New Beginning (Tracy Chapman album)

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.

New Beginning
Studio album by
Tracy Chapman
ReleasedNovember 14, 1995
Recorded1994–1995
GenreFolk, blues
Length62:19
LabelElektra
ProducerTracy Chapman, Don Gehman
Tracy Chapman chronology
Matters of the Heart
(1992)		 New Beginning
(1995)		 Telling Stories
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB[2]
Robert Christgau(B-)[3]
Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]
Rolling Stone[5]

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 song "Unsung Psalm" was originally written and recorded for this album, but was cut. It was later included on her 2000 album Telling Stories. According to Billboard Magazine, the "New Beginning" single was the first disc to have a sticker printed on the back of the packaging detailing system requirements to play the multi-media footage.

The use of a didgeridoo in the "New Beginning" track was a source of controversy. Chapman was taught to play at the Didgeridoo University in Alice Springs[7] however the use of a didgeridoo by women is taboo in many aboriginal nations.[8]

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
  • Tracy Chapman – organ, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead vocals, background vocals
  • Rock Deadrick – percussion, drums, background vocals
  • Lili Haydn – violin
  • Steve Ferrone – drums
  • Adam Levy – electric guitar, background vocals
  • Eric Rigler – tin whistle, Uilleann pipes
  • Scott Roewe – didgeridoo
  • Glenys Rogers – percussion, background vocals
  • John Philip Shenale – keyboards
  • Andy Stoller – bass guitar, background vocals, tamboura
  • Cameron Stone – cello
  • John Thomas – piano

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

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[9] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[10] Gold 25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[11] Gold 10,000
Canada (Music Canada)[12] 7× Platinum 700,000^
Germany (BVMI)[13] Gold 250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[14] Platinum 15,000^
United States (RIAA)[15] 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[16]
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References
  1. Ruhlmann, William (November 14, 1995). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  2. Entertainment Weekly review
  3. "Robert Christgau review". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  4. Rolling Stone Album Guide review
  5. "Rolling Stone review". Web.archive.org. July 26, 2008. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  6. "Ask Billboard: Mariah Carey, Tracy Chapman, Jeff Bates". Billboard.com. January 20, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  7. "Learning to Play the Didgeridoo". Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  8. "The ongoing debate about women playing didgeridoo: how a musical icon can become an instrument of remembering and forgetting" (PDF). Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  9. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia’s Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 54.
  10. "Austrian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  11. "Danish album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  12. "Canadian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Music Canada. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  13. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tracy Chapman; 'New Beginning')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  14. "New Zealand album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  15. "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. 
  16. "Grammy nominations and wins". Grammy. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
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