NOTE: Sales of the album Benefit the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse!

For this particular project, initiated by Mickey Shapiro, Executive Producer, the title says it all - "Love Shouldn't Hurt." With 9 original songs, mostly written by the performers who sing them, and 3 appropriate covers, not only do 100% of the royalties payable to the artists go directly to NCPCA, but it's a great album. However, it does make you think, and the subject of abuse and neglect of children is the theme running through all the songs.

According to Mickey Shapiro, he became aware of the NCPCA while searching for a charity that was addressing the tragic problem of abused children in an innovative way. After reading about NCPCA, he traveled to Chicago in the Spring of '97 to find out more about the organization. NCPCA is unique, because it attempts to deal with the problem of child abuse BEFORE it occurs. They work with new parents at the time their baby is born. One of their major initiatives, Home Families America, provides voluntary home visits to families facing the greatest challenges. Home visitors teach parents positive parenting skills and how to use community resources to ensure optimum health for their child.

Since it's inception in 1972, NCPCA has worked to prevent child abuse on the national, sate and local level, through education, research and advocacy efforts. Shapiro says he was so impressed with the Committee, it's program's and the dedication of it's staff, he started to contact record companies, artists, managers and producers, asking for their help in creating a CD and video to benefit NCPCA. As I mentioned, everyone who worked on this album, including musicians, engineers, production people, and all the others behind the scenes, as well as the performers, donated their efforts so the proceeds would go where they were needed.

Shapiro says "I am particularly thankful for the brilliant work of Steve Kipner, Jack Kugell and Eva King, for writing and producing the title track, 'Love Shouldn't Hurt.' The melody, mood and message of this song dramatically reflect the magnitude and ramifications of child abuse. I'm sure that it will raise the level of public awareness, which is a necessary first step to supporting the important work of NCPCA and other such organizations. Deepest thanks to all who made this project possible."

The opening, and title, track of this CD most definitely has an all star cast! The artists performing "Love Shouldn't Hurt" are (in alphabetical order) All 4 One, Michael Bolton, Stephen Bishop, Bobby Caldwell, Gregory Curtis, Laura Davis, Owen Elliot, Jordan Hill, Olivia Newton-John, Emmanuel Officer, Stephen Stills, Chris Stills, Richard Stites, Tamia, Ann Wilson, Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson. The song itself, with a more than a touch of soul, has a very pretty melody, and numerous solo parts and harmonies during the verses. Certain people's voices are unmistakable even in the harmonized chorus - like All 4 One, Michael Bolton, Stephen Bishop, the Wilson sisters and Tamia.

Because there are no lyrics at all in the liner notes, or information on who is singing what in "Love Shouldn't Hurt," I'm guessing based on hearing these voices and hopefully recognizing them. Some of the lyrics I could catch are " . . . She said 'mommy what did I do wrong/ To make you cry your (?) tears' . . ." " . . . Feeling dirty and ashamed he's making up excuses/ She's learned how to hide the pain/ But she can't hide the bruises anymore . . ." This leads to the chorus, "Love shouldn't hurt/ Love shouldn't stop/ Sometimes we can be so blind to the way things really are/ Love can be so unkind/ Truth is that hearts get broken every day/ Love should never, ever hurt this way."

More heartbreaking verse " . . . A newborn baby's crying (don't cry)/ And it's more than she can stand/ She doesn't see the tragedy when she raises her own hand/ There's no light behind her eyes/ She doesn't realize what she has done/ Didn't think she was being so rough/ Little one won't you please wake up . . ." Wow, if that doesn't give you a kick in the gut, I don't know what will. The song closes with repetitions of the chorus, using various "interpretational" singing of the lyrics and numerous harmonies. I know I spent a lot of space on this song, but I think the message is important.

