Don't Explain (Robert Palmer album)

Don't Explain is the tenth solo studio album by English singer Robert Palmer, released in 1990. During the course of its 18 tracks, Palmer displays rock, R&B, jazz and reggae influences. Several classic songs are covered, as well. The album peaked at number 9 in the UK and number 88 in the US.

In the UK the album was certified Gold by the BPI in November 1990.

Reception

Reviewed at the time of release, NME described Palmer as "just a playboy dilettante dabbling in populist genres clumsily. His true heart lies in...who knows. Just as we arrive to soak up his ever-changing mood, Bob the eternal tourist is off somewhere else."

Track listing

1. "Your Mother Should Have Told You" (Robert Palmer, Guy Pratt) – 3:41
2. "Light-Years" (Divinyls, Robert Palmer) – 4:27
3. "You Can't Get Enough of a Good Thing" (Robert Palmer) – 4:08
4. "Dreams to Remember" (Otis Redding, Zelda Reading, Joe Rock) – 4:25
5. "You're Amazing" (Stephen Fellows, Alan Mansfield, Robert Palmer, Guy Pratt, Steve Stevens) – 3:49
6. "Mess Around" (Stephen Fellows, Robert Palmer) – 4:50
7. "Happiness" (Robert Palmer) – 2:52
8. "History" (Robert Palmer) – 4:32
9. "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"; with UB40 (Bob Dylan) – 3:26
10. "Housework" (Stephen Fellows, Robert Palmer) – 3:12
11. "Mercy Mercy Me" (Marvin Gaye) / "I Want You" (Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Leon Ware) – 5:59
12. "Don't Explain" (Arthur Herzog Jr., Billie Holiday) – 2:28
13. "Aeroplane" (Robert Palmer) – 3:04
14. "People Will Say We're in Love" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein) – 2:20
15. "Not a Word" (Robert Palmer, Guy Pratt, Colin Vearncombe) – 4:18
16. "Top 40" (Mose Allison) – 2:40
17. "You're So Desirable" (Ray Noble) – 2:24
18. "You're My Thrill" (Sidney Clare, Jay Gorney) – 3:58

Note:

• The liner notes for the first US pressing (EMI/Capitol – CDP-7-93935-2) attribute the final song to Ned Washington and Burton Lane. While they co-wrote a song by that name, the one on Palmer's album is the Clare & Gorney composition made popular by Billie Holiday.

Personnel

• Robert Palmer – vocals, backing vocals, guitars, drums
• Brent Bourgeois – keyboards, backing vocals (2, 3)
• Alan Mansfield – keyboards, drums
• William Bryant – acoustic piano, bass
• Dennis Budimir – guitars
• Alan Darby – guitars
• Eddie Martinez – guitars
• Saverio Porciello – guitars
• Steve Stevens – guitars
• Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar
• Frank Blair – bass
• Guy Pratt – bass
• Dony Wynn – drums, percussion
• Cyro Baptista – percussion
• Pino Pischetola – percussion
• Claudio Pascoli – saxophone
• Chuck Findley – flugelhorn, trumpet
• Demo Morselli – trumpet
• Luka Belak – violin
• Clare Fischer – clarinet, string and horn arrangements, conductor
• Gerald Vinci – concertmaster
• B.J. Nelson – backing vocals (2–4)
• Pamela Starks – backing vocals (9)
• UB40 – backing vocals (9)

Production

• David Harper – executive producer
• Robert Palmer – producer (1–6, 9, 10, 17), co-producer (7, 8, 11, 13)
• Teo Macero – producer (7, 8, 11–16, 18)
• Arne Frager – engineer
• Pino Pischetola – engineer
• Mike Fraser – mixing (1, 5)
• Eric "ET" Thorngren – mixing (2–4, 6–18)
• Richard Cobble – production coordination
• Henry Marquez – art direction, design
• Timothy Greenfield-Sanders – photography
• David King – stylist

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References