There’s something very 2016 about the fact that an album’s liner notes can arrive some four months after its release. Still, nothing about Frank Ocean’s Blond(e) was particularly conventional, so perhaps it’s not surprising that it’s only now that we’re learning about who was actually responsible for the songs. The information comes, inevitably, from Reddit; specifically, it comes from a user who bought a CD copy of the album from Ocean’s Black Friday sale (because yes, in 2016 artists also have Black Friday sales.) The CD’s fold-out case contained extensive and detailed credits for the songs, which haven’t been published in full before. Interesting revelations: Kanye co-wrote “White Ferrari,” Beyoncé provided vocals on “Pink + White” (courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records), and Elliott Smith gets a posthumous co-writing credit on “Siegfried”!
Here are the credits, in full (Christopher Breaux is, if you didn’t guess, Frank Ocean’s birth name):
1. “Nikes” (C. Breaux) Production: Frank Ocean, Malay Ho and Om’mas Keith Arrangement: Frank Ocean, Malay Ho and Om’mas Keith Mellotron: Malay Drum Programming: Malay Ho and Om’mas Keith Additional Programming: Frank Ocean Additional Vocals: Amber Coffman
2. “Ivy” (C. Breaux, M. Ho) Production: Frank Ocean, Om’mas Keith and Rostam Batmanglij Arrangement: Rostam Batmanglij Guitars: Fish
3. “Pink + White” (C. Breaux, P. Williams) Production: Frank Ocean and Pharrell Williams Keyboards: Pharrell Williams Drum Programming: Pharrell Williams Bass: Pharrell Williams String Arrangement: Jon Brion and Benjamin Wright Additional Vocals: Beyonce Knowles-Carter Violin: Eric Gorfain (Concertmaster), Daphne Chen, Marisa Kuney, Charlie Bisharat, Katie Sloan, Songa Lee, Gina Kronstadt, Lisa Dondlinger, Terry Glenny, Chris Woods, Neel Hammond, Marcy Vaj and Crystal Alforque Viola: Leah Katz, Rodney Wirtz, Stefan Smith and Adriana Zoppo Cello: John Krovoza, Simon Huber, Ginger Murphy, Alisha Bauer and Stefanie Fife Strings recorded by Greg Keller and Eric Caudieux at Henson Recording *Beyonce appears courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
4. “Be Yourself” (B. Ross) *Contains a sample of ‘Running Around’ by Buddy Ross
5. “Solo” (C. Breaux, M. Ho) Production: Frank Ocean and James Blake Arrangement: Frank Ocean and James Blake Keyboards: James Blake and Mars 1500 Additional Vocals: Jazmine Sullivan Additional Programming: Frank Ocean
6. “Skyline To” (C. Breaux, T. Okonma, C. Chassol) Production: Frank Ocean, Malay Ho and Om’mas Keith Arrangement: Frank Ocean, Malay Ho and Christophe Chassol Guitars: Malay Ho Moog Solo: Christophe Chassol Keyboards: Christophe Chassol and James Blake Drum Programming: Tyler Okonma
7. “Self Control” (C. Breaux) Production: Frank Ocean, Malay Ho and Jon Brion Arrangement: Alex Giannascoli, Austin Feinstein and Jon Brion String Arrangement: Jon Brion Guitars: Alex Giannascoli, Austin Feinstein and Malay Ho Keyboards: Jon Brion Programming: Frank Ocean Violin: Eric Gorfain (Concertmaster), Daphne Chen, Marisa Kuney, Charlie Bisharat, Katie Sloan, Songa Lee, Gina Kronstadt, Lisa Dondlinger, Terry Glenny, Chris Woods, Neel Hammond, Marcy Vaj and Crystal Alforque Viola: Leah Katz, Rodney Wirtz, Stefan Smith and Adriana Zoppo Cello: John Krovoza, Simon Huber, Ginger Murphy, Alisha Bauer and Stefanie Fife Strings recorded by Greg Keller and Eric Caudieux at Henson Recording
8. “Good Guy” (C. Breaux) Production: Frank Ocean Keyboards: Frank Ocean
