The Return of Bruno is the debut album by the German-American actor Bruce Willis, singing as his fictional alter ego Bruno Radolini. Released by Motown Records in January 1987, the album shows Willis singing and playing harmonica on a collection of R&B classics plus some new songs. The album was promoted by the HBO special The Return of Bruno which aired shortly after the album's release. A re-issue was distributed by Razor & Tie in 1997.
The album was preceded in December 1986 by the lead single "Respect Yourself" which hit number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Willis is backed on the song by the Pointer Sisters who deliver a rendition faithful to the original 1971 soul hit by the Staple Singers. "Respect Yourself" was the only single from the album that received significant US airplay.
The Return of Bruno received mixed reviews. Many fans of Willis's acting career were dissatisfied with their purchase of the album.
Contents
Overview
The album peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard 200. In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Willis was awarded a US Gold album in March 1987.
The lead single "Respect Yourself" reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 7 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 8 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. A music video was made depicting Willis as a bartender playing a harmonica, featuring June Pointer singing and dancing, backed by a male doo-wop group. Willis promoted the song by performing it with the Pointer Sisters on their television special The Pointer Sisters – Up All Nite which was broadcast on January 23, 1987. In the storyline, the sisters encounter him playing the harmonica in the Palomino nightclub in North Hollywood, and they join him on stage.
The follow-up singles "Young Blood" and "Under the Boardwalk" did not fare nearly as well, peaking at number 68 and number 59 in the US. "Under the Boardwalk" reached number 2 in the UK charts and became the UK's 12th best-selling single of 1987. Other singles were released in the UK, including "Secret Agent Man" (number 43) and "Comin' Right Up" (number 73).
A TV special (and home video release), titled The Return of Bruno, was released at the same time. It was produced as a "mockumentary" purporting to chronicle the career of Bruno Radolini (Willis). It was directed by Jim Yukich and produced by Paul Flattery for their company, Split Screen. It was nominated for a CableACE Award for writing.
Reception and legacy
Reviews of the album were mixed. In February 1987, People magazine gave the album a B+, calling Willis' cover of "Under the Boardwalk" "surprisingly okay", also noting that the album "shows us that he (Willis) can't shout songs quite as well as Don Johnson. So Springsteen he ain't. Funny he is." In a retrospective review, AllMusic observed that Willis was a better singer than his Moonlighting co-star Cybill Shepard, but "doesn't quite have the conviction or skill of the Blues Brothers", adding that The Return of Bruno is today little more than a kitsch artifact.
Track listing
"Comin' Right Up" (Brock Walsh) – 3:29
"Respect Yourself" (Luther Ingram, Mack Rice) (originally by the Staple Singers) – 3:53
"Down in Hollywood" (Ry Cooder, Tim Drummond) (originally by Ry Cooder) – 5:19
"Young Blood" (Jerry Leiber, Doc Pomus, Mike Stoller) (originally by the Coasters) – 4:08
"Under the Boardwalk" (Kenny Young, Arthur Resnick) (originally by the Drifters) – 3:03
"Secret Agent Man / James Bond Is Back" (Steve Barri, P.F. Sloan) / (John Barry) – 4:46
"Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)" (Robert Kraft, Bruce Willis) – 4:11
"Fun Time" (Allen Toussaint) (originally by Joe Cocker) – 3:36
"Lose Myself" (Larry John McNally, Jon Lind) – 3:56
"Flirting with Disaster" (Brock Walsh, Jeff Lorber) – 4:27
Personnel
The album liner notes do not list the Pointer Sisters' vocals on track 2. Their contribution is confirmed by Tidal.
Bruce Willis – lead vocals, harmonica, arrangements (7)
Alan Pasqua – keyboards (1, 3, 6, 9)
Steve Thoma – keyboards (1–4, 7–9), arrangements (2–4, 7, 8), backing vocals (4)
Michael Boddicker – keyboards (2)
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (2)
Booker T. Jones – Hammond organ (6)
Jeff Lorber – keyboards (10), drum programming (10)
Danny Grenier – guitars (1–4, 7–9), arrangements (2–4, 7, 8), backing vocals (3, 4)
Duane Sciacqua – guitars (1–4, 7–9), arrangements (2–4, 7, 8), backing vocals (4)
James Harrah – guitars (5)
Dann Huff – guitars (6, 10)
Buzz Feiten – guitars (9)
Dave Chamberlain – bass (1–4, 7–9), arrangements (2–4, 7, 8), backing vocals (3)
Jeff Steele – bass (2)
Neil Stubenhaus – bass (5, 6)
Marty Fera – drums (1–4, 7–9), arrangements (2–4, 7, 8)
Rick Marotta – drums (6)
Production
Robert Kraft – producer
John Vigran – recording
David Lazerus – mixing
Ron DaSilva – assistant engineer
David Eaton – assistant engineer
Dan Garcia – assistant engineer
Cliff Kane – assistant engineer
Julie Last – assistant engineer
Mike Ross – assistant engineer
David Benson – technical assistant
Bernie Grundman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
Jan Gorman – production assistant
Jolie Levine – production coordinator
Bob Hart – project management
Chip Rachlin – project management
Johnny Lee – art direction
Andy Engel – design
David Alexander – photography