CoronaVinyl Day 410 (L): Winner In You by Patti LaBelle

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is "L," and I listened to Patti LaBelle's eighth solo studio album, 1986's Winner In You.

LaBelle got her start in music in the early '60s with the vocal group that was, at the time, called The Ordettes.  They changed their name to The Blue Belles in 1961 and then to Labelle in 1971, and they're best known for their 1974 #1 hit "Lady Marmalade," on which Patti sings lead vocals.

After the group broke up in 1976, Patti embarked on a long and successful solo career.  her biggest album was Winner In You, which had nine producers, each handling one or more songs, including Ashford & Simpson, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Richard Perry.  The album is a fine example of mid-'80s pop R&B, showcasing LaBelle's amazing vocal range.  It became LaBelle's first #1 album on the Billboard album chart and eventually went platinum in the U.S.

The song "On My Own" -- a duet with Michael McDonald -- was an international smash.  It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (where it stayed for three weeks), the Billboard R&B Singles chart, and the pop charts in Canada, Ireland, and The Netherlands, as well as the Top 10 on the pop charts in Belgium, New Zealand, and the UK.  It was the #4 song on the Billboard Year End singles chart for 1986 and is #277 on the Billboard All-Time Hot 100 list.  In addition, "Oh, People" went to #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, "Kiss Away the Pain" reached #13 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, and "Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight)" went to #10 on the Billboard Dance Tracks chart.

LaBelle has continued to make music over the several decades since then, most recently releasing two albums in 2017.  She has also appeared on Broadway and in various TV shows, including American Horror Story and Empire, as well as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars and The Masked Singer.

Favorite Song on Side 1:  "Twisted"
The last track on Side 1 is a fun, uptempo poppy R&B song that couldn't sound more like 1986 if it tried.  And that's why I like it.

Favorite Song on Side 2:  "Beat My Heart Like a Drum"
Like "Twisted," this one was produced by Richard Perry, so apparently I like what he did on this album.  This is a a synthed-up soulful little number that makes you want to shake your booty, assuming you have a booty.