Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel

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Label:	MCA Records – MCA-42185
Format:	Vinyl , LP, Album
Country:	US
Released:	1988
Genre:	Funk / Soul
Style:	New Jack Swing

Tracklist

A1	Cruel Prelude	0:39
A2	Don't Be Cruel Rap – L.A.* Written-By – L.A. Reid-Babyface*	6:52
A3	My Prerogative Backing Vocals – Lee Drakeford Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Mixed By – Teddy Riley Drum Programming – Markell Riley Engineer [Assistant], Mixed By, Recorded By – Jim Hanneman Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By – Dennis Mitchell Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Gene Griffin Written-By – Bobby Brown Backing Vocals – Lee Drakeford Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Mixed By – Teddy Riley Drum Programming – Markell Riley Engineer [Assistant], Mixed By, Recorded By – Jim Hanneman Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By – Dennis Mitchell Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Gene Griffin Written-By – Bobby Brown	4:57
A4	Roni Written-By – Babyface	5:58
A5	Rock Wit'cha Backing Vocals – Bobby Brown Written-By – Babyface-L.A. Reid*	4:47
B1	Every Little Step Engineer – Jon Gass Producer – L.A. & Babyface Vocals – Kayo (4) Written-By – L.A. Reid-Babyface*	3:59
B2	I'll Be Good To You Backing Vocals – Lee Drakeford Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Mixed By – Teddy Riley Drum Programming – Markell Riley Engineer [Assistant], Mixed By, Recorded By – Jim Hanneman Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By – Dennis Mitchell Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Gene Griffin Written-By – Bobby Brown Backing Vocals – Lee Drakeford Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Mixed By – Teddy Riley Drum Programming – Markell Riley Engineer [Assistant], Mixed By, Recorded By – Jim Hanneman Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By – Dennis Mitchell Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Gene Griffin Written-By – Bobby Brown	4:25
B3	Take It Slow Backing Vocals – Ronnie Watkins Backing Vocals, Bass [Tastie Bass], Drums, Effects [Overdubs], Engineer [Assistant], Guitar, Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Larry White Backing Vocals, Drums [Drum Fills] – Richard Aguon Backing Vocals, Written-By – Lee Peters Bass, Synthesizer [Bass Synthesizer] – Kirk Crumpler Effects [Sound, Special F/x] – Ruben Laxamana Engineer [Assistant] – Mark Slagle Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By, Technician [Drums] – Michael Denten Engineer, Recorded By – Howard Johnston Finger Snaps – Tommy Brown Guitar – Emilio Conesa Keyboards – Percy Scott Saxophone [Soprano] – "The Cat" Melicio Magdaluyo* Written-By – Jay Logan* Backing Vocals – Ronnie Watkins Backing Vocals, Bass [Tastie Bass], Drums, Effects [Overdubs], Engineer [Assistant], Guitar, Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Larry White Backing Vocals, Drums [Drum Fills] – Richard Aguon Backing Vocals, Written-By – Lee Peters Bass, Synthesizer [Bass Synthesizer] – Kirk Crumpler Effects [Sound, Special F/x] – Ruben Laxamana Engineer [Assistant] – Mark Slagle Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By, Technician [Drums] – Michael Denten Engineer, Recorded By – Howard Johnston Finger Snaps – Tommy Brown Guitar – Emilio Conesa Keyboards – Percy Scott Saxophone [Soprano] – "The Cat" Melicio Magdaluyo* Written-By – Jay Logan*	5:22
B4	All Day All Night Backing Vocals – Ollie Bolds Backing Vocals, Drums – Richard Aguon Backing Vocals, Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By – Michael Denten Backing Vocals, Written-By – Lee Peters Drums, Keyboards, Synthesizer [Bass Synthesizer], Written-By – Dewayne Sweet Engineer [Assistant] – Mark Slagle Engineer [Assistant], Keyboards, Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Larry White Engineer, Recorded By – Howard Johnston Keyboards – Percy Scott Mixed By [Remix] – Louil Silas, Jr.* Voice [Telephone Conversation] – Ervilinda Nasaira Hill Written-By – Dennis Wadington* Backing Vocals – Ollie Bolds Backing Vocals, Drums – Richard Aguon Backing Vocals, Engineer, Mixed By, Recorded By – Michael Denten Backing Vocals, Written-By – Lee Peters Drums, Keyboards, Synthesizer [Bass Synthesizer], Written-By – Dewayne Sweet Engineer [Assistant] – Mark Slagle Engineer [Assistant], Keyboards, Mixed By, Producer, Written-By – Larry White Engineer, Recorded By – Howard Johnston Keyboards – Percy Scott Mixed By [Remix] – Louil Silas, Jr.* Voice [Telephone Conversation] – Ervilinda Nasaira Hill Written-By – Dennis Wadington*	4:40
B5	I Really Love You Girl Backing Vocals – Porsche Griffin* Backing Vocals, Mixed By, Performer [All Instruments], Producer, Written-By – Gordon Jones Drum Programming [Drum Overdubs] – Flip Kirby Edited By [Special Edits] – Bill Dirks Engineer [Assistant], Mixed By – Paul Einger Engineer, Mixed By – Mitch Gibson Engineer, Recorded By – Phil Waters* Written-By – Bobby Brown Backing Vocals – Porsche Griffin* Backing Vocals, Mixed By, Performer [All Instruments], Producer, Written-By – Gordon Jones Drum Programming [Drum Overdubs] – Flip Kirby Edited By [Special Edits] – Bill Dirks Engineer [Assistant], Mixed By – Paul Einger Engineer, Mixed By – Mitch Gibson Engineer, Recorded By – Phil Waters* Written-By – Bobby Brown	5:11
B6	Cruel Reprise	0:18

