Track Listing

1. When A Woman Loves
2. Make Tonight Beautiful
3. If I Was A River
4. Why Do We Hurt Each Other
5. Too Many Tears Too Many Times
6. Call Me Gone
7. Time Will
8. I Still Love You More
9. Love Will Leave You Back
10. When A Woman Loves

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #161960 in Music
• Released on: 2000-10-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Enhanced, Import
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

CD Description
This concept album is a meditation on affairs of the heart that's held together by a series of spoken word segments, such as Patti LaBelle answering the phone, entertaining girlfriends, or just talking to herself. The ubiquitous Diane Warren wrote all the songs and the estimable team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis handles most of the production.
WHEN A WOMAN LOVES continues in the vein of LaBelle's previous album, FLAME, in that it's dominated by power ballads that give LaBelle the opportunity to wail in her patented super-diva style. The recording practically captures the sound of her fluttering, emotional hand movements in numbers like the title tune, "Make Tonight Beautiful", or her barn-burning remake of Taylor Dayne's "Love Will Lead You Back".

Customer Reviews

WELL DONE PATRICIA
This is another excellent album my patti labelle, i have to say it makes me laugh in some parts. i mean that in the nicest possible way though for example the first track "THE KITCHEN", you hear her cooking and then on the phone to a friend, class!!. Some of the songs are greatly written such as "IF I WAS A RIVER", and patti of cause sings them amazingly such emotion in each word. I just love to hear her sing. PHENOMONAL.
I don't know what CD the first reviewer was listening to but it certainly was not this one, 3 stars what are you talking about?. Aged divas, i think this CD proves she is no where near the end of her career and the term diva seems to be given to anyone these days so i wouldn't call her that. Anyway great work Patti and keep it going.
From Katy Beard a fan forever

La'Belle' Musique
Henceforth, the "material" issue is precisely that: a topic germaine to a survey of the current opuses from our aged-divas Patti Labelle and Diana Ross. Although the sets, irrespective of each other, were neither an out-and-out concession to rally a younger audience to their favor,they-more in the case of Diana Ross' "Every Day is a new Day"- were not blantanly out of step with the more current and progressive trends in dance and R&B-for it would ostensibly be these markets that would most openly embrace its "heritage" arists.

Incidentally, neither fifty-six-year-old chose to straddle the middle-of-the-road on their most recent sets. However, the comeback of another fifty-six year old male to the contempo Urban AC scene seems anamolous by comparison: he made no concession to any audienceor trend; he did what he always did. The maestro was still demonstrating his "prowess" to the delight of a legion of fans.His ability to maintain his "staying power" without changing is the anamoly-no concessions were made.

With that said, with regard Ms. Labelle and her intention to perform an album of Diane Warren material, the following queries: 1) Is it her way of conceding-or god forbid "change" to suit her older audience whom she perceives are not capable of receiving her as faithfully or 2) Is it her-albeit misguided in practice- way of guranteeing a "smash"?

The answer itself in theory may found in the middle of the road, but the material itself seldom straddles the middle of the road. The savvy production of the songs and Patti's grittier classic delivery on "When a Woman Loves" offsets the often hackneyed and outdated Diane Warren lyricism. "Call Me Gone" is the funkiest Diane Warren song-words thought never uttered. It puts into its mix the production cooperative of Jam and Lewis, and "Velvet Rope" ingredient Big Jim Wright, who brilliantly create a hauntingly effective jam where Patti's trademark vocals are balanced by the haunting ghost-like echo used to underscore her classic vocal presence. Even on the less-than-stunning "Why Do We Hurt Each other?" 'Big' Jim Wright brings the song to a solid conclusion by matching her pleas to end the pain amidst a string section. "Time Will" presents the case that Hex Hector should not be relegated to merely his status as a remixer, but as a full-fledged producer as well: his tribal beats and urgent sway coupled with Patti's aching hope brings an immediacy to the song and presents Patti in a light that even Diana Ross has not been able to achieve of late-that of a Club Mama a la Martha Wash. Her delivery on "Carry On" did not only not match the original, but her attempt was even less grittily assured. "Tell Me Where It Hurts" is the stuff that "Sugarfree" from Ross EDIAND was made of; it has a plea that insinuates and will hopefully ingratiate itself into the favor of Urban AC programmers. "If I Was a River", a cerebral AC dittie that is actually by comparison a tolerable Diane Warren metaphorical premise, evokes imagery of an actual flowing river, and ebbs very delicately-almost to a harp effect-despite what people would criticize as Patti's overly emotive vocal.

Less tolerable is Patti's somewhat anemic one-key delivery of the Taylor Dayne staple "Love Will Lead You Back; it seems very by-the-numbers. In keeping with the cooking motif of the interludes on "When a Woman Loves" and as a valued best-selling cookbook author of "La Belle Cuisine", Labelle believes she pays attention to the details of a recipe for a hit; she seems to profess to know the right proportions, and though her release may not be as edgy as some would contend it need be, it is not entirely safe and predictable either-just the way any delicious surprise could really ever be because she and her army of producers provide the zest.

Tasteful - Patti delivers again
Im not really into writing reviews but sometimes when something touches you you feel like spreading the word. ever since i saw La Belle on the original Live Aid Concert, i was amazed by the power, passion and enjoyment she expelled onto the audience. This lady can sing songs with belief. This album has some gentle thought provoking love songs and some a couple of up-beat tracks. I love the fantastic intro of La Belle coooking in her kitchen!