Lisa Stansfield "Affection"

Affection is the debut solo album by British R&B recording artist Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 21 November 1989. Stansfield co-wrote all songs with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris. Devaney and Morris also produced the album, except for "This Is the Right Time" which was produced by Coldcut. Affection received critical acclaim from music critics and was commercially successful. It reached top ten on the charts in many countries and has sold over five million copies worldwide. The album spawned a hit song, "All Around the World", and four other successful singles: "This Is the Right Time", "Live Together", "What Did I Do to You?" and "You Can't Deny It". Affection was re-released as a deluxe 2CD + DVD set in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2014 and in Europe on 21 November 2014.

In March 1989, Stansfield was featured on Coldcut's song "People Hold On" which she co-wrote. The single became a top forty hit in Europe, reaching number eleven in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it peaked at number six on the Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs. On the strength of this hit, Arista Records signed Stansfield as a solo artist, with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris from their band Blue Zone as her composers, musicians and producers. Coldcut returned the favour by producing Stansfield's next record "This Is the Right Time".

The whole album was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris. All songs were produced by Devaney and Morris, except "This Is the Right Time" produced by Coldcut. At first, Affection was released in Europe on 20 November 1989. It included thirteen songs on the CD and cassette editions of the album and ten songs on the LP version (without "Affection", "Wake Up Baby" and "The Way You Want It"). On 20 February 1990, the album was issued in North America with noticeably refined mixes of several of the songs and different sequence of the tracks. In 2003, Affection was remastered and re-released as limited edition digipak with four bonus songs: "People Hold On", "My Apple Heart", "Lay Me Down" and "Something's Happenin'". The last three tracks were originally included on the European single, "What Did I Do to You?". In North America, "Lay Me Down" and "Something's Happenin'" were featured on the "You Can't Deny It" single and "My Apple Heart" became "This Is the Right Time" B-side.


Affection was remastered and expanded, and was re-released as a deluxe 2CD + DVD set in November 2014. It was expanded to feature rare tracks and 12" mixes plus videos, live footage and a specially recorded interview with Stansfield. The twenty-eight-page booklet features photos, memorabilia, lyrics and brand new sleeve notes. The set was issued in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2014 and in Europe on 21 November 2014. It was also released as a part of The Collection 1989–2003 at the same time. The 2014 reissue of Affection includes previously unreleased track, "The Love in Me" (Extended Version). Issued at the same time, People Hold On ... The Remix Anthology features the following previously unreleased remixes of songs from Affection: "All Around the World" (Attack Mix), "What Did I Do to You?" (Red Zone Mix) and "The Love in Me" (12" Remix).

Affection has sold over five million copies around the world. It was certified three-times Platinum in the United Kingdom and Platinum and Gold in various countries, including Platinum in the United States for selling over one million copies. The album reached top ten around the globe, including number one in Austria and Italy. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number two and in the United States, it reached number nine. Affection is Stansfield's most successful album.