Skin Tight (album)

Skin Tight is the fifth studio album by the Ohio Players, released in April 1974. It is their first album released through the Mercury label, and considered to be their commercial breakthrough.

History
Skin Tight signified a turning point in the group's career towards a more jazzy and polished funk sound. The album began the Players' dominant platinum-selling period, and would bring them a much bigger audience. In fact, this release would outsell all of their previous LPs combined. The band produced and recorded the album in Chicago, with Barry Mraz as recording engineer. The final mix was mastered by Lee Hulko.

It is the second of five Ohio Players albums announced also as a quadraphonic (4-channel stereo) release, the first of four for Mercury. However, it was never actually released as no known copies have surfaced even among collectors. According to Billboard, Skin Tight took the top position on the Black Albums chart for six weeks, and missed the Top 10 on the Pop Albums chart by one position.

Covers
R.E.M. performed "Skin Tight" on their Green tour in 1989. A live recording from Orlando, Florida on 30 April 1989 was released as a B-side to "Stand". "Heaven Must Be Like This" was covered by Paul Jackson Jr. featuring Glenn Jones on his 1993 album A River in the Desert. D'Angelo also covered the song on the soundtrack of the 1998 motion picture Down in the Delta.

Personnel

 * Marshall "Rock" Jones – Fender bass
 * James "Diamond" Williams – drums, chimes, percussion, lead & background vocals
 * Billy Beck – piano, organ, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, ARP, percussion, lead & background vocals
 * Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner – guitar, percussion, lead & background vocals
 * Ralph "Pee Wee" Middlebrooks – trumpet, trombone & background vocals
 * Clarence "Satch" Satchell – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, percussion, lead & background vocals
 * Marvin "Merv" Pierce – trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone & background vocals

Charts

 * Singles