Trouble Me
| "Trouble Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by 10,000 Maniacs | ||||
| from the album Blind Man's Zoo | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Format |
CD Vinyl | |||
| Recorded | Dreamland Recording Studio, West Hurley, New York, November 1988 – March 1989 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 3:08 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
Dennis Drew Natalie Merchant | |||
| Producer(s) | Peter Asher | |||
| 10,000 Maniacs singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Trouble Me" is a song by the American alternative rock group 10,000 Maniacs and the first single from their 1989 album Blind Man's Zoo. The single was co-written by the band's then-lead singer, Natalie Merchant, as dedication to her father, Anthony Merchant. "Trouble Me" charted in the both United States and the United Kingdom, becoming a hit for the band. A live version with lead vocalist Mary Ramsey was also included on their 2016 album Playing Favorites.
Background and production
"Trouble Me", co-written by Dennis Drew and Natalie Merchant, was the first released single of the album. The song was written for Merchant's father, Anthony, who was hospitalized at the time.[1][2] Gospel singer Jevetta Steele provided the background vocals for the song.[3]
Music video
A music video for "Trouble Me" was produced, containing outdoor scenes. Merchant caught a common cold during the filming.[1] It is included in the VHS release 10,000 Maniacs: Time Capsule, Filmed 1982–1990,[4] later re-released on DVD as 10,000 Maniacs: Time Capsule, Filmed 1982–1993.
In the music video, while she performs the song in various scenes, Merchant takes an elderly woman on a bicycle to a place where her friends surprise her and then do activities. In the end, Merchant and the elderly woman ride on a bicycle to a shoreline.
Reception
Music critic Anthony DeCurtis wrote that the track "Trouble Me" was "the most uplifting" and "the antidote" to the remainder of the album, which DeCurtis considered "a starkly pessimistic statement."[1]
Charts
In the Billboard charts, "Trouble Me" reached number 20 in the Mainstream Rock chart on the week ending July 8, 1989;[5] number three in the Modern Rock Tracks chart on the week ending June 10;[6] number 44 in the Hot 100 chart on the week ending August 12;[7] and number seven in the Adult Contemporary chart on the week ending August 19, 1989.[8] "Trouble Me" reached number 77 in the UK Singles Chart for the week ending June 17, 1989.[9][10]
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart[11] | 102 |
| UK Singles Chart[10] | 77 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 44 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary[8] | 7 |
| US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[5] | 20 |
| US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[6] | 3 |
References
- 1 2 3 DeCurtis, Anthony (1999). Rocking My Life Away: Writing About Music and Other Matters. pp. 162–164. ISBN 0-8223-2419-9.
- ↑ Contemporary Musicians: Profiles of the People in Music, edited by Michael LaBlanc. Vol. 3.
- ↑ White, Timothy (July 1989). "Spins: '10,000 Maniacs, Blind Man's Zoo (Elektra)'". Spin. pp. 107, 109. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
- ↑ "10,000 Maniacs: Time Capsule 1982–1990 (1990)". Video Source Book. Thomson Gale. 2007. p. 2900.
- 1 2 "10,000 Maniacs – Chart History (Mainstream Rock Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- 1 2 "10,000 Maniacs – Chart History (". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- 1 2 "10,000 Maniacs – Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- 1 2 "10,000 Maniacs – Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 (11 June 1989 - 17 June 1989)". Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- 1 2 "10,000 Maniacs". Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ↑ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received May 24, 2016". Imgur.com. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
