Candy Girl (album)

Candy Girl is the debut album of New Edition, released by Streetwise Records on July 19, 1983. The album was produced by Maurice Starr and Arthur Baker.

Production and conception
New Edition was created by Bobby Brown after a failed talent show due to his stage fright. Bobby put the group together by adding Ricky Bell and Michael Bivins in 1978. With need for an additional singer, Ralph Tresvant was added in 1981. The name 'New Edition' was given to them by Brooke Payne, choreographer and uncle of Ronnie DeVoe who decided the group would be better choreographed with five members so he added Ronnie, but only after proving he was able to make the cut. Maurice Starr wrote and produced the title song seeing New Edition perform at a talent show. He signed them and had them record "Candy Girl" in a small studio in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1982. By the time the title song "Candy Girl" was released, the group had hit their stride, so much so that Kurtis Blow, a rather popular rapper at that time, served as their opening act. The band members were between the ages of 14 and 16 when the song was released.

Release and promotion
The lead single of the album, Candy Girl, while being a massive hit on Black radio stateside and overseas, struggled for consistent plays on Pop radio and the video failed to crack the rotation at MTV in the U.S. despite strong sales numbers and being No. 1 on the Black Singles charts, surpassing George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" while staving off "Beat It" on May 14, 1983, spending 18 straight weeks on Billboard's Black Singles charts. "Candy Girl" was released on July 19, 1983, and was a Top Black Album Pick by Billboard in the July 23rd, 1983 issue. "Candy Girl" first entered Billboard's Black LPs chart at #44 the week of August 13, 1983 Although New Edition's "Candy Girl" album spent 43 straight weeks on Billboard's Black LPs chart and 33 straight weeks on the Billboard 200 beginning on September 23, 1983, with a peak position of #90, neither the hit single "Candy Girl" nor the LP "Candy Girl" received RIAA Gold or Platinum certification due to questionable accounting practices. Disputes over sales and revenue generated by the "Candy Girl" single and album led to New Edition's family seeking representation to sue their label Streetwise Records and wrest control of the group from Bostonian songwriter/producers Maurice Starr, Michael Jonzun and Arthur Baker.

In the UK, the album was released on September 23, 1983.

Track listing
All songs written by Maurice Starr and Michael Jonzun, except where noted.


 * Notes
 * signifies a co-producer

Personnel

 * Arthur Baker – executive producer, producer, mixer, Roland and Linn drums, sound effects
 * Maurice Starr – producer, arrangement, mixer, bass guitar, lead guitar, synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano, drums, vocoder
 * Paul McCraven – executive producer
 * Michael Jonzun – co-arrangement, producer
 * Fred Torchio – recording
 * James Mace – recording
 * Frank Heller – engineer, mix engineer, tambourine
 * Bobby Brown – lead and backing vocals
 * Michael Bivins – lead and backing vocals
 * Ralph Tresvant – lead and backing vocals
 * Ricky Bell – lead and backing vocals
 * Ronnie DeVoe – lead and backing vocals
 * Tina B. – additional vocals
 * Bashiri Johnson – percussion
 * Jimmy Johnson Jr. – percussion
 * Gordon Worthy – keyboards