| Gap Band IV | 
 enlarge | Artist: The Gap Band
Label: Mca Special Products
Category: Music
List Price: $6.98
Buy New: $2.44
You Save: $4.54 (65%)
Buy New/Used from $2.20
Avg. Customer Rating:   (13 reviews)
Sales Rank: 6506
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 042282279422
EAN: 0042282279422
ASIN: B000001F9P
Release Date: May 3, 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Early In The Morning | | • | Seasons No Reason To Change | | • | Lonely Like Me | | • | Outstanding | | • | Stay With Me | | • | You Dropped A Bomb On Me | | • | I Can't Get Over You | | • | Talkin' Back |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
This is the album that brought it all together for the Brothers Wilson, and made the Gap Band a force to reckon with in both the R&B and pop worlds. The album contains two killer funk jams, both reaching the top of the R&B charts--"Early in the Morning" and "You Dropped a Bomb on Me." But both songs also crossed over to become Top 40 pop hits, making the Gap Band a huge concert attraction. The other standout is the ballad "Outstanding," another NO. 1 in R&B. Of all the Gap Band albums to get, this is the strongest, with the exception of their hits collection. Great for gettin' down on the dance floor or the bedroom--take your pick. --Tom Vickers
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Another solid 80s classic March 9, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
There's not much that I can add to all the glowing reviews below but I have to say that back in the day, these were the dudes, for real. Alongside other real bands like Cameo, Kool & The Gang, The Brothers Johnson, Brass Construction & Skyy (just to name a couple), the Gap Band made sure we kept dancing back in the late 70s and early 80s. Lead singer Charlie Wilson, himself clearly influenced by soul legends that had preceded him, was a huge influence on many great singers that were yet to come; people like Keith Sweat, R. Kelly, Joe and all those who have followed on from them. All these guys have had huge success with Charlie's style though not one of them was as good as the original, in my opinion. That was clear to anyone who had ears when Charlie appeared alongside Justin Timberlake on the recent Snoop Dogg single "Signs", even though his performance is often not even credited.
This 1982 monster was full of the good stuff. "Early In The Morning" (with that iconic crowing cockerel intro and its wild guitar solo) was one of my favourite tunes ever and still is. "Outstanding" is a classic that surely needs no introduction and as for "You Dropped A Bomb On Me", boy... I wonder if anyone would find it possible to resist this kind of music even now?
But their mid-tempo ballads were equally magnificent. "Seasons No Reason To Change", with its brilliant piano-led intrumental outro & "Stay With Me", are both heartfelt and incredibly soulful. I also really love the flugelhorn-driven "I Can't Get Over You".
The album was produced by Lonnie Simmonds and I feel a need to reiterate the fact that this trio of brothers were a proper band, playing live instruments - something that hardly exists anymore. They had a group of other musicians behind them, playing keyboards, synthesizers, bass, drums, percussion, horns and guitar but Charlie didn't just sing; he also played keyboards, synthesizer, mini-moog and percussion. Robert played the bass, lead guitar and percussion and Ronnie played keyboards, flugelhorn, synthesizer and percussion.
I'm glad to finally get this on CD. My sad vinyl version is scratched beyond redemption and I've been looking for this for years. Oh, how I miss the good old days!
 Gap Band IV June 19, 2007
Great CD. Been looking for Seasons No Reason To Change for a long time. I am very happy that i finally found it. All other tracks are fine.
"Great follow up to a classic album" February 7, 2007
In the summer of 1982 when music was really starting to make drastic changes(most for the worst) and with Michael Jackson's Thriller not yet the blockbuster album it would become, the Gap Band released this great follow up album. Gap Band IV lived up to the hype and included two smash number one hits but still did not top Gap Band III in terms of creativity. The first number one single "Early In The Morning" starts the album off and is somewhat reminscent of the their hit "Burn Rubber On Me" with its tempo and strong structure but still stands on it own. Their second number one hit off this album "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" is probably the funkiest track on here with its great synthensizers never overshadowing the rest of the song and the cool bomb samples throughout. The third single also made a lot of noise becoming a staple at cookouts for years to come and is one of their shortest tracks ever being a little over three minutes of pure laidback funk. And also like the Ohio Players their ballads are also underrated with my favorites being "Lonely Like Me","Stay With Me", and "I Can't Get Over You" which all have some magnificent horn and keyboard work. The closer again "Talkin' Back" is another P-Funk inspired track that ends the album on very uptempo note with silly vocals and lyrics. This album was also the last album produced by Total Experience label owner Lonnie Simmons but shows him going out with a bang. Also still available on cd format this album was where the Gappers peaked and for that in itself is worth owning. Five Stars!!!
