Happy People/U Saved Me

Happy People/U Saved Me
Studio album by R. Kelly
Released	August 24, 2004
Recorded	2003–2004 The Chocolate Factory, Chicago, Illinois
Genre	R&B • soul (Disc 1) Gospel • R&B (Disc 2)
Label	Jive
Producer	R. Kelly
R. Kelly chronology
Chocolate Factory (2003) Happy People/U Saved Me (2004) TP.3 Reloaded (2005)
Singles from Happy People/U Saved Me
"Happy People" Released: September 14, 2004 "U Saved Me" Released: October 19, 2004

Happy People/U Saved Me is the sixth studio album and the second double album by R&B singer R. Kelly, where he mixed feel-good danceable soul records (Happy People) with gospel anthems (U Saved Me). Released in 2004, it peaked at No. 2 on the pop albums chart and went on to be certified three times Platinum. This is R. Kelly's 2nd double album in 6 years. The album contained the hit single "Happy People" (US No. 19, UK No. 6), and the minor hit "U Saved Me" (US No. 52, UK No. 6). On "Red Carpet (Pause, Flash), Kelly sampled the song "Step in the Name of Love" on his previous album which was released in 2003.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(66/100)[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
BBC	(mixed)[3]
Blender	[1]
Robert Christgau	D+[4]
Entertainment Weekly	B+/(B-)[5]
PopMatters	(favorable)[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]
Stylus	B−[8]
Uncut	[9]
Village Voice	(favorable)[10]

Critical response

Happy People/U Saved Me received mostly positive reviews. The Los Angeles Times said, "Charming, unpretentious and effortless, the singer presides over a party whose pace never flags and whose soul is fun-loving and wholesome." Uncut said, "Happy People is a cunning, crackling, can't-keep-still classic." However many found his gospel/Christian based songs to be at stark contrast to his legal history.

Track listing

All songs written, produced and arranged by R. Kelly.

Disc 1 (Happy People)

1. "Weatherman"
2. "Red Carpet (Pause, Flash)"
3. "Love Signals"
4. "Love Street"
5. "Ladies' Night (Treat Her Like Heaven)"
6. "If"
7. "The Greatest Show On Earth"
8. "It's Your Birthday"
9. "Steppin' Into Heaven"
10. "If I Could Make The World Dance"
11. "Happy People"

Disc 2 (U Saved Me)

1. "3-Way Phone Call" (featuring Kelly Price, Kim Burrell & Maurice Mahon)
2. "U Saved Me"
3. "Prayer Changes"
4. "How Did You Manage"
5. "I Surrender"
6. "When I Think About You"
7. "The Diary of Me"
8. "Spirit"
9. "Leap of Faith"
10. "Peace"

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.^[11]

Delatrice Alexander - Choir/Chorus Michael Avery - Choir/Chorus Steve Bearsley - Assistant, Engineer, Main Personnel, Programming George I. III Broughton - Choir/Chorus Kim Burrell - Featured Artist, Primary Artist Jeff Chestek - String Engineer Joan Collaso - Choir/Chorus Dee Dee - Illustrations Rodney East - Keyboards, Main Personnel Felicia Coleman Evans - Choir/Chorus Sonya Frank - Choir/Chorus Kimberly Ann Franklin - Choir/Chorus Yvonne Gage - Choir/Chorus Andy Gallas - Assistant, Audio Engineer, Engineer, Main Personnel, Programming Abel Garibaldi - Audio Engineer, Engineer, Main Personnel, Mixing, Programming, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Omar Gilbert - Unknown Contributor Role Senabelle Gill - Choir/Chorus Larry Gold - Conductor, String Arrangements Dejah Gomez - Choir/Chorus Pastor Chris Sr. Harris - Choir/Chorus Brandon Hull - Assistant Earickia L. Isom - Hair Stylist R. Kelly - Arranger, Audio Production, Composer, Main Personnel, Mixing, Primary Artist, Producer, String Arrangements, Vocals Gregg Landfair - Guitar Donnie Lyle - Bass, Bass Instrument, Guitar, Main Personnel, Vocals, Vocals (Background)

Paul Mabin - Choir/Chorus Maurice Mahon - Featured Artist, Primary Artist John McGlinchey - Assistant Ian Mereness - Engineer, Main Personnel, Mixing, Programming Jason Mlodzinski - Assistant, Engineer, Main Personnel, Programming Peter Mokran - Audio Engineer, Engineer Jeffrey Morrow - Choir/Chorus Jackie Murphy - Art Direction, Design Lori Holton Nash - Choir/Chorus Kendall D. Nesbitt - Keyboards, Main Personnel, Vocals Armirris Palmore - Choir/Chorus Lauren Pilot - Choir/Chorus Herb Powers - Mastering Kelly Price - Featured Artist, Guest Artist, Main Personnel, Primary Artist, Vocals Riesig & Taylor - Photography Montez Roberts - Assistant Stevie Robinson - Choir/Chorus David Ross - Set Design Johnny Rutledge - Choir/Chorus Cristino Sanchez - Choir/Chorus Roberta Thomas - Choir/Chorus Devin B. Thompson - Choir/Chorus Uncle Life - Main Personnel, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Seth Waldman - Assistant Pamela Watson - Stylist Nathan Wheeler - Assistant, Engineer, Main Personnel, Programming, Vocals, Vocals (Background)

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 2004 (U.S.)

References

1. "Happy People / U Saved Me - R. Kelly > Critic Reviews". metacritic.com. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
2. "R. Kelly: Happy People/U Saved Me" at AllMusic. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
3. Smith, Jack (7 March 2003). "R Kelly Happy People/You Saved Me Review". BBC.
4. Christgau, Robert. "R. Kelly". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
5. Browne, David (16 August 2004). "Happy People: R. Kelly". Entertainment Weekly (779-780).
   • —— (16 August 2004). "U Saved Me: R. Kelly". Entertainment Weekly (779-780).
6. Zerwas, Katie (17 September 2004). "R. Kelly: Happy People/U Saved Me". PopMatters.
7. Pareles, Jon (2 September 2004). "R. Kelly: Happy People/U Saved Me". Rolling Stone.
8. Burns, Todd (25 August 2004). "R. Kelly: Happy People / U Saved Me". Stylus.
9. "R Kelly - Happy People". Uncut. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
10. Catucci, Nick (19 October 2004). "Steppin' Wolf". Village Voice.
11. http://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-people-u-saved-me-mw0000206284/credits