# Workin' It Back

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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Workin' It Back
| type       = studio
| artist     = [Teddy Pendergrass](/source/Teddy_Pendergrass)
| cover      = Workingitback.jpg
| alt        = 
| released   = December 4, 1985
| recorded   = 1984–1985
| studio     = 
| genre      = [R&B](/source/R%26B), [soul](/source/soul_music)
| length     = 37:09
| label      = [Asylum](/source/Asylum_Records)<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](/source/Glen_Ballard)
* [Clif Magness](/source/Clif_Magness)
* [Teddy Pendergrass](/source/Teddy_Pendergrass)
* [Linda Creed](/source/Linda_Creed)
* [Lonnie Jordan](/source/Lonnie_Jordan)
| prev_title = [Love Language](/source/Love_Language_(Teddy_Pendergrass_album))
| prev_year  = 1984
| next_title = [Joy](/source/Joy_(Teddy_Pendergrass_album))
| 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](/source/R%26B_music) singer [Teddy Pendergrass](/source/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](/source/Asylum_Records). The album peaked at No. 96 on the [''Billboard'' 200](/source/Billboard_200) and reached No. 6 on the [Top Black Albums](/source/Top_R%26B%2FHip-Hop_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](/source/Billboard_Hot_100). The album has been certified gold by the [RIAA](/source/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](/source/AllMusic)
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r15015|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref>
|rev2 = [Robert Christgau](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Montreal_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](/source/Adrian_Baker), Eddie Seago)
#"Never Felt Like Dancin'" (Dennis Matkosky, Monty Seward)
#"Let Me Be Closer" (Pendergrass, [Linda Creed](/source/Linda_Creed), Dennis Matkosky, Bill Neale)
#"Lonely Color Blue" ([Cecil Womack](/source/Cecil_Womack), [Linda Womack](/source/Linda_Womack))
#"Want You Back in My Life" ([Glen Ballard](/source/Glen_Ballard), [Clif Magness](/source/Clif_Magness))
#"Workin' It Back" (Clif Magness, Ellen Schwartz, Roger Bruno)
#"Love Emergency" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack)

== Personnel ==
* [Teddy Pendergrass](/source/Teddy_Pendergrass) – vocals
* Ron Jennings – guitar
* [Paul Jackson Jr.](/source/Paul_Jackson_Jr.) – guitar
* Bill Neale – guitar
* [Cecil Womack](/source/Cecil_Womack) – guitar, bass
* [Clif Magness](/source/Clif_Magness) – guitar
* [Neil Stubenhaus](/source/Neil_Stubenhaus) – bass
* Doug Grigsby – bass
* Dennis Matkosky – keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming
* Monty Seward – synthesized guitar, backing vocals
* [Larry Williams](/source/Larry_Williams_(saxophonist)) – bass synthesizer
* [Randy Kerber](/source/Randy_Kerber) – acoustic and electric piano, [Fender Rhodes](/source/Fender_Rhodes), synthesizer
* [Alan Pasqua](/source/Alan_Pasqua) – keyboards
* Eddie "Gip" Noble – keyboards
* [Linda Womack](/source/Linda_Womack) – keyboards
* [John Robinson](/source/John_Robinson_(drummer)) – drums
* Raymond Pounds – drums
* [James Gadson](/source/James_Gadson) – drums
* Michael Mason – drum overdubs
* [Paulinho da Costa](/source/Paulinho_da_Costa) – percussion
* [Joel Peskin](/source/Joel_Peskin) – saxophone
* [Tenita Jordan](/source/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](/source/Julia_Waters) – backing vocals
* [Maxine Waters](/source/Maxine_Waters_(singer)) – 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}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Teddy Pendergrass albums
Category:1985 albums
Category:Albums produced by Glen Ballard
Category:Asylum Records albums

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Workin' It Back](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workin'_It_Back) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workin'_It_Back?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.