How Could It Be

How Could It Be
Studio album by
Eddie Murphy
ReleasedSeptember 1985[1]
Recorded1985[2]
StudioWonderland Studios, Joint Recording Studios, Soundworks Studios, Clinton Recording, Power Station
Length34:53
LabelColumbia
Producer
Eddie Murphy chronology
Eddie Murphy: Comedian
(1983) 		How Could It Be
(1985) 		So Happy
(1989)
Singles from How Could It Be
  1. "Party All the Time"
    Released: September 23, 1985
  2. "How Could It Be"
    Released: 1985

How Could It Be is the debut musical studio album by comedian/actor Eddie Murphy, released in September 1985[1] on Columbia Records. It was produced by Aquil Fudge, with the exception of the hit top ten single "Party All the Time", which was produced by Rick James.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Robert Christgau(C-)[4]
New York Daily News(unfavorable)[5]
New York Daily News[6]
The Cincinnati Post[7]
The Cincinnati Enquirer[8]
Detroit Free Press[9]
The Boston Globe(unfavorable)[10]
The Gazette(favorable)[11]
The Buffalo News(unfavorable)[12]
The Commercial Appeal(favorable)[13]
Gannett News Service(unfavorable)[14]
The Honolulu Advertiser(unfavorable)[15]
The Canadian Press(unfavorable)[16]
Copley Press(favorable)[17]
Daily Press(favorable)[18]
The Morning Call(unfavorable)[19]
The Daily Oklahoman(favorable)[20]
Oakland Tribune[21]
Lexington Herald-Leader(unfavorable)[22]
Los Angeles Times[23]

The album was a commercial success, making it to No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and No. 17 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Two singles were released: "Party All the Time", which made it to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the title track, which became a minor R&B hit. This studio album was recorded as part of fulfilling a $100,000 bet that Richard Pryor had made with Eddie Murphy that he could not sing.[citation needed] In the album's liner notes, Eddie Murphy wrote the following "To Richard Pryor, my idol, with whom I have a $100,000 bet. No, motherfucker, I didn't forget."[24]

In an interview in 1987, Murphy said: "My album could have been much better but it came out okay".[25]

  1. ^ a b "New Releases" (PDF). Billboard. Billboard Publications, Inc. September 7, 1985. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  2. ^ Blest, Paul (2015-01-28). "Put a Boogie in Your Butt: A Look Back at the Musical Career of Eddie Murphy". Vice. Retrieved 2019-11-02.
  3. ^ Flota, Brian. "How Could It Be – Eddie Murphy | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  4. ^ "CG: Eddie Murphy". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  5. ^ Wyatt, Hugh (September 27, 1985). "Can Eddie Murphy sing, too?". New York Daily News. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Hinckley, David (October 6, 1985). "PLAY TIME". New York Daily News. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  7. ^ Nager, Larry (September 28, 1985). "Prince's clones can't even hold his guitar". The Cincinnati Post. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  8. ^ Radel, Cliff (October 3, 1985). "Good Music Makes Good Neighbors". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  9. ^ Graff, Gary (September 29, 1985). "Pop: Wonder's new album is worth the wait; Marshall Crenshaw's isn't". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  10. ^ Morse, Steve (October 3, 1985). "RECORDS". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Hogan, Dick (October 4, 1985). "'How Could It Be' a notable first singing effort for Eddie Murphy". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  12. ^ Allen, Carl (October 11, 1985). "RECORDS: SOUL". The Buffalo News. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  13. ^ Dawson, Walter (October 11, 1985). "Big names add glitter for Yule". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  14. ^ Radel, Cliff (October 1985). "Murphy: a singer? How could it be?". Gannett News Service. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  15. ^ Harada, Wayne (October 26, 1985). "Taylor-made for listenin'". The Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  16. ^ Lawson, Michael (October 1985). "No laughing matter". Canadian Press. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Welles, Robin (October 1985). "Record Reviews". Copley Press. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  18. ^ Farr, Jory (November 3, 1985). "Diana Ross' new album wimpy; Eddie Murphy really can sing". Daily Press. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  19. ^ Mule, Bill (November 9, 1985). "RECORDS". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  20. ^ Davis, Chuck (November 10, 1985). "Recordings: Comedy". The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  21. ^ Kelp, Larry (November 10, 1985). "Eddie Murphy strong as singer". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  22. ^ Tunis, Walter (December 18, 1985). "Choices numerous when giving the sound of music". Lexington Herald-Leader.
  23. ^ "STYLISH COPS, URGENT POP--A SHOPPER'S GUIDE TO THE TOP 40". Los Angeles Times. December 8, 1985. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  24. ^ "Photographic image of record sleeve" (JPG). Img.discogs.com. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  25. ^ "Eddie Murphy Carson Tonight Show 1987". YouTube. 3 November 2018.