Surprise is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Crystal Waters released on June 25, 1991,[1] by Mercury Records. It includes the hit singles "Makin' Happy", "Surprise" and the top ten hit "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)", which peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[2] and number 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
| Surprise | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 25, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1990–1991 | |||
| Genre | House | |||
| Length | 45:33 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Producer | The Basement Boys | |||
| Crystal Waters chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Surprise | ||||
| ||||
Although the album stalled at number 197 on the US Billboard 200, it performed better in both the club/dance and urban music markets, peaking at number 65 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It also peaked at number 23 on the Top Heatseekers chart.[3]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Robert Christgau |  [5] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A[6] |
| Los Angeles Daily News | (favorable)[7] |
| Melody Maker | (mixed)[8] |
| Music & Media | (favorable)[9] |
| NME | 5/10[10] |
The New York Times noted that "the tension between Ms. Waters's eccentric, melodic songwriting and the streamlined, dance-floor production makes for quirky, modern music."[11]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gypsy Woman" (Radio Mix) | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 3:48 |
| 2. | "Surprise" | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 4:24 |
| 3. | "Makin' Happy" | Neal Conway, Mark Harris, Crystal Waters | 5:33 |
| 4. | "Small Cry" | Bert Collins, Crystal Waters | 4:43 |
| 5. | "Tell Me" | Bert Collins, Crystal Waters | 9:11 |
| 6. | "Good Lovin'" | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 5:02 |
| 7. | "Twisted" | Wardell Gray, Annie Ross | 2:27 |
| 8. | "Deepest of Hearts" | Crystal Waters | 2:54 |
| 9. | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" (Basement Boy(s) "Strip to the Bone" Mix) | Neal Conway, Crystal Waters | 7:31 |
Chart positions
Album
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [12] | 177 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] | 23 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14] | 81 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] | 45 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 24 |
| US Billboard 200[17] | 197 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[18] | 65 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Hot Dance Music/Club Play[19] | 1 |
| 1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[20] | 1 |
| 1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[21] | 25 |
| 1991 | "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" | US Billboard Hot 100[22] | 8 |
| 1991 | "Makin' Happy" | US Hot Dance Music/Club Play[19] | 1 |
| 1991 | "Makin' Happy" | US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[20] | 1 |
| 1991 | "Makin' Happy" | US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[21] | 63 |
| 1991 | "Surprise" | US Hot Dance Music/Club Play[19] | 35 |
| 1992 | "Surprise" | US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[20] | 9 |
References
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