{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox album | name = Workin' It Back | type = studio | artist = Teddy Pendergrass | cover = Workingitback.jpg | alt = | released = December 4, 1985 | recorded = 1984–1985 | studio = | genre = R&B, soul | length = 37:09 | label = Asylum<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D7QDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61 |title=Jet's Top 20 Albums |magazine=Jet |date=March 3, 1986 |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company}}</ref> | producer = * Glen Ballard * Clif Magness * Teddy Pendergrass * Linda Creed * Lonnie Jordan | prev_title = Love Language | prev_year = 1984 | next_title = Joy | next_year = 1988 | misc = {{Singles | name = Workin' It Back | type = studio | single1 = Love 4/2 | single1date = 1985 | single2 = Let Me Be Closer | single2date = 1986 }} }}
'''''Workin' It Back''''' is a studio album by the American R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, released in 1985.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/arts/music/15pendergrass.html |title=Teddy Pendergrass, R&B Soul Singer, Dies at 59 |first=Jon |last=Pareles |date=January 14, 2010 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/teddy-pendergrass-mn0000020278/biography |title=Teddy Pendergrass Biography & History |website=AllMusic}}</ref> It was his second record for Asylum Records. The album peaked at No. 96 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and reached No. 6 on the Top Black Albums chart.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/teddy-pendergrass/chart-history/tlp/ |title=Teddy Pendergrass Chart History |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album spawned two singles, "Love 4/2" (No. 6 R&B) and "Let Me Be Closer" (No. 67 R&B), though neither appeared on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/rip_teddy_pendergrass_1950-2010 |title=RIP Teddy Pendergrass, 1950-2010 |website=Exclaim!}}</ref> Pendergrass co-wrote and co-produced two of the album's songs.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M7MDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA59 |title=Teddy Pendergrass Says, 'Don't Feel Sorry For Me; Listen To My Songs' |magazine=Jet |date=June 23, 1986 |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r15015|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref> |rev2 = Robert Christgau |rev2score = B+<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Teddy+Pendergrass|title=Teddy Pendergrass|website=Robert Christgau}}</ref> |rev3 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' |rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="CL">{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=6 |page=473}}</ref> |rev4 = ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' |rev4score = {{rating|2|4}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Ken |title=Teddy Pendergrass Workin' It Back |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=22 Dec 1985 |page=H4}}</ref> |rev5 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' |rev5score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="RS">{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |page=537}}</ref> }} ''The Globe and Mail'' wrote that "the spasmodic anguish of the final cut, 'Love Emergency', is the most innovative song on the album, with the backup male chorus growling a chant over the groove as the background to Pendergrass's vocal flights."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lacey |first1=Liam |title=Workin' It Back Teddy Pendergrass |work=The Globe and Mail |date=2 Jan 1986 |page=C5}}</ref> ''The Gazette'' thought that "even the Womacks can't raise a head of steam from the one-time Sound of Philadelphia."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=John |title=Teddy Pendergrass Workin' It Back (Asylum) |work=The Gazette |date=21 Nov 1985 |page=D3}}</ref>
==Track listing== #"Love 4/2" (Pendergrass, James Carter, Nathaniel Lee) #"One of Us Fell in Love" (Adrian Baker, Eddie Seago) #"Never Felt Like Dancin'" (Dennis Matkosky, Monty Seward) #"Let Me Be Closer" (Pendergrass, Linda Creed, Dennis Matkosky, Bill Neale) #"Lonely Color Blue" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack) #"Want You Back in My Life" (Glen Ballard, Clif Magness) #"Workin' It Back" (Clif Magness, Ellen Schwartz, Roger Bruno) #"Love Emergency" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)
== Personnel == * Teddy Pendergrass – vocals * Ron Jennings – guitar * Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar * Bill Neale – guitar * Cecil Womack – guitar, bass * Clif Magness – guitar * Neil Stubenhaus – bass * Doug Grigsby – bass * Dennis Matkosky – keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming * Monty Seward – synthesized guitar, backing vocals * Larry Williams – bass synthesizer * Randy Kerber – acoustic and electric piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer * Alan Pasqua – keyboards * Eddie "Gip" Noble – keyboards * Linda Womack – keyboards * John Robinson – drums * Raymond Pounds – drums * James Gadson – drums * Michael Mason – drum overdubs * Paulinho da Costa – percussion * Joel Peskin – saxophone * Tenita Jordan – backing vocals * Lynn Davis – backing vocals * Shirley Jones – backing vocals * Stephanie Reach – backing vocals * Tammie Taylor – backing vocals * Clydene Jackson – backing vocals * Julia Waters – backing vocals * Maxine Waters – backing vocals * Vanessa Townsell – backing vocals * The Womack Congregation – backing vocals
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (1985–1986) ! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position |- {{album chart|Billboard200|96|artist=Teddy Pendergrass|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 13, 2021}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|6|artist=Teddy Pendergrass|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 13, 2021}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (1986) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1986/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1986|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=July 13, 2021}}</ref> | 20 |} {{col-end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Teddy Pendergrass}}
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Category:Teddy Pendergrass albums Category:1985 albums Category:Albums produced by Glen Ballard Category:Asylum Records albums