Credits

Art Direction – JA*
Backing Vocals – Kayo (4) (tracks: A2, A4, B1)
Co-producer – Bobby Brown (tracks: A3, B2, B5)
Design – Julie Moss
Edited By [Special Edits], Engineer, Recorded By – Jon Gass (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B1, B6)
Engineer [Assistant] – John Guggenheim (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B1, B6)
Engineer [Assistant], Mixed By – Toni Greene (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B1, B6)
Executive-Producer – Louil Silas, Jr.*
Management – George L. Smith
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Mixed By, Performer [All Instruments], Producer – L.A. & Babyface (tracks: A1, A2, A4 to B1, B6)
Photography By – Todd Gray
Producer [Production Coordinator] – Tommy Brown

Notes

℗ 1988 MCA Records, Inc.
© MCA Records, Inc., 70 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California - U.S.A.

A1, A2, A4, to B1, B6 produced for La'Face Inc.
Recorded at Silverlake Studios, Hollywood, CA.

A3, B2 produced by Gene Griffin for G.R. Productions.
Recorded at Axis Studios, New York.
Mixed at Soundworks, New York, NY.

B3, B4 produced A White House Production.
Recorded at Different Fur Studios, San Francisco, CA and Infinite Studios, Alameda, CA.

A5 produced for Flash Production.
Recorded at Cochrane Studios, Studio City, CA and Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, CA.

A3, B2, B5 co-produced for B. Brown Productions.
Mastered at Future Disc Systems, Hollywood, CA.

Closely resembles Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel but has a slightly different label on A and B.

P in runouts is scrached out

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode: 0 7674-22185-1 5
Matrix / Runout (Side A runout variant 1): MCA 7812 A-4 FUTUREDISC | p̶
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout variant 1): MCA 7813 FDS-3 | p̶
Matrix / Runout (Side A runout variant 2): MCA 7812 FDS 2 FUTUREDISC
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout variant 2): MCA 7813 FDS 1

Other Versions (5 of 82)

View All

	Title (Format)	Label	Cat#	Country	Year
Recently Edited	Don't Be Cruel (LP, Album)	MCA Records	255 913-1	Europe	1988
Recently Edited	Don't Be Cruel (CD, Album)	MCA Records	MCAD-42185	US	1988
Recently Edited	Don't Be Cruel (LP, Album, Misprint)	MCA Records	MCF 3425, MCF 3245	UK	1988
Recently Edited	Don't Be Cruel (Cassette, Album, Stereo, White Shell, Dolby HX Pro)	MCA Records	MCAC-42185	US	1988
Recently Edited	Don't Be Cruel (LP, Album)	MCA Records	42185	Australia	1988

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Reviews

The_World_Traveler Jun 1, 2025
One of the defining albums of the 80s. This put the New Jack Swing style in full effect! Don't Be Cruel made Bobby Brown a superstar in the late 80s. Great production work from Teddy Riley and Babyface.
bobbybrownstan Dec 24, 2017
One of the most iconic & defining albums of the 80's. Bobby's Don't Be Cruel and stage performances influenced generations' of artists up to this day. Truly a masterpiece.

Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel

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Other Versions (5 of 82)

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