Meet Virginia Explained

Meet Virginia
Cover:	Trainmeetvirginia.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Train
Album:	Train
Genre:	Alternative rock^[1]
Length:	4:00 (album version) 3:44 (pop version)
Label:	Columbia Aware Red Ink
Producer:	Train Curtis Mathewson
Next Title:	Free
Next Year:	1998

"Meet Virginia" is the debut single of American roots rock band Train, released in 1998 from their self-titled debut album. Originally serviced to adult album alternative radio in March 1998, the song took over a year to gain popularity on mainstream radio, eventually reaching number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 2000, becoming Train's first top-20 hit and their first single to appear on the Hot 100. It also reached the top 20 in Canada, peaking at number 15 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart.

Background

When asked whether the girl in the song was real or imaginary, Train's Twitter page said, "She's real parts of real woman [sic] that make up a woman that I've always wanted to meet".^[2] Singer Patrick Monahan added that one of the women who inspired the song was bassist Charlie Colin's girlfriend. One day, Train was playing pickup softball with some members of Counting Crows, another Bay area band. Charlie's girlfriend came over from a wedding shower still wearing a long dress and high heels, and proceeded to play shortstop for Train's team. This inspired the line, "Wears high heels when she exercises".^[3]

Reception

Roxanne Blanford of AllMusic says "Meet Virginia" is one of a few songs from the album Train that has "inspired hooks and reflective lyrics".^[4] Christa L. Titus, of Billboard magazine in her review of their second album, called the song an "ode to a wrong-side-of-the-tracks girl full of quirky contradictions."^[5]

Music video

"Meet Virginia" has a music video that takes place inside a diner and stars actress Rebecca Gayheart.^[6] The video was shot at the Merritt Bakery and Restaurant in Oakland, California. Located on the south-western shore of Lake Merritt at 203 East 18th Street. The restaurant closed after a fire in 2016.

Track listing

Australian maxi-CD single^[7]

1. "Meet Virginia" (pop version) – 3:44
2. "Meet Virginia" (album version) – 4:00
3. "If You Leave" (live) – 3:26
4. "I Am" (live) – 4:35
5. "Train" (live) – 5:50

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the US promo CD liner notes.^[8]

Studio

• Mastered at A&M Mastering Studios (Hollywood, California, US)

Train

• Train – writing, production
• Patrick Monahan – vocals, percussion
• Rob Hotchkiss – guitars, harmonica, vocals
• Jimmy Stafford – guitars, mandolin, vocals
• Charlie Colin – bass
• Scott Underwood – drums, percussion

Other musicians

• Charlie Gillingham – organ, Mellotron, piano

Additional personnel

• Curtis Mathewson – production
• Mike McHugh – engineering
• Charles Quagliana – engineering
• Matt Wallace – remixing
• Alan Yoshida – mastering

Charts

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Meet Virginia"!Chart (1999)!Position

US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[10]	56
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[11]	70
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[12]	79
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[13]	95

Chart (2000)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100^[14]	70
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)^[15]	7
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[16]	55

Release history

Region!scope="col"

Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United States	March 1998	Adult album alternative radio		^[17]
	July 26, 1999			^[18] ^[19]
	July 27, 1999	Contemporary hit radio		^[20]

Notes and References

1. Web site: The 69 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1999. Spin. November 7, 2021.
2. Train . Train . 851486730406330369 . She's real parts of real woman that make up a woman that I've always wanted to meet.
3. Web site: Train's Pat Monahan Explains Some Of Their Most Iconic Lyrics . Harris. Kristin. BuzzFeed. April 30, 2015 . August 11, 2021.
4. Blanford, Roxanne. [{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r339928/review|pure_url=yes}} Train – Review]. AllMusic.
5. Billboard, April 7, 2001 – Vol. 113, No. 14, Page 18.
6. live . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/x1N7wWK3f6E . December 11, 2021 . Rob Hotchkiss in Train: "Meet Virginia" music video . YouTube.
7. Meet Virginia. Train. 1999. Australian maxi-CD single liner notes. Columbia Records. 667429 2.
8. Meet Virginia. Train. 1999. US promo CD liner notes. Columbia Records. CSK 42576.
9. 283.
10. Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1999. Airplay Monitor. 7. 52. 47. December 24, 1999.
11. Most Played Mainstream Rock Songs of 1999. Airplay Monitor. 7. 52. 35. December 24, 1999.
12. Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999. Airplay Monitor. 7. 52. 54. December 24, 1999.
13. Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 1999. Airplay Monitor. 7. 52. 36. December 24, 1999.
14. Web site: Billboard Top 100 – 2000. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090304120640/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=2000. March 4, 2009. August 31, 2010.
15. The Year in Music 2000: Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks. Billboard. 112. 53. YE-99. December 30, 2000.
16. Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2000. Airplay Monitor. 8. 51. 54. December 22, 2000.
17. Adult Alternative Aware of Train's Single 'Free'. Radio & Records. 1266. 34. September 18, 1998. When it comes to radio, Latterman initially started working Train and the first single, 'Meet Virginia,' at Adult Alternative in March..
18. Impact Dates. Gavin Report. 2265. 12, 29. 26 July 1999.
19. Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1309. 79, 84. July 23, 1999.
20. CHR/Pop: Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1309. 92. July 23, 1999.