Big Fun is the third album by the American musical group Shalamar, released in 1979 through SOLAR Records. Big Fun was produced by Leon Sylvers III and is the first album to feature what is considered the 'classic' Shalamar line-up (Jeffrey Daniel, Howard Hewett and Jody Watley), with Hewett having replaced Gerald Brown. The album features the group's most successful hit on the Hot 100 pop chart, "The Second Time Around".
Big Fun has been certified Gold in the United States for sales of over 500,000. It peaked at No. 4 on the R&B chart and No. 23 on the Billboard chart (Shalamar's highest-placing album on this chart). In the UK it reached No. 45.
In 2002, Big Fun was re-released by Sanctuary Records in the United Kingdom in a two-for-one CD format with Shalamar's following album Three for Love.
The song "I Owe You One" was sampled in Raw Man's "Beautiful", and Le Knight Club's "Mosquito".
Reception
The New York Times called the album "a very eclectic blend of pop hooks and light disco with funk trimmings." AllMusic rated the album four out of five stars. Writer Colin Larkin rated it three out of five.
The album sold 625,000+ units as of July 1982. Its single "The Second Time Around" sold around 1.8 million units.
Track listing
Personnel Shalamar Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniel, Howard Hewett: lead and backing vocals
Musical personnel Kevin Spencer: keyboards, clavinet William Shelby: keyboards, clavinet, Fender Rhodes Kossi Gardner: keyboards, Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ "Gip" Nobels, Gene Dozier, Joey Gallo, John Barnes, Ron Artists: keyboards Ernest Biles, James Davis: bass Leon Sylvers III: bass, percussion Ernest Reed, Fred Rheimert, Steve Shockley: guitars Freeman Brown, Gerald Thompson, Wardell Potts: drums Greg "Popeye" Dawkins: congas Fred Lewis: percussion Christine Ermacoff, Edgar Lustgarten, Harry Shlutz, Marie Fera: cellos Brian Leanord, David Johnson, Jerry Vinci, Ilkka Talvi, Irma Newman, Norman Carr, Norman Leonard, Reginald Hill, Ronald Fulsom, Sheldon Sanou: violins
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1979–1980) Peakposition US Billboard 200 23 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 4
Year-end charts Chart (1980) Position US Billboard 200 56 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 6
Single YearSingleChartPosition1979I Owe You OneHot Soul Singles601980The Second Time AroundBillboard Hot 10081980The Second Time AroundHot Soul Singles11980Right in the SocketHot Soul Singles22
References
External links Shalamar-Big Fun at Discogs