Begin to Hope explained

Begin to Hope
Type:Album
Artist:Regina Spektor
Cover:Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope.png
Released:June 13, 2006
Recorded:Summer 2005
Studio:SeeSquaredStudio and New York Noise Studios, NYC
Length:47:15
Label:Sire 9362-44112-2
Producer:David Kahne, Regina Spektor
Prev Title:Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Far
Next Year:2009

Begin to Hope is the fourth album by Soviet-born American singer-songwriter Regina Spektor.[1] It was released June 13, 2006. The album debuted at number 70 on the Billboard 200, but due to the popularity of the single "Fidelity", it peaked at number 20 and was labeled a "pace setter" by Billboard. Rolling Stone named it the 21st-best album of 2006.[2] The album was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipments to U.S. retailers of 500,000 units.[3]

The album was nominated for the 2006 Shortlist Music Prize.[4]

Peter Gabriel recorded a cover of "Après Moi" on his orchestral album Scratch My Back, released in 2010.

Track listing

All songs written by Regina Spektor.

  1. "Fidelity" – 3:47
  2. "Better" – 3:22
  3. "Samson" – 3:10
  4. "On the Radio" – 3:22
  5. "Field Below" – 5:18
  6. "Hotel Song" – 3:29
  7. "Après Moi" – 5:08
  8. "20 Years of Snow" – 3:31
  9. "That Time" – 2:39
  10. "Edit" – 4:53
  11. "Lady" – 4:45
  12. "Summer in the City" – 3:50
Deluxe Edition bonus disc
  1. "Another Town" – 4:07
  2. "Uh-Merica" – 3:16
  3. "Baobabs" – 2:02
  4. "Düsseldorf" – 3:09
  5. "Music Box" – 2:11
iTunes Store/Amazon MP3 bonus tracks
  1. "Hero" – 3:44
  2. "Bartender" – 3:12
Vinyl edition disc 2, side A
  1. "Another Town" – 4:10
  2. "Uh-Merica" – 3:19
  3. "Baobabs" – 2:04
  4. "Düsseldorf" – 3:12
  5. "Music Box" – 2:07
Vinyl edition disc 2, side B
  1. "Better" (Piano and Voice) – 3:09
  2. "Better" (Radio Recut) – 3:12
  3. "Hero" – 3:45
  4. "Bartender" – 3:12
Vinyl 10th Anniversary edition disc 2, side B Bonus Track
  1. "Baby Jesus" – 2:43

Personnel

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2007)Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[6] 100
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[7] 58
US Billboard 200[8] 154

Single success

In 2006, Regina Spektor's first single, "Fidelity", premiered on VH1. Soon after, VH1 included her among "You Oughta Know: Artists on the Rise".[9]

Spektor performed "Fidelity" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in July 2006 and on ABC's Good Morning America in April 2007.[10] She also performed "On The Radio" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in November 2006. She performed the song again on Late Show with David Letterman in April 2007, and on the Australian Rove McManus show in 2007.

"Better" was released to US radio in late July 2007.

Even though it was not released as a single, "Hotel Song" has reached No. 11 in the Irish music download charts and No. 16 in the Irish Top 50 Singles Chart as of May 2007.

"Samson" is a new recording of a song originally released on 2002's Songs. Gwen Stefani used the song for her Season 9 battle between Korin Bukowski and Chase Kerby on The Voice.

"Après Moi" was covered by Peter Gabriel on his 2010 album Scratch My Back.

In popular culture

Sales

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Block . Melissa . Stories in Song: Regina Spektor's 'Begin to Hope' . NPR . June 28, 2006 . October 10, 2009.
  2. Web site: The Top 50 Albums of 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070106141756/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/12800635/the_top_50_albums_of_2006/5 . dead . January 6, 2007 . Rolling Stone . December 11, 2006 . October 10, 2009.
  3. RIAA Certifications for Regina Spektor . . November 20, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152140/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Regina%20Spektor&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2007&sort=Artist&perPage=25 . September 24, 2015 .
  4. Web site: Cat Power Wins 2007 Shortlist Music Prize . Billboard.com . October 10, 2009.
  5. Neal, Chris. "Regina Spektor [Begin To Hope]." Performing Songwriter 13.94 (2006): 32. Academic Search Complete. Web. September 26, 2016.
  6. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2007. Ultratop. September 19, 2020.
  7. Web site: Årslista Album – År 2007. Sverigetopplistan. Swedish. August 24, 2020.
  8. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2007. Billboard. August 24, 2020.
  9. Web site: New Music Artists Info on You Oughta Know, Rising New Artists, See Photos & Watch Videos Online . VH1.com . October 10, 2009 . August 22, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090822030258/http://www.vh1.com/artists/you_oughta_know/index.jhtml . dead .
  10. Web site: The Virginian-Pilot Archives . Nl.newsbank.com . April 5, 2007 . October 10, 2009.
  11. Web site: Gold & Platinum – October 10, 2009 . RIAA . October 10, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100820142502/http://riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS . August 20, 2010 .