 They Dropped The Funky Bomb On Us February 4, 2007
I never even heard of The Gap Band until hearing their hit on a compilation; "You Dropped A Bomb On Me." The Gap Band was never hugely recognized, but nevertheless is just as great an R&B/Funk band as any. In my opinion, they can hang in there just fine with the likes of The Commodores and Rick James. They dropped this 1982 funky bomb called "IV" that spawned an ultra explosive funk classic in "You Dropped A Bomb On Me." Fuzzy, buzzy and groovy synthesizers/keyboards are abundant throughout this album, a trademark of classic funk music, especially in the early 80's. The tunes are quite catchy, smooth, fun to listen to and brothers Charlie (lead vocals, synths), Robert (bass) and Ronnie Wilson (keyboards) give us some nice rich harmonies throughout. Most of the songs are not outstanding, but nevertheless fun.
"Early In The Morning" - What's ironic about this song is that I work with chickens early in the morning as part of my occupation. The song starts out with a rooster crowing and then bursts into a shuffling, funky beat about getting up in the morning. Fuzz-sounding grooves and a slapping beat. I'm usually singing this song in my head while collecting eggs, hahaha!
"Seasons No Reason To Change" - Not one of my favorites, but rather smooth; a slower funk. Nothing real special about the song.
"Lonely Like Me" - Very groovy and funky. Some great harmonies and synths. Just your normal average smooth groove.
"Outstanding" - Again, nothing extraordinary. Just a fun funk tune with some catchy keyboards and rich harmonies. Nothing spectacular.
"Stay With Me" - This is actually one of my favorite songs. The brothers Wilson are heartfelt with those thick, deeply harmonic vocals amongst the funky, shuffling groove of a beat and the soulful, atmospheric and melodic synths/keyboards. It's one of those songs that for personally, hits the emotion button within. This song could be one of those great ones for a significant other to get a point across. Make that person melt with this tune!
"You Dropped A Bomb On Me" - Their hit, signature song, and my favorite from the album. This song has everything; a stomping beat that you cannot help but bop your head to, a fuzzy, melodic groove that gets in your system, Charlie Wilson's wonderful and meaningful vocals, great harmonies, quirky melodic synths and the sound of a bomb dropping through the air. Funk perfection right here, and one of the best of its kind. This is the song that helped The Gap Band rise.
"I Can't Get Over You" - Okay, I'll just say it; I don't like this one. It's just a bit too slow and boring for me. I understand that they were trying to get very melancholy feel to this song and they do a good job in that sense. I visualize someone moping around the house and hanging their head, trying to get someone out of their mind when I hear this song. So they do indeed punch the effect home in this song. But it gets kind of old after a while. The song features some rather sad horns and a soft mellow keyboard.
"Talkin' Back" - Goofy and slapstick. That's the best way to describe this song. It's a bit reminiscent of a Parliament song. It's what they call psychedelic funk. It starts out with one of the brothers reciting a poem of some kind and another one laughing real weird. The beat is very funky and the wild, silly, harmonies just kind of party things up. Keyboards/synths are very quirky, wiggly, swirly and psychedelic sounding. This is just your party, not-having-a-care-in-the-world, goofy and fun song to have a blast with.
So now you know a bit about "IV." Pretty good in many ways and very average in others. Overall, it is worth a listen for those who like to funk it out. Give those brothers a shot and let them hit you with their funky bomb so you can explode into an awesome groove.
Gap Band had the Hood on lock in 82......... November 18, 2006
Before rap took over the airwaves, Charlie and his brothers dropped the bomb. Nothing but hits on this one. Summer of 82 belonged to the Gap Band.
This album has been sampled a lot in a quite a few hiphop classics.
The Hits:
Dropped the Bomb (Act like you know)
Early in the Morning
Outstanding (Classic)
Seasons No Reason To Change (Love it)
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