All for Love (New Edition album)

All for Love
All for Love
Studio album by New Edition
Released	November 8, 1985
Recorded	April–September 1985
Studio	Studio Sound Recorders; (North Hollywood, California)
Genre	R&B, soul, pop, funk
Length	45:15
Label	MCA
Producer	Ricky Bell, Jheryl Busby (exec.), Michael Bivins, Vincent Brantley, Bill Dern (exec.), Ronnie DeVoe, Richard Rudolph, Michael Sembello, Rick Timas, George Tobin, Ralph Tresvant
New Edition chronology
Singles from New Edition
	"Count Me Out"; Released: October 14, 1985; "A Little Bit of Love (Is All It Takes)"; Released: 1986; "With You All the Way"; Released: 1986;

All for Love is the third studio album by American R&B quintet New Edition, released by MCA Records on November 8, 1985. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Also, this would be the final studio album to feature original group member Bobby Brown, who would shortly depart for a solo career until he would later return for their 1996 comeback album with the group, Home Again.

In the UK, the album was released on April 1, 1986.^[2]

Overview

History

By Spring 1985, New Edition was one of the biggest pop acts in the world after the success of their self-titled second album released the year before. However, the group was now in mortgage to MCA Records, as a result of having borrowed money from the label to disentangle themselves from a stifling production deal they mistakenly signed during the recording of their previous album.^[3] As a result, All for Love would become the first in a cluster of albums the group would be forced to record during this period to work off its debt.

Background and Brown's Departure

While most of the members were comfortable with the group's direction, Bobby Brown was becoming increasingly discontent and unappreciative with its bubblegum pop image.^[3] Brown was also agitated at having not been more prominently featured as a lead vocalist on the album.^[3] Vincent Brantley, the album's main producer, had originally sought to give Brown more solo spots. However, MCA balked at this idea — insisting that Ralph Tresvant continue to be used on principal vocals. During a national tour in Oakland, California to promote the album, Brown often cut in on Tresvant's leads, performing more raunchily onstage, compared to his band mates. Also, Brown angered the group's management by disrespectfully throwing his mike in the air and being ungrateful when not getting his way onstage. Growing tension between Brown and his band mates eventually reached a standoff, which contributed to his being terminated from the group in December 1985.^[3] Following Brown's departure, New Edition would continue to promote All for Love as a quartet.^[3]

Release and reaction

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Count Me Out"	Vincent Brantley, Rick Timas	Brantley, Timas	5:37
2.	"A Little Bit of Love (Is All It Takes)"	Christine Perren, Richard Wyatt, Jr.	Richard Rudolph, Michael Sembello	4:05
3.	"Sweet Thing"	Rudolph, Sembello, Randy Waldman	Rudolph, Sembello	4:13
4.	"With You All the Way"	Carl Wurtz	George Tobin	3:30
5.	"Let's Be Friends"	David Conley, Bernard Jackson, David Townsend	Brantley, Timas	4:19
6.	"Kickback"	Brantley, Timas	Brantley, Timas	3:25
7.	"Tonight's Your Night"	John Duarte, Mark Paul	Tobin	3:34
8.	"Whispers in Bed"	Duarte, Paul	Tobin	3:40
9.	"Who Do You Trust?"	David Batteau, Danny Sembello	Rudolph, Sembello	4:10
10.	"School"	Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant	Bell, Bivins, DeVoe, Tresvant	4:52
11.	"All for Love"	Duarte, Paul	Tobin	3:50