Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me is the fifth studio solo album and first cover album by Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan, released in October 1994. It is Estefan's 17th album overall. The album features cover versions of songs from artists such as Carole King, Elton John, Vicki Sue Robinson, Karen Chandler, and Robert Knight, among others. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me peaked at number nine on the US Billboard 200 and has sold over 2 million copies in the United States.
The album includes the hit singles "Turn the Beat Around" and "Everlasting Love", both of which topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Contents
Critical reception
Upon the release, Billboard magazine wrote, "Her pick list is wide ranging and highly entertaining, meandering from the thrilling sounds of elegant title track, to disco nugget 'Turn the Beat Around', and on through the likes of 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do', 'Love on a Two-Way Street', "It's Too Late', and lovelorn 'Goodnight, My Love'. Through it all, her voice is remarkable, her pleasure palpable. The enthusiasm is catching." Music & Media commented, "Caramba, coveritis has hit the Estefan estate. For every mood there's a song, but mainly for the late night wine-and-dine atmosphere. 'Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying' feels like the kind of moonlit drama, the original singers Gerry & The Pacemakers intended it to be. The European bonus track 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me' by you know who, only intensifies the romance which is in the air. Sometimes the tempo goes up like on the Blood, Sweat & Tears song 'You've Made Me So Very Happy'. For the single 'Turn the Beat Around'–an old '70s disco hit by Vicki Sue Robinson–she has even polished her Miami Sound Machine dancing shoes."
Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic.
Musicians
Gloria Estefan – vocals
Clay Ostwald – programming (1, 9, 13), acoustic piano (1, 11, 13), Hammond organ (6), Fender Rhodes (8, 11), keyboards (9)
Jorge Casas – programming (1–3, 9, 13), bass (1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13), classical guitar (2, 5), 12-string guitar (2, 11), mandocello (2), fretless bass (2, 5, 12), guitars (9)
Lawrence Dermer – programming (2–4, 7, 8, 10), acoustic piano (2, 6, 8, 12), tambourine (2), Fender Rhodes (3, 7)
Emilio Estefan, Jr. – accordion (2)
Nathaniel Seidman – programming (7, 10)
Tim Mitchell – guitars (1, 6, 8, 9), classical guitar (5), acoustic guitar (11), electric guitar (11)
Andy Goldman – guitars (3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Juanito Márquez – classical guitar (4)
Brian Monroney – guitars (13)
Israel "Cachao" López – double bass (4)
Frank Cornelius – bass (7)
Steve Rucker – drums (2, 4, 6, 8, 11–12)
Edwin Bonilla – percussion (3, 5–6, 11)
Ed Calle – tenor saxophone (3, 6, 7, 10, 11), soprano saxophone (4), baritone saxophone (6, 11), flute (7)
Production
Emilio Estefan, Jr. – executive producer, producer, management
Jorge Casas – producer
Clay Ostwald – producer
Lawrence Dermer – producer
Eric Schilling – engineer, mixing (1–4, 6–8, 10, 13)
Mike Couzzi – mixing (5, 9, 11, 12)
Patrice Levinsohn – additional engineer
Scott Perry – additional engineer
Ted Stein – additional engineer
Ron Taylor – additional engineer
Marcelo Añez – assistant engineer
Scott Canto – assistant engineer
Sean Chambers – assistant engineer
Mark Gruber – assistant engineer
Sebastián Krys – assistant engineer
Steve Robillar – assistant engineer
Yvonne Yedibalian – assistant engineer
Bob Ludwig – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine)
Nancy Donald – art direction
Hooshik Sharon Bayliss – design
Alberto Tolot – photography