MTV Unplugged (10,000 Maniacs album)
MTV Unplugged is a 1993 live album by 10,000 Maniacs, recorded for the MTV Unplugged series.
MTV Unplugged | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | October 26, 1993[1] | |||
Recorded | April 21, 1993 | |||
Venue | Sony Music Studios, New York City, New York, United States | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, folk rock, soft rock | |||
Length | 60:03 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Paul Fox | |||
10,000 Maniacs chronology | ||||
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Singles from MTV Unplugged | ||||
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Between the recording and release of the album, vocalist Natalie Merchant left the band to pursue a solo career.
In addition to the songs released on the album, the following other songs were recorded: Four takes of "How You've Grown"; second takes of "Gold Rush Brides" and Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith's "Because the Night", respectively; a brief take of "Puff the Magic Dragon"; and three other songs with David Byrne as a guest singer (two takes of "Let the Mystery Be", one of which was released as a B-side to "Few and Far Between" and on Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings of 10,000 Maniacs; Dolly Parton's "Jolene"; and "Dallas").
Reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Entertainment Weekly | B− link |
Q | link |
Rolling Stone | link |
The album debuted at its #13 peak and spent 45 weeks on the charts.[2] It was certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA.[3]
The single release "Because the Night" reached #11, two positions higher than Patti Smith's original version in 1978. It remains the band's biggest hit.
Track listing
Cassette and Compact Disc
- "These Are Days" (Rob Buck and Natalie Merchant) – 4:22
- "Eat for Two" (Merchant) – 4:12
- "Candy Everybody Wants" (Dennis Drew and Merchant) – 3:19
- "I'm Not the Man" (Merchant) – 3:46
- "Don't Talk" (Drew and Merchant) – 5:22
- "Hey Jack Kerouac" (Buck and Merchant) – 3:29
- "What's the Matter Here?" (Buck and Merchant) – 4:50
- "Gold Rush Brides" (Buck and Merchant) – 4:12
- "Like the Weather" (Merchant) – 4:15
- "Trouble Me" (Drew and Merchant) – 3:40
- "Jezebel" (Merchant) – 4:20
- "Because the Night" (Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen) – 3:44
- "Stockton Gala Days" (Jerome Augustyniak, Buck, Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Merchant) – 5:25
- "Noah's Dove" (Merchant) – 5:07
LaserDisc and VHS
- "Noah's Dove" (Merchant) – 5:07
- "These Are Days" (Buck and Merchant) – 4:22
- "Eat for Two" (Merchant) – 4:12
- "Candy Everybody Wants" (Drew and Merchant) – 3:19
- "I'm Not the Man" (Merchant) – 3:46
- "Don't Talk" (Drew and Merchant) – 5:22
- "Hey Jack Kerouac" (Buck and Merchant) – 3:29
- "What's the Matter Here?" (Buck and Merchant) – 4:50
- "Gold Rush Brides" (Buck and Merchant) – 4:12
- "Like the Weather" (Merchant) – 4:15
- "Trouble Me" (Drew and Merchant) – 3:40
- "Jezebel" (Merchant) – 4:20
- "Stockton Gala Days" (Jerome Augustyniak, Buck, Drew, Steve Gustafson, and Merchant) – 5:25
- "Because the Night" (Smith and Springsteen) – 3:44
- "Let the Mystery Be" (Iris DeMent)
- "Jolene" (Dolly Parton)
- "Dallas" (Jimmie Dale Gilmore)
Personnel
10,000 Maniacs
- Jerome Augustyniak – drums, percussion
- Rob Buck – acoustic guitar
- Dennis Drew – piano, Hammond organ, pump organ
- Steve Gustafson – acoustic bass guitar
- Natalie Merchant – lead vocals, piano
Additional musicians
- David Byrne – vocals and acoustic guitar
- Bill Dillon – acoustic guitar, mandolin, slide guitar
- Morgan Fichter – violin, background vocals
- Amanda Kramer – piano, pump organ
- Kim Laskowski – bassoon
- Jerry Marotta – percussion
- Mary Ramsey – viola, background vocals
- Atsuko Sato – bassoon
- Jane Scarpantoni – cello
- Richie Stearns – banjo
Technical staff
- Paul Fox – production
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- Ebet Roberts – photography
- Mike Scott – engineering
- Ed Thacker – engineer, mixing
- Jay Vicari – engineering
Notes
During the Introduction to "Hey Jack Kerouac", Merchant reads a passage from On the Road by Jack Kerouac. During the Introduction to "Gold Rush Brides", she reads a passage from Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey by Lillian Schlissel.[4][5][6]
References
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review of MTV Unplugged". AllMusic. All Media Guide.
- "Billboard 200 for week ending 13 November 1993". Retrieved 15 June 2016.
- "RIAA – Searchable Database: 10,000 Maniacs". Retrieved 15 June 2016.
- Annie's Natalie Merchant Compendium Blog: Gold Rush Brides / Among the Americans
- "Artist for Literacy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
- Review & Lyrics
- David Roberts, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles and Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. p. 553. ISBN 978-1904994107.