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Adventures in Paradise (Minnie Riperton album)

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Adventures in Paradise is the third studio album by Minnie Riperton, which was produced by Stewart Levine with music by the Crusaders. Leon Ware co-wrote the title song "Adventures in Paradise," and co-produced the album. The album was a modest success, but didn't match the success of "Perfect Angel".

After “Lovin’ You” and the “Perfect Angel’ album finished their chart run, Epic wanted a follow-up disc, and fast. With previous co-producer Stevie Wonder busy recording his “Songs In The Key Of Life”, Minnie and husband Richard Rudolph hired Stewart Levine to co-produce her next album. More songs came from the Riperton/Rudolph camp as well as collaborations with Jazz Crusader Joe Sample and songwriter Leon Ware (who was enjoying a hot streak thanks to his work on Marvin Gaye’s album “I Want You”). Guitarist Larry Carlton was brought in as an arranger. The result, “Adventures In Paradise” took on a mellow soul-jazz tone.

The album's best known song is the sensual "Inside My Love." Riperton made it quite clear during the track's initial release that the song wasn't about a woman asking a man to have sex with her. It's about going deeper than that, attaining true intimacy. Despite the singer's groans, a closer listen to the lyrics will prove that in this case love dealt with something way below skin deep. "Inside My Love" went to number 26 R&B during the summer of 1975, but stalled at #37 on the pop listings. Much of pop radio balked at playing the single due to the lyrical content (“Do you wanna ride, inside my love….”) even though Leon Ware claimed that the words were inspired by a church preacher he heard speak when he was a child (the minister said, “let us come into the house of the Lord”).

"Inside My Love" became somewhat of a standard, enjoying numerous covers. Chanté Moore covered "Inside My Love" in 1995 for the "New York Undercover" soundtrack and Trina Broussard covered it for the soundtrack to "Love Jones" in 1997. Jean-Jacques Smoothie sampled "Inside My Love" for his 2001 hit "2 People". In 2008, "Inside My Love" was featured on Grand Theft Auto IV's fictional Soul/R&B radio station The Vibe 98.8.

The album cover has its own story: Minnie is seen sitting serenely next to a lion. As for the photo session, all was everything but calm. During the shoot, the lion lunged at Minnie without any provocation. Fortunately the animal’s tamer was on the set and the lion was quickly sedated. A film clip of the incident was aired on Sammy Davis Jr’s talk show “Sammy & Company” when Minnie was a guest and can now be found on youtube.

It was apparently around this time that Riperton discovered she had cancer. In 1976, she went on The Tonight Show and told guest host Flip Wilson - who had no prior knowledge of the situation - that she was suffering from breast cancer and had undergone a mastectomy.

Adventures In Paradise was an standard recording but available in two formats: quadraphonic and stereo. Quad is very detailed and clarity as Standard. Not sonic and the international pressings are far better. Than the American pressing even the Mail order versions. Such as Columbia House use Quad masters for stereo. Release of Adventure of Paradise still Minnie's best recording. Sony/BGM anticipated a soul funky sequel using Family Stone band and Tower Power horn section. Which would been release November 1975 the secession were never released. There in the archives...great songs. But unreleased due to politics.

Track listing

  1. "Baby, This Love I Have" (Minnie Riperton, Leon Ware, Richard Rudolph) – 4:02
  2. "Feelin' That Your Feelin's Right" (Riperton, Ware, Rudolph) – 4:22
  3. "When It Comes Down to It" (Riperton, Rudolph) – 3:24
  4. "Minnie's Lament" (Riperton, Rudolph) – 4:10
  5. "Love and Its Glory" (Riperton, Ed Brown, Rudolph) – 5:10
  6. "Adventures in Paradise" (Riperton, Joe Sample, Rudolph) – 3:15
  7. "Inside My Love" (Riperton, Ware, Rudolph) – 4:45
  8. "Alone in Brewster Bay" (Riperton, Rudolph) – 4:25
  9. "Simple Things" (Riperton, Rudolph) – 3:44
  10. "Don't Let Anyone Bring You Down" (Riperton, Rudolph) – 2:55

Charts

Chart (1975)[1] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Pop Albums 18
U.S. Billboard Black Albums 5

References

  1. ^ "Adventures in Paradise > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
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