New Beginning (Tracy Chapman album)

New Beginning
Studio album by Tracy Chapman
Released November 14, 1995
Recorded 1994–1995
Genre Folk, blues
Length 62:19
Label Elektra
Producer Tracy Chapman, Don Gehman
Tracy Chapman chronology
Matters of the Heart
(1992)Matters of the Heart1992		 New Beginning
(1995)		 Telling Stories
(2000)Telling Stories2000
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB[2]
Robert Christgau(B-)[3]
Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]
Rolling Stone[5]

New Beginning is the fourth album by singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). According to Nielsen Soundscan, it is her biggest-selling recording since 1991, with 3.8 million copies sold,[6] and according to the RIAA, it has shipped five million copies in the United States.

The album's sound consists of Chapman's trademark acoustic folk-rock sound and is mainly made up of slow low-key tunes and a few upbeat tracks. One notable exception is the hit "Give Me One Reason", which is a blues piece. Most tracks on the album have backup singers, which was very rare in Chapman's earlier works.

The album is notable for the impressive lengths of its songs. Aside from the single "Give Me One Reason", all songs are at least 4:56. The song "Unsung Psalm" was originally written and recorded for this album, but didn't make it. It was later on her 2000 album Telling Stories as the sixth track out of eleven.

According to Billboard Magazine, the "New Beginning" single was the first multi-session disc to have a sticker printed on the back of the packaging detailing system requirements to play the multi-media footage.

Track listing

All songs written by Tracy Chapman.

  1. "Heaven's Here on Earth" – 5:23
  2. "New Beginning" – 5:33
  3. "Smoke and Ashes" – 6:39
  4. "Cold Feet" – 5:40
  5. "At This Point in My Life" – 5:09
  6. "The Promise" – 5:28
  7. "The Rape of the World" – 7:07
  8. "Tell It Like It Is" – 6:08
  9. "Give Me One Reason" – 4:31
  10. "Remember the Tinman" – 5:45
  11. "I'm Ready" – 4:56
  12. "Save a Place for Me" (hidden track)

Personnel

Production

  • Producers: Tracy Chapman, Don Gehman
  • Engineer: Don Gehman
  • Assistant engineers: John Ewing, Jr., Kevin Scott, Doug Trantow
  • Mixing: Don Gehman
  • Mastering: Eddy Schreyer
  • Production coordination: Diane Medak
  • Art direction: Lee Cantelon
  • Design: Lee Cantelon
  • Graphic layout: Lavonne Murlowski
  • Photography: Christine Alicino

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1995 The Billboard 200 4
1995 Swedish Album Chart 46

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1996 "Give Me One Reason" Adult Contemporary 3
1996 "Give Me One Reason" Adult Top 40 1
1996 "Give Me One Reason" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 35
1996 "Give Me One Reason" The Billboard Hot 100 3
1996 "Give Me One Reason" Top 40 Mainstream 2
1997 "Give Me One Reason" Top 40 Adult Recurrents 1

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[7] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[8] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[9] 7× Platinum 700,000^
Germany (BVMI)[10] Gold 250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[11] Platinum 15,000^
United States (RIAA)[12] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year Winner Category
1996 "Give Me One Reason" Best Rock Song

References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William (1995-11-14). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  2. ↑ Entertainment Weekly review
  3. ↑ "Robert Christgau review". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  4. ↑ Rolling Stone Album Guide review
  5. ↑ "Rolling Stone review". Web.archive.org. 2008-07-26. Archived from the original on 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  6. ↑ "Ask Billboard: Mariah Carey, Tracy Chapman, Jeff Bates". Billboard.com. 2009-01-20. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  7. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1996 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  8. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved October 15, 2012. Enter Tracy Chapman in the field Interpret. Enter New Beginning in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen. 
  9. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Music Canada. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tracy Chapman; 'New Beginning')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  11. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  12. ↑ "American album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 15, 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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