Melissa Etheridge (album)

Melissa Etheridge
Studio album by
Melissa Etheridge
ReleasedMay 2, 1988
RecordedOctober 19–25, 1987
StudioCherokee (Hollywood)
GenreRoots rock[1]
Length45:50
LabelIsland
Producer
Melissa Etheridge chronology
Melissa Etheridge
(1988) 		Brave and Crazy
(1989)

Melissa Etheridge is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on May 2, 1988.

The album was re-released on September 23, 2003, as a two-CD remastered edition containing a bonus disc of ten tracks recorded live at the Roxy in Los Angeles and a five-track session from BBC Kent in April 1988.

As of 2010, the album has tallied 1,145,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[2] This figure does not include sales of the album between 1988 and 1991.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Q (Deluxe edition)[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]
Uncut (Deluxe edition)[3][5]

Billboard called the album an "excellent debut" and "as varied as Etheridge is talented," noting that "Bring Me Some Water" should bring album rock radio to its knees, while "Similar Features" and several other tracks have broader - even AC appeal." "[6]

In their review, Cashbox stated that "nobody this side of Tina Turner can belt like Melissa Etheridge. Insiders are calling her the next Janis Joplin, and she's certainly got the whiskey voice, the Texas twang and the hard-luck stories of sexual pain. But she's also got an identity of her own and a big future."[7]

AllMusic called it "one of the most stunning debut albums of the 1980s....Etheridge's true talent, however, is reconciling uncontrollable emotions such as jealousy with a strong and fiercely independent spirit. Perhaps that's why Etheridge became a role model for a generation of young women who found her to be an uncompromising artist unafraid to expose (and celebrate) her strengths and weaknesses."[1]

Track listing

All tracks written by Melissa Etheridge.

  1. "Similar Features" – 4:42
  2. "Chrome Plated Heart" – 3:59
  3. "Like the Way I Do" – 5:23
  4. "Precious Pain" – 4:15
  5. "Don't You Need" – 4:59
  6. "The Late September Dogs" – 6:33
  7. "Occasionally" – 2:36
  8. "Watching You" – 5:33
  9. "Bring Me Some Water" – 3:52
  10. "I Want You" – 4:07

Note

  • The album lists the running time of "I Want You" as 4:07, but the actual running time is 3:43.

Remastered edition bonus disc

  1. "Chrome Plated Heart" – 3:55
  2. "Don't You Need" – 4:54
  3. "Similar Features" – 4:25
  4. "Precious Pain" – 5:55
  5. "Occasionally" – 3:11
  6. "The Late September Dogs" – 6:34
  7. "Watching You" – 5:57
  8. "I Want You" – 5:26
  9. "Bring Me Some Water" – 5:34
  10. "Like The Way I Do" – 10:31
  11. "Chrome Plated Heart" – 3:28
  12. "Don't You Need" – 4:22
  13. "Similar Features" – 4:07
  14. "Bring Me Some Water" – 3:37
  15. "Precious Pain" – 3:52

Personnel

  • Melissa Etheridge – 12-string Ovation acoustic guitar, vocals, production, arranger
  • Johnny Lee Schell – guitar - additional overdubs
  • Waddy Wachtel – guitar - additional overdubs
  • Kevin McCormick – bass guitar, production
  • Scott Thurston – keyboards - additional overdubs
  • Wally Badarou – keyboards - additional overdubs
  • Craig Krampf – drums, percussion, production, arranger

Overdubs recorded at Studio A, Sunset Sound Factory on November 16–18, 1987. Guitars on "Precious Pain" and "I Want You" recorded at Yo Dad Studio on October 25, 1987.

Technical

  • Niko Bolas – production
  • Chris Blackwell – executive producer
  • Rob Fraboni – executive producer
  • Engineers: Allan Blazek – engineer
  • Jim Nipar – engineer
  • David Kane – assistant engineer
  • Duane Seykora – mixing assistant
  • Bob Vogt – mixing assistant
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering
  • George DuBose – photography
  • Tony Wright – cover design

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Melissa Etheridge
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20] 2× Platinum 300,000[21]
Austria (IFPI Austria)[22] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[23] 3× Platinum 300,000^
Germany (BVMI)[24] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[25] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26] Platinum 15,000^
United States (RIAA)[27] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b c AllMusic review
  2. ^ Trust, Gary (August 5, 2010). "Ask Billboard: Records About Records". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Album Reviews at CD Universe
  4. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City: Simon and Schuster. p. 283. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone melissa etheridge album guide.
  5. ^ Uncut review
  6. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard Music Week. No. 14 May 1988. p. 72. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  7. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 14 May 1988. p. 9. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  8. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Hung Medien.
  9. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in German). Hung Medien.
  10. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly" (PDF). Bac-lac.gc.ca. November 11, 1988. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  11. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  12. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
  13. ^ "Charts.nz – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Hung Medien.
  14. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Hung Medien.
  15. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  16. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  17. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  18. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1993". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  20. ^ "Aria Album Charts – 1989". Aria Charts.
  21. ^ "Pacing the Majors" (PDF). Billboard. January 20, 1990. p. A-10. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  22. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  23. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Music Canada. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  24. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Melissa Etheridge; 'Melissa Etheridge')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  25. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved February 17, 2020. Enter Melissa Etheridge in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1992 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  26. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  27. ^ "American album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 17, 2020.