9. “Nights” (C. Breaux, J. Thornalley, M. Uzowuru) Production: Frank Ocean, Joe Thornalley, Michael Uzowuru and Buddy Ross Arrangement: Frank Ocean, Buddy Ross, Jon Brion and Joe Thornalley Guitars: Frank Ocean and Spaceman Drum Programming: Michael Uzowuru and Joe Thornalley Keyboards: Buddy Ross, Joe Thornalley and Jon Brion
10. “Solo (Reprise)” (A. Benjamin, J. Blake, C. Breaux) Production: Frank Ocean, James Blake and Jon Brion Arrangement: James Blake and Jon Brion Keyboards: James Blake and Jon Brion Drum Programming: Jon Brion *Andre 3000 appears courtesy of Epic Records
11. “Pretty Sweet” (C. Breaux) Production: Frank Ocean, Malay Ho and Om’mas Keith Arrangement: Malay Ho, Om’mas Keith and Jon Brion String Arrangement: Jon Brion Guitars: Malay Ho Drum Production: Malay And Om’mas Keith Bass: Buddy Ross Violin: Eric Gorfain (Concertmaster), Daphne Chen, Marisa Kuney, Charlie Bisharat, Katie Sloan, Songa Lee, Gina Kronstadt, Lisa Dondlinger, Terry Glenny, Chris Woods, Neel Hammond, Marcy Vaj and Crystal Alforque Viola: Leah Katz, Rodney Wirtz, Stefan Smith and Adriana Zoppo Cello: John Krovoza, Simon Huber, Ginger Murphy, Alisha Bauer and Stefanie Fife Strings recorded by Greg Keller and Eric Caudieux at Henson Recording
12. “Facebook Story” (S. Akchote, B. Ross) Production: Frank Ocean *Contains a sample of ‘Running Around’ by Buddy Ross
13. “Close to You” (C. Breaux, B. Ross, B. Bacharach, H. David) Production: Frank Ocean, Buddy Ross and Francis Starlite Arrangement: Frank Ocean, Buddy Ross and Francis Starlite Additional Programming: Buddy Ross Drum Programming: Joe Thornalley Keyboards: Buddy Ross Vocoder: Francis Starlite *Contains a sample of ‘They Long To Be Close To You’ (Cacharach/David) performed by Stevie Wonder live on The David Frost Show, courtesy of Rellin’ in the Years Productions, LLC
14. “White Ferrari” (C. Breaux, K. West, M. Ho, J. Lennon, P. McCartney) Production: Frank Ocean, Jon Brion and Om’mas Keith Arrangement: Frank Ocean, Buddy Ross, Jon Brion and Alex Giannascoli Guitars: Alex Giannascoli Keyboards: Buddy Ross, Malay Ho and Jon Brion Drum Programming: Sebastian Akchote Sample Programming: Sebastian Akchote and Frank Ocean *Contains an interpolation of ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ by The Beatles
15. “Seigfried” (C. Breaux, M. Ho, R. Batmanglij, E. Smith) Production: Frank Ocean and Malay Ho Guitars: Malay Ho Bass: Malay Ho Keyboards: Rostam Batmanglij and Malay Ho String Arrangement: Johnny Greenwood Strings: London Contemporary Orchestra *Contains a quote from ‘A Fond Farewell’ by Elliott Smith and a sample from ‘Untitled’ by Rostam Batmanglij
16. “Goodspeed” (C. Breaux, M. Ho) Production: Frank Ocean, Om’mas Keith, Malay Ho and James Blake Arrangement: Frank Ocean, James Blake and Sebastian Akchote Keyboards: Malay Ho, James Blake, Mars 1500 Strings: Sebastian Akchote Featured Vocals: Kim Burrell and Yung Lean Choir: Frank Ocean Additional Programming: Frank Ocean
17. “Futura Free” (C. Breaux, D. Allen, H. Burnham, A. Gill, J. King) Production: Frank Ocean, Om’mas Keith and Malay Ho Arrangement: Om’mas Keith and Malay Ho Keyboards: Frank Ocean and Malay Ho Bass: Om’mas Keith Drum Programming: Frank Ocean and Om’mas Keith *Contains a sample of ‘Anthrax’ (Allen/Burnham/Gill/King) performed by Gang of Four, produced under license from Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company (for the United States, Canada and Mexico) and Parlophone Records Limited, a Warner Music Group Company (for the rest of the world)
Interviews (B. Ross) Interviewer: Mikey Alfred Subjects: Ryan Moore, Ibrahim Hariri, Na-Kel Smith, Sage Elsessler, Evan Clark, Nabil Hariri and Frank Ocean Keyboards: Buddy Ross *Contains a sample of “Running Around” by Buddy Ross