The Tattooed Heart
Aaron Neville · 1995
59 min · 14 tracks · funk
Soulful melodies intertwine with heartfelt lyrics, showcasing a rich blend of rhythm and blues with a touch of funk.
Top tracks — play these first
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Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You Start here — This opening track encapsulates the album's romantic essence with its catchy melody and Neville's soaring vocals, setting a heartfelt tone for the entire record.
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Everyday of My Life — With its reflective lyrics and smooth delivery, this song highlights Neville's ability to convey deep emotion through simple yet poignant storytelling.
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For the Good Times — Covering this classic showcases Neville's vocal prowess and interpretive skill, allowing him to bring a fresh perspective to a beloved standard while maintaining its original sentiment.
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Crying in the Chapel — This track stands out due to its spiritual undertones and Neville's hauntingly beautiful rendition that elevates the song's themes of longing and redemption.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends soulful melodies with funk elements but lacks a strong cohesive arc across its length.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features mid-tempo tracks that blend soulful melodies with rhythmic funk elements, while the second half shifts to more introspective ballads.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady emotional exploration throughout
- heartfelt melodies for rainy days
- soulful vocals that soothe
- warmth for intimate gatherings
Maybe skip if you
- prefer upbeat, fast-paced tracks
- seek standalone hit singles
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — It solidified Neville's status in the mid-90s R&B landscape after earlier acclaim.
- Career context
- Released in 1995, The Tattooed Heart was Aaron Neville's first album after his acclaimed record, The Grand Tour. At this point in his career, he was solidifying his status as a prominent figure in the R&B genre, following the success of his earlier hits while exploring new emotional depths.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Al Green· Teddy Pendergrass· Bill Withers
Tracklist
- 1 Can’t Stop My Heart From Loving You Start here 4:17
- 2 Show Some Emotion 4:36
- 3 Everyday of My Life 5:05
- 4 Down Into Muddy Water 3:39
- 5 Some Days Are Made for Rain 5:06
- 6 Try (A Little Harder) 4:11
- 7 Beautiful Night 4:22
- 8 My Precious Star 3:33
- 9 Why Should I Fall in Love 4:06
- 10 Use Me 4:59
- 11 For the Good Times 4:34
- 12 In Your Eyes 3:10
- 13 A Little Thing Called Life 4:46
- 14 Crying in the Chapel 3:02
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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