After Dark (Ray Parker Jr. album)

After Dark is the fourth studio album by guitarist/singer/songwriter Ray Parker Jr. released on August 25, 1987 by Geffen Records. The album rose to No. 27 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.^[3][4]

After Dark
Studio album by Ray Parker Jr.
Released	August 25, 1987
Recorded	1986–1987
Studio	Ameraycan (Hollywood, California) Ocean Way (Hollywood, California) Conway (Hollywood, California) Cherokee (Hollywood, California) Lion Share (Los Angeles, California) Wonderland (Los Angeles, California) Devonshire (Burbank, California)
Genre	R&B pop soul
Label	Geffen
Producer	Ray Parker Jr. Burt Bacharach Carole Bayer Sager
Ray Parker Jr. chronology
Sex and the Single Man (1985) After Dark (1987) I Love You Like You Are (1991)
Singles from After Dark
"I Don't Think That Man Should Sleep Alone" Released: April 1987[citation needed] "Over You" Released: 1987

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Village Voice	(C+)[2]

Overview and singles

After Dark was produced by Ray Parker Jr., Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.^[3] As a single "I Don't Think That Man Should Sleep Alone" rose to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.^[5] A duet with Natalie Cole called "Over You" also rose to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.^[6]

Critical reception

With a 3/5 rating, Ron Wynn of AllMusic took note that "This was the closest Ray Parker Jr. ever came to doing adult soul...Parker's voice sounded more somber, introspective, and varied than on anything before or since."^[1]

Robert K. Oermann of USA Today also ranked this album at No. 4 on his list of 1987's top 50 R&B albums.^[7]

Track listing

#	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Don't Think That Man Should Sleep Alone"	Ray Parker Jr.	4:13
2.	"Over You" (duet with Natalie Cole)	Ray Parker Jr., Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach	4:38
3.	"Lovin' You"	Ray Parker Jr.	4:08
4.	"You Shoulda Kept a Spare"	Ray Parker Jr.	4:46
5.	"The Past"	Ray Parker Jr.	3:27
6.	"You Make My Nature Dance"	Ray Parker Jr.	4:30
7.	"Perfect Lovers"	Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Nathan East	5:12
8.	"After Midnite"	Ray Parker Jr.	3:40
9.	"I Love Your Daughter"	Ray Parker Jr.	3:44
10.	"After Dark"	Ray Parker Jr.	4:29

Personnel

Musicians

• Ray Parker Jr. – all instruments, arrangements (1, 3, 4, 6-10)
• Burt Bacharach – keyboards, arrangements (2)
• Robbie Buchanan – keyboards
• Eric Daniels – keyboards
• Wayne Linsey – keyboards
• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
• Sylvester Rivers – keyboards
• Larry Williams – synthesizers
• Kevin Toney – acoustic piano
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars
• Nathan East – bass guitar
• Cornelius Mims – bass guitar
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar
• Ollie E. Brown – drums
• Jeff Porcaro – drums
• Carlos Vega – drums
• Gerald Albright – saxophone solo (2)
• David Boroff – saxophone solo (4)
• Gene Page – arrangements (5)
• Natalie Cole – lead vocals (2)

Background vocalists

• Philip Bailey, Arnell Carmichael, Lynne Fiddmont, Candice Ghant, Keith Harrison, Yogi Horton, Kamaya Koepke, Kashif (also BGV arrangements on 5), Cornelius Mims, Ray Parker Jr., Greg Phillinganes, Monty Seaward, Anita Sherman, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters and Karyn White

Production

• Producers – Ray Parker Jr. (tracks 1, 3–6, 8, 9 & 10); Burt Bacharach (tracks 2 & 7); Carole Bayer Sager (tracks 2 & 7)
• Production assistant – Horatio Gordon
• Engineer – Steve Halquist
• Additional engineers – Mick Guzauski, Mike Mancini, Gary Olazabal and Tommy Vicari
• Assistant engineers – Jerry Hall and Ray Parker III
• Art direction – Laura LiPuma
• Photography – Victoria Sim

^[3]