Patrice Rushen - Straight from the Heart (Remastered) [Strut]

Format: 2x12".

Tracklist: 

A1 FORGET ME NOTS 4.42
A2 I WAS TIRED OF BEING ALONE 3.49
A3 ALL WE NEED 5.50
A4 NUMBER ONE (Instrumental) 4.55

B1 WHERE THERE IS LOVE 3.07
B2 BREAKOUT! 4.04
B3 IF ONLY 3.19
B4 REMIND ME 5.15
B5 (SHE WILL) TAKE YOU DOWN FOR LOVE 4.20

C1 FORGET ME NOTS (12” version) 7.18
C2 BREAKOUT! (12” version) 5.49

D1 I WAS TIRED OF BEING ALONE (12” version: F. Byron Clark remix) 7.00
D2 NUMBER ONE (Instrumental) (12” version) 6.48

The definitive edition of Patrice Rushen’s iconic 1982 album, Straight From The Heart.

Recorded during a period when Elektra was pushing for the creation of “sophisticated dance music,” with many jazz artists exploring their own interpretations of disco and boogie, these sessions marked a breakthrough for Patrice, who began experimenting with both sound and songwriting. “I was looking for different ways to experiment with sounds on my records. Synthesizers expanded the sonic palette we had available.”

The album’s singles included Breakout!, Number One, and the global hit Forget Me Nots. “Bassist Freddie Washington played the bassline during a jam session at my family’s house. I caught it instantly, we kept playing with the groove, and then I developed the lyrics and the chorus. It was simply about recognizing the moment when it came up.”

“When I delivered the album to the record company, the A&R said, ‘We don’t like any of this.’ I quickly realized we wouldn’t get any support, so producer Charles Mims, Freddie, and I decided to hire a promotion company ourselves to push the single. Although it took time to gain support, it was worth it.”

The track peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1982, and the album became Patrice’s best-selling during her time at Elektra/Asylum, earning a Grammy nomination. In recent years, the record has become a recurring source of samples in hip hop and R&B. Most notably, Will Smith’s theme for the movie Men In Black and George Michael’s Fastlove are based, to varying degrees, on Forget Me Nots.