Heart Don't Lie is the third album released by American singer-songwriter La Toya Jackson. Released in 1984 by Epic Records, this album is her most critically acclaimed and commercially successful album to date, peaking at #149 on the Billboard 200[1] and #65 on the Top Black Albums chart.[2]
Album information
The album was produced by Amir Bayyan, brother of
Joe Jackson, La Toya's father and then-manager, heard his tapes. Jackson recorded the album sporadically over a six-month period.[3] The album features a plethora of musical guests, including Shalamar'sHoward Hewett and reggae-pop group Musical Youth on the title track, musicians from Kool & the Gang on several tracks throughout the album, and collaborations with her siblings, including Marlon, Janet, and Tito
, who co-produced the track "Frustration".
Jackson and Bayyan originally wrote the song "Reggae Nights" for this album, but it ended up being a Grammy-nominated single for Jimmy Cliff. Said Jackson at the time, "A lot of people wanted to sing that tune and we were thinking about saving it for my album. But when Jimmy came along I said, 'Forget it. I hear a guy doing it.' So he got the tune."[3][4] She recorded the song herself for her 1991 album No Relations.
Heart Don't Lie was re-released by Funky Town Grooves on CD in February 2012. The expanded edition included 7 bonus tracks. As of January 2013, the album is once again out of print.[5]
said that "judging by [this album], producer Amir Bayyan is aware of her limitations—at least, that would account for
his drowning her voice in some very strong, rhythmic arrangements. This is an eminently forgettable release."[11]
Many consider this to be Jackson's finest musical effort, with AllMusic commenting that there are "a handful of guilty pleasures here that are, if not much else, very catchy, making this a wise investment for anyone curious about the music of the Jackson family 'outcast'."[6]
