Though Anita Baker got some airplay out of The Songstress, that promising solo debut didn't bring her financial security.
In fact, Baker was earning her living as a legal secretary in her native Detroit when she signed with Elektra in the mid-'80s.
Elektra gave her a strong promotional push, and the equally superb Rapture became the megahit that The Songstress should have been.
To its credit, Elektra made her a major star by focusing on Baker's strong point -- romantic but gospel-influenced R&B/pop ballads and "slow jams," sometimes with jazz overtones -- and letting her be true to herself.
Rapture gave Baker one moving hit after another, including "Sweet Love," "Caught up in the Rapture," "Same Ole Love," and "No One in This World." Praising Baker in a 1986 interview, veteran R&B critic Steve Ivory asserted, "To me, singers like Anita Baker and Frankie Beverly define what R&B or soul music is all about." Indeed, Rapture's tremendous success made it clear that there was still a sizeable market for adult-oriented, more traditional R&B singing.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweet LoveAnita Baker, Gary Bias, Louis Johnson | Anita Baker | Play | 04:28 | 10 MB | 0 MB |
| 2 | You Bring Me JoyDavid Lasley | Anita Baker | Play | 04:24 | 10 MB | 0 MB |
| 3 | Caught up in the RaptureGarry Glenn | Anita Baker | Play | 05:18 | 12 MB | 0 MB |
| 4 | Been So LongAnita Baker | Anita Baker | Play | 05:11 | 11 MB | 0 MB |
| 5 | MysteryRod Temperton | Anita Baker | Play | 04:57 | 11 MB | 0 MB |
| 6 | No One in the World | Anita Baker | Play | 04:06 | 9 MB | 0 MB |
| 7 | Watch Your StepAnita Baker | Anita Baker | Play | 04:59 | 11 MB | 0 MB |
| 8 | Same Ole Love (365 Days a Week) | Anita Baker | Play | 04:02 | 9 MB | 0 MB |
| 37 mins | 85 MB | |||||
| 0 mins | 0 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anita Baker | Composer, Primary Artist, Producer |
| 2 | Gary Bias | Composer |
| 3 | Paulinho Da Costa | Guest Artist |
| 4 | Garry Glenn | Composer |
| 5 | Louis Johnson | Composer |
| 6 | David Lasley | Composer |
| 7 | Marilyn McLeod | Composer |
| 8 | Greg Phillinganes | Guest Artist |
| 9 | Darryl K. Roberts | Composer |
| 10 | Rod Temperton | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |