Maps of Music

La Toya (1988)

Where the lyrics of La Toya take you, and where it was really made.

The album has two titles: the cover and box say La Toya, while the disc and cassette say You're Gonna Get Rocked!

Key places

Recorded at Oasis Recording Studios, Los Angeles (1988)

Recording site Larrabee Sound Studios — Discogs lists Oasis Recording Studios in Los Angeles among the studios where the album was recorded. The point marks the listed studio location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Right Track Recording, New York (1988)

Recording site MSR Studios — Discogs lists Right Track Recording in New York among the studios used for recording the album. The point marks the listed studio location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at PWL Studios, London (1988)

Recording site Wild Bunch Studios (London) — Discogs lists PWL Studios in London as a recording site for the album. The point is placed at the London city centre, not at the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• La Toya (also known as You're Gonna Get Rocked!): fifth studio album by La Toya Jackson
• Released in 1988 by RCA
• The cover and box give the name La Toya, while the disc and cassette give You're Gonna Get Rocked!, so both names are used
• Includes "(Ain't Nobody Loves You) Like I Do" and "You're Gonna Get Rocked"
• These two songs are, to date, two of only five Jackson songs with a music video
• Expanded 2-CD set released as You're Gonna Get Rocked! by Cherry Pop Records in December 2013

Background

• First album released after Jackson ended father Joe Jackson's management and signed with RCA
• Goal: move her teen pop sound toward something more substantial and a street sound
• Recruited British producers Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW)
• On arriving at the studio, she found SAW had already finished their three submissions, so only her vocals were needed
• US hip-hop producers Full Force made four tracks after she waited six months for them to fit her in
• Jackson wanted Full Force to add a more aggressive sound to the LP
• Side A (tracks 1 to 5) had a hip-hop and breakbeat theme aimed at the US market
• Side B leaned toward European synthpop

Recording

• La Toya was recorded from March 1987 through 1988
• The album was mixed down in New York
• Discogs lists Oasis Recording Studios (Los Angeles), Right Track Recording (New York) and PWL Studios (London) among the recording studios

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born May 29, 1956 in Gary, Indiana; the fifth of ten children of the Jackson family.
• First gained recognition on the family variety series The Jacksons on CBS in 1976–1977.
• Began a solo recording career in 1980 with her self-titled debut album.

Career

• Scored her biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit with the title track of the 1984 album Heart Don't Lie, peaking at number 56.
• Released nine studio albums over 15 years on labels including Polydor, Sony Music and RCA.
• Wrote the 1988 song "Just Say No" for the Reagan administration's anti-drug campaign.
• Posed for Playboy in 1989 and again in 1991 to promote her autobiography La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family.
• Signed in 1992 with the Moulin Rouge in Paris to star in the revue Formidable, reportedly the cabaret's highest-paid performer.
• Returned to music in 2004 with the singles "Just Wanna Dance" and "Home"; "Just Wanna Dance" reached number 13 on the US Billboard Hot Dance chart.
• Appeared on reality television, including Celebrity Big Brother (2009), The Celebrity Apprentice, Life with La Toya, and The Masked Singer.

Reception

At release

• The Miami News: called the three SAW songs "right on target" and "pop gems that display Jackson at her best."
• The Miami News: said pop "with a bit of funk and soul" suited Jackson best, but criticized her voice as drowned out on the Full Force songs.
• San Jose Mercury News: said "You Blew" and "Such a Wicked Love" bristle with the torrid funk of Full Force.
• David Quantick, NME: praised the hip-hop side with Full Force, but slammed the SAW-produced tracks on Side B.
• Quantick: described "Just Say No" as Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" rammed up the nose of ABBA's "I Have a Dream".
• AllMusic: said "Just Say No" brought out the best of Jackson.
• AllMusic: described the Full Force tracks as clever jams that position Jackson as a street-hip artist, but also somewhat vacuous.
• AllMusic: called "Does It Really Matter" a genuine, insinuating club/house cut.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Jackson dedicated the album to the children of the world, tied to her work on the "Just Say No" campaign aimed at children aged 3 to 7.
• "Just Say No" was composed for Nancy Reagan's anti-drug campaign of the same name.
• Jackson originally recorded "Trouble", which was later given to Nia Peeples and reached No. 1 on the US Dance Charts; Jackson's version stayed unreleased until December 2013.
• "Men Be Illin'" was recorded for the album in early 1987 but not used; it is widely believed it was intended for the 1988 album.
• Full Force member Paul Anthony said the group chose to work with Jackson because "we like the underdogs."
• The album is Jackson's most-played album on Spotify.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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