Misplaced Pages

The Tattooed Heart
Studio album by Aaron Neville
Released	April 18, 1995
Studio	Ocean Way (Hollywood, California) World Famous Flamingo Studio (Los Angeles, California) Dinosaur Studios (New Orleans, California) Sound Stage Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre	Pop, soul, country
Length	54:33
Label	A&M
Producer	Steve Lindsey Keith Stegall
Aaron Neville chronology
Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas (1993) The Tattooed Heart (1995) To Make Me Who I Am (1997)

The Tattooed Heart is an album by the American musician Aaron Neville, released in 1995. The first single was "Can't Stop My Heart from Loving You (The Rain Song)", which Neville sang on an episode of All My Children. The album peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard 200. It sold more than 500,000 copies. Neville promoted the album by touring with his brothers.

Production

The album was produced by Steve Lindsey, with additional production by Keith Stegall on tracks 9 and 12. "Use Me" is a cover of the Bill Withers song. Aaron's brothers Charles and Cyril sang on the song. "For the Good Times" is a cover of the Kris Kristofferson song; it contains backing vocals by Kelly Willis. "Crying in the Chapel" is a cover of the pop-gospel standard. Steve Cropper played guitar on the album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
The Indianapolis Star
Los Angeles Times
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide

The Guardian wrote that the songs "are nothing special but Neville transcends their flaws." Newsday opined that "Neville's new release purports to be classic pop soul with country and gospel elements, but what it really calls to mind is the kind of mid-'70s soft rock exemplified by Art Garfunkel's Breakaway and Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees." The Kingston Whig-Standard labeled The Tattooed Heart "a classic easy-listening soul album." The Indianapolis Star concluded that "Neville conveys more commercial savvy than passion."

The Hartford Courant called Neville's voice "a glider of an instrument, amazingly pure and angelically lilting." The Hamilton Spectator deemed the album "a pleasant mixture of adult contemporary and country." The Vancouver Sun determined that "Neville's airy wail sails free and clear of all snags and almost mesmerizes the listener into a restful half-sleep." The Los Angeles Times considered the album to be a "seamless collection of stylishly rendered lite soul, pop and country."

Track listing

Personnel

• Aaron Neville – vocals
• Jim Cox – Wurlitzer electric piano (1, 4, 5), organ (1-3, 6, 8, 14), accordion (1), acoustic piano (2, 7, 8, 14), RMI piano (3), clavinet (10)
• Claude Gaudette – synth strings (1, 5, 7, 12)
• Barry Beckett – organ (9, 11, 12)
• Hargus "Pig" Robbins – acoustic piano (9, 11, 12)
• Steve Lindsey – organ (10)
• Art Neville – synthesizers (10)
• Dean Parks – guitars (1-6, 8, 13, 14), acoustic guitar (7, 10), electric guitar (9), guitar solo (9)
• Steve Cropper – guitars (2, 6), guitar solo (2), electric guitar (7)
• Waddy Wachtel – guitars (6)
• John Willis – acoustic guitar (9, 11, 12)
• Reggie Young – electric guitar (9, 11, 12)
• Brent Mason – electric guitar (11, 12)
• Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar (9, 11, 12)
• Freddie Washington – bass (1-8, 10, 14)
• Glenn Worf – bass (9, 11, 12)
• John Robinson – drums (1)
• Ed Greene – drums (2-6, 8, 10, 14)
• Matt Chamberlain – drums (7)
• Eddie Bayers – drums (9, 11, 12)
• Luis Conte – percussion (1-8, 10, 14)
• Alan Estes – vibraphone (2, 3, 8, 14)
• Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (1)
• Lon Price – horns (2, 4, 6)
• Bill Churchville – horns (2, 4, 6)
• Nick Lane – horns (2, 4, 6)
• Greg Smith – horns (2, 4, 6)
• Lee Thornburg – horns (2, 4, 6)
• Charles Neville – saxophone (10)
• Mickey Raphael – harmonica (4)
• Sid Page – violin (1, 5, 7, 12)
• Stuart Duncan – fiddle (9, 11), mandolin (12)
• David Campbell – string arrangements (1-3, 5-9, 12), string conductor (2, 3, 6, 8, 9), synth strings (10)
• Mort Lindsey – string arrangements and conductor (11)
• Steve Dorff – string arrangements and conductor (13)
• Alex Brown – backing vocals (1-7), vocal ad-libs (1, 4)
• Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (1, 8, 14)
• Jackie Gouche – backing vocals (1-7)
• Khris Kellow – backing vocals (1, 3)
• Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals (1, 8, 14)
• Sharon Robinson – backing vocals (1, 3)
• Gary Stockdale – backing vocals (1)
• Billy Valentine – backing vocals (1, 6)
• Mona Lisa Young – backing vocals (1-7)
• Dorian Holley – backing vocals (8)
• Cyril Neville – backing vocals (10)
• Kelly Willis – harmony vocal (11)
• Kevin Dorsey – backing vocals (14)
• Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (14)

