Special Things
title: "Special Things" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1980-albums", "the-pointer-sisters-albums", "albums-produced-by-richard-perry", "planet-records-albums"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Things" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Special Things |
| type | Studio |
| artist | the Pointer Sisters |
| cover | PointersSpecial.jpg |
| released | August 1, 1980 |
| studio | Studio 55, Los Angeles, California |
| genre | R&B, pop, soul |
| label | Planet |
| producer | Richard Perry |
| prev_title | Priority |
| prev_year | 1979 |
| next_title | Black & White |
| next_year | 1981 |
| misc | {{Singles |
| name | Special Things |
| type | studio |
| single1 | He's So Shy |
| single1date | July 23, 1980 |
| single2 | Could I Be Dreaming |
| single2date | 1980 |
| single3 | We've Got the Power |
| single3date | 1980 |
| single4 | Where Did the Time Go? |
| single4date | 1980 |
| :: |
| name = Special Things
| type = Studio
| artist = the Pointer Sisters
| cover = PointersSpecial.jpg
| alt =
| released = August 1, 1980
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio = Studio 55, Los Angeles, California
| genre = R&B, pop, soul
| length =
| label = Planet
| producer = Richard Perry
| prev_title = Priority
| prev_year = 1979
| next_title = Black & White
| next_year = 1981
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Special Things
| type = studio
| single1 = He's So Shy
| single1date = July 23, 1980
| single2 = Could I Be Dreaming
| single2date = 1980
| single3 = We've Got the Power
| single3date = 1980
| single4 = Where Did the Time Go?
| single4date = 1980
| rev1 =AllMusic
| rev1Score =
|rev2 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
|rev2score =
Special Things is the seventh studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1980 on Planet Records.
History
The album marked their third venture with producer Richard Perry and featured a more stylized R&B/pop production, launching the group into its most successful period. The album spawned their second top three gold-certified single, "He's So Shy". The album also contains minor hit "Could I Be Dreamin’" and two songs written by Burt Bacharach, "The Love Too Good to Last" and "Where Did the Time Go".
Track listing
| headline = Side one | title1 = Could I Be Dreaming | writer1 = Anita Pointer, Trevor Lawrence, Marlo Henderson | length1 = 3:31 | title2 = He's So Shy | writer2 = Tom Snow, Cynthia Weil | length2 = 3:37 | title3 = The Love Too Good to Last | writer3 = Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen | length3 = 3:32 | title4 = Evil | writer4 = Geoffrey Leib, Larry Lingle | length4 = 3:19 | title5 = Save This Night for Love | writer5 = Ellison Chase, Bill Haberman, Art Jacobson | length5 = 3:25 | headline = Side two | title6 = We've Got the Power | writer6 = Michael Brooks, Bob Esty | length6 = 4:53 | title7 = Where Did the Time Go | writer7 = Bacharach, Sager | length7 = 3:08 | title8 = Special Things | writer8 = Anita Pointer | length8 = 3:08 | title9 = Here Is Where Your Love Belongs | writer9 = Bill Champlin | length9 = 4:40 | headline = 2010 remastered bonus track | title10 = Movin' On | note10 = | writer10 = Anita Pointer, Ruth Pointer, June Pointer, Lawrence, Henderson | length10 = 3:19
Personnel
The Pointer Sisters
- Anita Pointer – lead vocals (1, 3, 5, 8), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
- June Pointer – lead vocals (2, 4, 6, 7), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
- Ruth Pointer – lead vocals (9), backing vocals, vocal arrangements
Musicians
- Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (1, 3−5, 7, 9), synthesizers (5), clavinet (6)
- Tom Snow – keyboards (2), synthesizers (2), arrangements (2)
- Lance Ong – synthesizers (3, 4)
- Michael Boddicker – synthesizer programming (5), synthesizers (8)
- John Barnes – Fender Rhodes (6), keyboards (8)
- Clarence McDonald – acoustic piano (6)
- Burt Bacharach – horn arrangements (3), string arrangements (3, 7), keyboards (7)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1, 3, 5, 9), guitar solo (4)
- Tim May – guitar (2, 6, 8)
- Ben Bridges – guitar (4)
- Marlo Henderson – guitar (4, 5, 7)
- Mark Goldenberg – guitar (6, 8)
- David Williams – guitar (7, 9)
- Nathan Watts – bass (1−5, 8, 9), percussion (5)
- John Pierce – bass (6)
- James Jamerson – bass (7)
- Ollie E. Brown – drums (1, 3, 5)
- James Gadson – drums (2, 6, 8)
- Raymond Pounds – drums (4)
- Ricky Lawson – drums (7, 9)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1−4, 8)
- Jay Hutson – alto flute (1), saxophone (4)
- Don Myrick – alto flute (1), saxophone (4), alto sax solo (9)
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (1, 4)
- Dick Hyde – trombone (4)
- Chuck Findley – trumpet (1), flugelhorn (1, 3)
- Steve Madaio – trumpet (1, 4), flugelhorn (1)
- Warren Looney – flugelhorn (3)
- Larry Gittens – trumpet (4)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (4)
- Henry Sigismonti – French horn (1)
- Trevor Lawrence – arrangements (1, 6, 9), horn arrangements (1, 4, 6, 7, 9), string arrangements (1, 5, 6, 9), conductor (1, 5, 6, 9), orchestration (3)
- Sid Sharp – concertmaster (1, 3, 5−7, 9)
Production
- Richard Perry – producer
- Trevor Lawrence – associate producer
- Gabe Veltri – recording
- Tim Dennen – assistant engineer
- Jim Küenzi – assistant engineer
- Stephen Marcussen – assistant engineer
- Raven Royce-Jordan – assistant engineer
- James Guthrie – remixing
- Mike Reese – mastering
- Doug Sax – mastering
- The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA) – mastering location
- Daniel Kushnick – production coordinator
- Michael Solomon – production coordinator
- John Kosh – art direction, design
- Aaron Rapoport – photography
Chart positions
::data[format=table title="Chart performance for ''Special Things''"] | Chart (1980) | Peak position | Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | |---|---|---| | 67 | | | ::
References
References
- {{AllMusic. Amy. Hanson
- (1992). "The Rolling Stone Album Guide". Random House.
- Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970–1992". Australian Chart Book.
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