Moving on is "Angel Without A Prayer," written and performed by Deana Carter. This is a country/pop tune about a girl getting high on something so she can look down on the world and what happens to "daddy's little girl." Stephen Bishop wrote and sings the ballad "Little Girl," a song about a child in clothes too small, teased at school, left in the old pickup truck while daddy's inside the bar, daddy molesting and abusing her, then using makeup to cover the results, and all she wants is to be a "normal" little girl.

Michael Bolton's contribution, also written and performed by him, is called "Soul Of My Soul." This is a typical sounding Michael Bolton song, but that's not a bad thing. This is a positive number about the love of a parent for a child "Soul of my soul, heart of my heart/ The greatest treasure of my life is what you are/ Soul of my soul, child of my heart/ I love you more than you know/ Soul of my soul." Kenny Loggins sings a cover of John Lennon's "Love" which you'll recognize immediately if you hear it. Opening with just piano playing the melody, Loggins chimes in with "Love is real/ Real is love/ Love is feeling/ Feeling love/ Love is wanting to be loved . . ." No big orchestration on this song. Just the piano accompaniment and a few strings added about mid-song.

"What You Won't Do For Love" was penned and performed by Bobby Caldwell. This particular track I mistakenly thought was a cover. Instead, it's the original artist performing the song. This is another one you'll know immediately when you hear it, but it's hard for me to describe it. It's a funky/pop number popular back in the late '70s/early 80's. "What you won't do for love/ You've tried everything/ But you won't give up/ In my world only you/ Make me do for love what I would not do . . ." Great horns on this song and it's not a copycat of the ska and swing going on now. Written by Alvin Chea and Ivan Lins is "Lullaby," performed by Take 6. The song opens with those great street corner harmonies of "oohs," and is another positive song about a parent's love. It's actually more like a prayer sung as a true lullaby. It's very pretty, and it's sung a capella.

The Lovemongers, featuring Ann and Nancy Wilson, sing a song from the album "Whirlygig," called "Runaway." This is another one you'll know as soon as you hear it. The chorus is "Here I am, a runaway/ Without a plan, a runaway/ You're my magnet but you pull away/ You hold me close and whisper (?) a runaway . . ." From Michael McDonald is the self-penned "For A Child," opening with light keyboards that almost sound like a waterfall, and tinkling notes of a melody forming. Michael McDonald has a great vocal style, and is very emotional, but I could not make out enough of the lyrics to record them here. It is a beautiful song though.

"Broken Pieces," written by Louis Brown III and Scott Parker, and performed by Strate Vocals, is another soul driven song with a nice, easy R&B beat. This story is told from the perspective of a young man where the father left the family, and he wonders if he did something wrong to make his daddy leave, or why his little sister used to run and hide from daddy, so he comes to the conclusion to bring the "broken pieces" to Jesus because "what he said puts them right." For "That's The Way Of The World," Earth, Wind & Fire is on hand to perform their hit. Think opening lyric "Hearts afire/ Love's desire/ Take you high and higher/ To the world you belong . . ." and you've got the song. Even though it kind of wanders from the general theme of the album, it somehow fits just right.

The closing song is an instrumental, performed by Elite - featuring Bob Remstein, and written by Sheila Minard, Bob Remstein and Mickey Shapiro (the guy that started this whole project.) The title is "Theme For The Children," and is just a great song. Opening with minor key piano playing a repetitive melody, a flute soon joins in with a sweet sound, and as the song progresses it manages to project a feeling of hope over despair, just with the expressive play of the rather short, repetitive melody done on the ivories. It adds just the right touch to end the album as the piano gets louder and stronger toward the end.

I know this is a really long review, and I mentioned a whole lot of names that I wouldn't normally, but since all of these people donated their time and talent to make this album happen, I thought they deserved to be mentioned. Even with some of the really sad commentary on what's happening to so many children in the majority of the songs, this is still a good album to buy. It sounds good, there are great performers contributing, and most of all, your dollars go to help abused children and families that need help to break the cycle.