Affairs of the Heart is the third studio album by American contemporary R&B singer Jody Watley; released on December 3, 1991 via MCA Records.
Commercial performance
The album produced the following singles: "I Want You" a top five on US R&B Singles and no. 61 on Billboard Hot 100; the second single "I'm the One You Need" hit top 20 on both the US Hot 100 and US R&B, and top five on US Dance/Club Play Songs chart. Its third and final single "It All Begins With You" received moderate airplay and peaked at no. 48 on US Adult Contemporary, but failed to chart on the Hot 100 or R&B singles.
Track listing
Personnel
- Jody Watley – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5–11), vocal arrangements (1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11), arrangements (6)
- André Cymone – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11), guitars (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11), bass (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11), drums (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11), backing vocals (1, 2, 8, 9, 11), vocal arrangements (1, 2, 4)
- Alex Shantzis – keyboard programming (3)
- Peter "Ski" Schwartz – acoustic piano (3)
- Vernon D. Fails – keyboards (5), rhythm arrangements (5)
- David Ward – synthesizer programming (5)
- Don Goldstein – programming (6)
- Terry Coffey – keyboards (7, 10), synthesizers (7, 10), rhythm arrangements (7, 10), vocal arrangements (7, 10)
- Duane Nettlesbey – additional programming (7, 10)
- Kelton Cooper – guitars (3)
- Dean Parks – acoustic guitar (4)
- Michael J. Powell – guitars (5), drums (5), percussion (5), rhythm arrangements (5)
- Dean Pleasants – rhythm guitar (10)
- Jon Nettlesbey – bass (7), drums (7, 10), percussion (7, 10), rhythm arrangements (7, 10), vocal arrangements (7, 10)
- Horace "Bokie" Coleman – bass (10)
- David Morales – drums (3), percussion (3), arrangements (3), BGV arrangements (3)
- Brian Kilgore – percussion (11)
- Danny Madden – BGV arrangements (3)
- Chris Cameron – arrangements (6)
- Alfa Anderson Barfield – backing vocals (3)
- Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (3)
- Brenda White-King – backing vocals (3)
- Angel Rogers – backing vocals (5, 6)
- Valerie Pinkston-Mayo – backing vocals (5, 6, 11)
- Fred White – backing vocals (5, 6)
- Nadirah Ali – backing vocals (10)
- Voncielle Faggett – backing vocals (11)
- John Watley – backing vocals (11)
Production
- Jody Watley – executive producer, producer (6), art direction, design, wardrobe stylist
- André Cymone – producer (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11)
- David Morales – producer (3), mixing (3)
- Michael J. Powell – producer (5)
- Terry Coffey – producer (7)
- Jon Nettlesbey – producer (7)
- Bobby Brooks – recording (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11)
- Hugo Dwyer – recording (3)
- John Poppo – recording (3), mixing (3), mix engineer (3)
- David Sussman – recording (3), mix engineer (3)
- David Ward – recording (5)
- Wolfgang Aichholz – recording (6), overdub recording (7, 10), vocal recording (7, 10), additional vocal recording (10)
- Norman Whitfield – basic track recording (7), overdub recording (7), mixing (7)
- Chris Puram – basic track recording (10)
- Dan Marnien – additional recording (5)
- Steve Gallagher – assistant engineer (5)
- Alan Meyerson – mixing (1, 4, 6, 10, 11)
- Ken Kessie – mixing (2, 8, 9)
- Barney Perkins – mixing (5)
- Milton Chan – assistant mix engineer (5)
- Brian Gardner – mastering
- Ivy Skoff – production coordination (1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11)
- Margo Chase – art direction, design
- Guzman (Constance Hansen and Russell Peacock) – cover photography
- Victoria Pearson – centerfold photography
- Wallace Butts – wardrobe assistance
- Peter Savic – hair stylist
- Paul Starr – make-up
- Lippman Kahane Entertainment – management
Studios
- Recorded at The Loft (Hollywood, California); Skip Saylor Recording, Studio Masters and Lion Share Recording (Los Angeles, California); Encore Studios (Burbank, California); Granny's House (Reno, Nevada); Quad Recording Studios (New York City, New York).
- Mixed at The Enterprise and Encore Studios (Burbank, California); Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, California); Granny's House; Electric Lady Studios and Soundtrack Studios (New York City, New York).
- Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California).
Charts
Weekly charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1991–1992)
!align="left"|Peak<br>position
|-
|align="left"|South African Albums (RISA)
|align="center"|19
|-
|align=left|Japanese Albums (Oricon)
|align="center"|53
|-
|-
|}
Year-end charts
{| class="wikitable"
!Chart (1992)
!Position
|-
|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)
|align="center"|65
|}
Singles
{| class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Single
!align="left"|Chart
!align="left"|Peak<br>position
|-
|rowspan="2"|1991
|rowspan="4"|"I Want You"
|align="left"|Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|align="center"|5
|-
|align="left"|Billboard Hot 100
|align="center"|61
|-
|rowspan="8"|1992
|align="left"|Dance/Club Play Songs
|align="center"|17
|-
|align="left"|Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
|align="center"|7
|-
|rowspan="4"|"I'm the One You Need"
|align="left"|Dance/Club Play Songs
|align="center"|3
|-
|align="left"|Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
|align="center"|4
|-
|align="left"|Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|align="center"|23
|-
|align="left"|Billboard Hot 100
|align="center"|19
|-
|rowspan="2"|"It All Begins With You"
|align="left"|Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|align="center"|80
|-
|align="left"|Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
|align="center"|48
|}