)	Goldmark, Roberts	7:45
15.	"When the Rain Begins to Fall" (with Pia Zadora) (12" Vocal Version With Breakdown)	Bradley, March, Wittmack	5:24

Personnel

Jermaine Jackson – lead vocals, backing vocals, drum programming (1, 2, 5), arrangements (1, 2, 5), percussion (2–5), keyboards (5), synthesizer bass (5)
John Barnes – keyboards (1, 2, 4–6), synthesizer bass (1, 4), Yamaha GS1 (9), Fairlight strings (9)
Michael Omartian – keyboards (3, 8), percussion (3), arrangements (3, 7, 8), bass (8), backing vocals (8)
David Ervin – keyboards (6)
Derek Nakamoto – keyboards (6)
Michael Sembello – Yamaha GS1 (6), bass (6), drum programming (6)
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (7), arrangements (7)
Elliot Willensky – acoustic piano (9), arrangements (9)
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (1, 2, 4, 6), arrangements (1, 2)
Ray Parker Jr. – guitars (3)
Gregg Arreguin – guitars (4)
David Williams – guitars (5, 7)
George Doering – sitar (5)
Marcus Daniels – guitars (6)
Michael Landau – guitars (8)
Freddie Washington – bass (2)
Nathan East – bass (3, 7)
Ronnie Foster – synthesizer bass (5)
Jonathan Moffett – drum programming (1)
John Robinson – drums (3, 7)
Don Freeman – drum programming (4), arrangements (4)
Mike Baird – drums (8)
Randy Jackson – percussion (2), backing vocals (4)
George Del Barrio – string arrangements (5, 7)
Ernie Watts – saxophone solo (7, 8)
Whitney Houston – backing vocals (2, 7), lead vocals (7)
Michael Jackson – lead vocals (3), backing vocals (3)
Tito Jackson – backing vocals (4)
Portia Griffin – backing vocals (8)
Yolanda Denise Young – backing vocals (8)

Production

Executive Producer – Clive Davis
Producers – Jermaine Jackson (Tracks 1, 2, 4–7 & 9); Michael Omartian (Tracks 3 & 8); Richard Rudolph (Tracks 4 & 6).
Engineers – Bill Bottrell, John Guess, Brian Malouf, Mike Schumann and Keith Seppanen.
Mixing – Bill Bottrell
Recorded at Soundcastle (Hollywood, CA); Yamaha Studios (Glendale, CA); Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, CA); Lion Share Recording Studio (Los Angeles, CA).
Art Direction and Design – Ria Lewerke
Photography – Leon Lecash

Charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australian (Kent Music Report)	65
Dutch Albums Chart	21
New Zealand Albums Chart	38
Swedish Albums Chart	27
UK Albums Chart	57
US Billboard 200	19
US Billboard Top R&B Albums	1

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)	Gold	50,000
United States (RIAA)	Gold	500,000
Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

"Jermaine Jackon singles".
"Music Week" (PDF).
^ Discogs - Jermaine Jackson, Dynamite
"RIAA – Gold & Platinum: Jermaine Jackson". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
AllMusic review
Mills, Simon (12 May 1984). "Review: Jermaine Jackson – Dynamite" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via World Radio History.
Birch, Ian (10–23 May 1984). "Jermaine Jackson: Dynamite" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 6, no. 10. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 27. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022 – via World Radio History.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ "Jermaine Jackson". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
"Jermaine Jackson - BPI certifications". bpi. Archived from the original on 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
"Jermaine Jackson - BVMI certifications". bvmi. Retrieved 2012-12-24.
"French single certifications – Jermaine Jackson" (in French). InfoDisc. Select JERMAINE JACKSON and click OK.
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 151. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
"Dutch Albums Chart - June 16, 1984".
"New Zealand Albums Chart - September 8, 1984".
"Swedish Albums Chart - June 26, 1984".
"UK Albums Chart - May 12, 1984". Official Charts.
"Canadian album certifications – Jermaine Jackson – Jermaine Jackson". Music Canada.
"American album certifications – Jermaine Jackson – Jermaine Jackson". Recording Industry Association of America.

v t e Jermaine Jackson
Discography Production discography
Studio albums	Jermaine (1972) Come into My Life My Name Is Jermaine Feel the Fire Frontiers Let's Get Serious Jermaine (1980) I Like Your Style Let Me Tickle Your Fancy Jermaine Jackson/Dynamite Precious Moments Don't Take It Personal You Said I Wish You L.O.V.E
Singles	"Daddy's Home" "Castles of Sand" "Let's Get Serious" "You're Supposed to Keep Your Love for Me" "Little Girl Don't You Worry" "You Like Me Don't You" "I'm Just Too Shy" "Paradise in Your Eyes" "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" "Very Special Part" "Dynamite" "Do What You Do" "When the Rain Begins to Fall" "Lonely Won't Leave Me Alone" "Don't Take It Personal" "Word to the Badd!!"
Other songs	"Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)"
Bibliography	You Are Not Alone
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