Production

• David Anderle – executive producer
• Steve Lindsey – producer
• Keith Stegall – producer (11, 12)
• Gabe Veltri – recording (1-10, 13, 14)
• John Kelton – recording (11, 12)
• Koji Egawa – assistant engineer (1-10, 13, 14)
• John Hendrickson – assistant engineer (1-10, 13, 14)
• Richard Huredia – assistant engineer (1-10, 13, 14)
• Mark Ralston – assistant engineer (11, 12)
• Bill Schnee – mixing at Schnee Studios (North Hollywood, California)
• Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
• Julie Larson – project coordinator
• Roxane Stueve – production coordinator (11, 12)
• Chuck Beeson – art direction, design
• Rebecca Chamlee – design
• Victoria Pearson – photography

References

1. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
2. Gundersen, Edna (25 Apr 1995). "Neville crowning moment: 'All My Children' cameo". USA Today. p. 3D.
3. Lasswell, Mark (May 1, 1995). "The Tattooed Heart by Aaron Neville". People. Vol. 43, no. 17. p. 21.
4. Vancheri, Barbara (6 Apr 1995). "Cameo Casting". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. C10.
5. Whitburn, Joel (2010). Top Pop Albums (7th ed.). Record Research Inc. p. 563.
6. "Gold Albums". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 15. Apr 13, 1996. p. 12.
7. DeLuca, Dan (26 May 1995). "10th Jambalaya Jam Will Have the Landing Jumping". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 16.
8. Dafoe, Chris (13 May 1995). "The Tattooed Heart Aaron Neville". The Globe and Mail. p. C9.
9. ^ Burliuk, Greg (6 May 1995). "Keep your ears open for these potential best-sellers". Companion. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 5.
10. Gettelman, Parry (12 May 1995). "Aaron Neville". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 6.
11. Galvin, Peter (Jun 1, 1995). "The Tattooed Heart by Aaron Neville". Rolling Stone. No. 709. p. 61.
12. Nash, Alanna (Aug 1995). "The Tattooed Heart by Aaron Neville". Stereo Review. Vol. 60, no. 8. p. 75.
13. Larsen, Dave (2 June 1995). "Pop". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 19.
14. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 160.
15. ^ Hall, Steve (4 June 1995). "Aaron Neville's disc is easy on the ears". The Indianapolis Star. p. I3.
16. ^ Rosenbluth, Jean (7 May 1995). "In Brief". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 66.
17. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 806.
18. (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. p. 577.
19. Sullivan, Caroline (21 Apr 1995). "Pop". The Guardian. p. T12.
20. Herndon, David (23 Apr 1995). "Slowing Down South". Fanfare. Newsday. p. 23.
21. Morago, Greg (4 May 1995). "Neville's 'Heart' Beats". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 4.
22. Krewen, Nick (4 May 1995). "Aaron Neville The Tattooed Heart". The Hamilton Spectator. p. E4.
23. Monk, Katherine (4 May 1995). "Recordings". Vancouver Sun. p. D8.

• Aaron Neville albums
• 1995 albums
• A&M Records albums