Down to Business

Down to Business is a 1989 studio album by American soul music vocal group The Spinners, released on Volt Records. This album came after the band had been dropped from long-time label Atlantic Records and had a one-album detour via Mirage Records with Lovin' Feelings in 1985. While Down to Business charted, it was considered a commercial and critical flop.

It did return the band to the R&B chart for the first time in five years with the single "Heal Me", though the track never made it beyond number 70.

Reception
Editors at AllMusic Guide scored Down to Business three out of five stars, with critic Ron Wynn "some excellent harmonizing and fine, soulful leads from John Edwards".

Track listing

 * 1) "I'm Happy Baby" (Barry Callier, Larry Coney, and F. L. Pittman) – 4:23
 * 2) "We Got Businees" (John Bettis, Jay Graydon, and Richard Page) – 4:45
 * 3) "Heal Me" (Claytoven Richardson) – 5:55
 * 4) "So Hard to Let You Go" (Pittman) – 4:40
 * 5) "I Wanna Love You Forever" (Kent Brown, Callier, and Pittman) – 4:52
 * 6) "My Lady Is My Best Friend" (Pervis Jackson and Tony Williams) – 3:53
 * 7) "We Dance to Love Songs" (Douglas Getschall and Randy Waldman) – 4:12
 * 8) "Can I Depend on You" (Susan Aladdin and Jody Sims) – 4:34
 * 9) "Memories of Allison" (Craig Chetkovich-Bryant) – 3:53
 * 10) "Time Can Do Magic" (Cynthia Bythell) – 3:31

Compact disc editions feature the final two tracks and the vinyl LP omits them.

Chart performance
Down to Business reached 82 on the R&B chart and did not land on the Billboard 200.

Personnel
The Spinners
 * John Edwards – vocals, backing vocals
 * Henry Fambrough – vocals; backing vocals
 * Billy Henderson – vocals, backing vocals
 * Pervis Jackson – vocals, backing vocals
 * Bobby Smith – vocals, backing vocals

Additional personnel
 * Larry Batiste – arrangement on "My Lady Is My Best Friend"
 * Phil Bray – photography
 * Edgar J. Brincat – production assistance
 * Allen Burke – co-production on "Memories of Allison", vocal coordination
 * Kent Brown – arrangement on "I Wanna Love You Forever", "We Dance to Love Songs", and "Can I Depend On You"; pre-production on "Time Can Do Magic"
 * Phil Carroll – art direction
 * Gary Coleman – arrangement on "We Got Business"
 * Emilio Conesa – guitar
 * Owen Davis – percussion
 * James Early – arrangement on "We Got Business", production on "We Got Business"
 * Stephen Hart – mixing on "I'm Happy Baby", "So Hard to Let You Go", "My Lady Is My Best Friend", "We Dance to Love Songs", and "Can I Depend On You"
 * Lee Hildebrand – liner notes
 * George Horn – mastering
 * Jaee Logan – arrangement on "I'm Happy Baby", production on "I'm Happy Baby"
 * Dave Luke – recording, mixing on "We Got Business" and "Heal Me"
 * Melisio Magdaluyo – saxophone
 * Gilles Margerin – design
 * Randie McBride – pre-production on "We Dance to Love Songs"
 * Feldon Pilate – arrangement on "So Hard to Let You Go"
 * F. L. Pittman – production
 * Claytoven Richardson – arrangement on "Heal Me", production on "Heal Me"
 * Bob Ross – arrangement on "We Dance to Love Songs", "Can I Depend On You", and "Time Can Do Magic"
 * Michael Semanick – engineering assistance on "Can I Depend On You"
 * Tom Size – mixing on "I Wanna Love You Forever"