A stellar previously unreleased track from Patti LaBelle, “Ain’t Nuthin’ But A Feelin’,” recorded during the sessions for her 1989 album Be Yourself, is out today for the first time, on a digital EP from Geffen/UMe with six brand new mixes.
“Ain’t Nuthin’ But A Feelin'” was produced and written by Full Force, with background vocals and instrumentals performed by Full Force and Cheryl Pepsii Riley. This high octane single comes equipped with LaBelle’s legendary soaring vocals and has various new mixes, such as the super fresh “Cleaning House Mix” and the “The Ozone Layer Mix,” both of which are spearheaded by DJ Geenius (AKA Baby Gerry of Full Force), as well as the “M & M Mix” created by Remixer/Producer/DJ John Morales. Each remix was created using the song’s original analog tapes along with Full Force’s celebrated production. Showcasing its timelessness, the song is a rebirth for dance music enthusiasts for decades to come.
LaBelle first met Full Force when she and Timmy Regisford, then MCA Records’ A&R rep, came to Sigma Sound Studios unannounced, eager to create something for her next studio album. Meeting Full Force for the first time, Patti convinced them to rearrange their schedules to work on her album. The result at the time was “I Got It Like That,” included on her eventual album release, Be Yourself, in 1989.
What the public didn’t know was that they also recorded the extraordinary “Ain’t Nuthin’ But A Feelin’.”
Born Patricia Louise Holte; May 24, 1944, Patti LaBelle is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman with a career spanning 60 years. She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singer and front woman of the vocal group, Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. Following the group’s name change to LaBelle in the early 1970s, they released “Lady Marmalade,” which later was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. As a result, the group became the first African American vocal group to land the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine as well as the first pop group to play at the Metropolitan Opera House. After they split in 1976, Patti LaBelle began a successful solo career which has spanned over four decades with more than 50 million records sold worldwide. She’s commonly identified as the “Godmother of Soul.”
Full Force is comprised of brothers B-Fine, Paul Anthony, and Bowlegged Lou, as well as cousins Shy Shy, Curt-T-T, and Baby Gerry. Their breakthrough production hit was UTFO’s “Roxanne Roxanne” (1984). Through the 80s the group produced a string of major hits for Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, including “I Wonder If I Take You Home,” “All Cried Out” and “Head to Toe.” They also scored hits for Samantha Fox (“Naughty Girls Need Love Too” and “I Wanna Have Some Fun”) and R&B singer Cheryl Pepsii Riley (Thanks For My Child” which went #1 on the R&B charts). The 1988 single’s “I’m Real” and “Static” for James Brown gave the legendary singer his biggest hits in 14 years. The group also produced and wrote music for numerous artists including Faith Evans, Cece Peniston, Nina Sky, The Force M.D.s, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, Selena and Lil’ Kim, Rihanna’s “That La, La, La,” and The Black Eyed Peas’ 2005 worldwide hit “Don’t Phunk With My Heart,” which was co-written by Full Force.
In addition to their production résumé, the group have also released their own albums and music. Their 1985 single “Alice, I Want You Just for Me!” became a Top 10 hit in the UK in January 1986. They placed several hits under their own name on the US Billboard R&B chart during the latter half of the 1980s “Temporary Love Thing,” “Unselfish Lover,” “Unfaithful” then culminating with their biggest and most popular “Ain’t My Type Of Hype,” which was the premiere song in House Party starring Kid ‘n Play, Full Force and Martin Lawrence. The members appeared in both movies and acted as the comedic bullies. They also have a new single called “Love is a Hero”, which includes two version; one dedicated to the essential workers and another for the late Kobe Bryant.
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