Something Special (Kool & the Gang album)

Something Special is the thirteenth studio album by American band Kool & the Gang, released in 1981. It was the group's third consecutive Platinum-certified album.

Something Special
Studio album by Kool & the Gang
Released	September 24, 1981
Recorded	1980–1981
Studio	House of Music (West Orange, New Jersey) Kendun Recorders (Los Angeles) Secret Sound Studios (New York City)
Genre	Post-disco funk urban R&B
Length	36:18
Label	De-Lite Records
Producer	Eumir Deodato
Kool & the Gang chronology
Celebrate! (1980) Something Special (1981) As One (1982)
Singles from Something Special
"Steppin' Out" Released: September 1981 "Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)" Released: October 1981 "Get Down On It" Released: November 24, 1981

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Boston Globe	(favorable)[2]
Record Mirror	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

It continued the level of success that the band's previous two albums brought, contained several hit singles including: "Take My Heart" went to No. 1 on the R&B chart and No. 17 on the Pop chart. "Get Down on It" reached No. 4 on the R&B chart and No. 10 on the Pop chart. In addition, "Steppin' Out" ended up at No. 12 on the R&B chart and No. 89 on the Pop chart.^[5] In the UK, the album reached #10,^[6] becoming their first hit album there and most successful studio album of all, largely due to the success of the "Get Down On It" single.

"Stand Up and Sing" was featured in 1982's The Pirate Movie.

Track listing

Side 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Steppin' Out"	James "J.T." Taylor, Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:51
2.	"Good Time Tonight"	Taylor, Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:59
3.	"Take My Heart"	Claydes Smith, George Brown, Taylor, Kool & the Gang	3:59
4.	"Be My Lady"	Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:14

Side 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Get Down on It"	Taylor, Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:58
2.	"Pass It On"	Brown, Taylor, Kool & the Gang	4:34
3.	"Stand Up and Sing"	Taylor, Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:35
4.	"No Show"	Brown, Taylor, Bell, Kool & the Gang	4:25

CD reissue bonus track^[7]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
9.	"Stop!"	Bell, Kool & the Gang	3:22

Personnel

• Bass, backing vocals – Robert "Kool" Bell
• Lead guitar – Charles Smith
• Saxophone, keyboards, backing vocals – Ronald Bell
• Drums, backing vocals – George Brown
• Lead and backing vocals – James "J.T." Taylor
• Alto saxophone – Dennis Thomas
• Alto saxophone, flute, backing vocals – Steve Greenfield
• Trombone – Clifford Adams
• Trumpet, backing vocals – Michael Ray, Robert Mickens
• Keyboards – Brian Jackson
• Keyboards – Eumir Deodato
• Additional percussion – Jimmy Maelen
• Additional handclaps – Platinum Hook
• Backing vocals – Clifford Adams, Cynthia Huggins, Joan Motley, Kelly Barretto

Production

• Engineer – Jim Bonnefond
• Assistant engineers – Bobby Scott Cohen, Cliff Hodson, Joe DeAngelis, Julian Robertson
• Overdubs engineers – Bob "Ziggy" Winard, Mallory Earl
• Mixed by – Eumir Deodato, Jim Bonnefond, Gabe Vigorito
• Mastered by – Tom Coyne, Stephan Galfas (Assistant)
• Producer – Eumir Deodato
• Associate producer – Kool & The Gang
• CD Mastering – Joe Gastwirt

Charts

Chart (1981)	Peak position
Billboard Pop Albums[8]	12
Billboard Top Soul Albums[8]	1
UK Albums Chart[6]	10

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[9]	Gold	100,000^
United States (RIAA)[10]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1981 (U.S.)