Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American recording artist Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 26, 1989, in the United States. Her second album with the company following her 1986 platinum album Winner in You, it features the single, "If You Asked Me To" which was also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill (1989), and the R&B top ten Prince-written hit "Yo Mister." The album marked LaBelle's foray into new jack swing music with the tracks "I Got It Like That", produced by Full Force, and "Love 89", another Prince contribution.
Contents
Critical reception
AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis found that Be Yourself "boasts a bevy of the day's brightest songwriters and producers [...] Despite LaBelle's masterful, tear-inducing performance, the real gems on this set are two tunes written and produced by Prince [...] Despite a couple of unmemorable moments, Be Yourself doesn't disappoint by any means and is definitely worth having if only for the forgotten gems "Yo Mister" and "Love 89," which rank as some of Prince's better songs as well. Chicago Tribune critic Maurice Weaver remarked that "her vocal acrobatics have sometimes overwhelmed her material, but on this recording LaBelle sings brilliantly while covering gospel, R&B and dance."
Personnel
Credits lifted from the album's liner notes.
Performers and musicians
Technical