New Beginning (Tracy Chapman album) explained

New Beginning
Type:studio
Artist:Tracy Chapman
Cover:Tracy Chapman - New Beginning.jpg
Released:November 14, 1995
Genre:Folk rock, blues
Length:62:19
Label:Elektra
Producer:Tracy Chapman, Don Gehman
Prev Title:Matters of the Heart
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:Telling Stories
Next Year:2000

New Beginning is the fourth studio album by singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released in 1995. According to Nielsen Soundscan, it is her biggest-selling recording since 1991, with 3.8 million copies sold,[1] and according to the RIAA, it has shipped five million copies in the United States.

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. Chapman earned the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for the track, and it was also nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1997.[2]

Aside from the single “Give Me One Reason”, all of the songs are at least 4:56. 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;[3] however, the use of a didgeridoo by women is taboo in many aboriginal nations.[4] The album also featured an extensive use of backup singers, which was very rare in Chapman's earlier works.

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

Production

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[5] 17
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[6] 11
US Billboard 200[7] 18

Awards

39th Annual Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards
YearWorkAwardResultRef
1997New BeginningBest Pop Album[9]
"Give Me One Reason"Song of the Year
Record of the Year
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
Best Rock Song

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ask Billboard: Mariah Carey, Tracy Chapman, Jeff Bates . Billboard . January 20, 2009 . February 3, 2012.
  2. Web site: Tracy Chapman. Grammy Awards. August 8, 2021.
  3. Web site: Learning to Play the Didgeridoo. Aboriginalart.com.au . June 16, 2019.
  4. Web site: The ongoing debate about women playing didgeridoo: how a musical icon can become an instrument of remembering and forgetting. Lryb.aiatsis.gov.au. June 16, 2019.
  5. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1996. Australian Recording Industry Association. November 9, 2020.
  6. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 1996. Recorded Music NZ. February 1, 2022.
  7. Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1996. Billboard. November 9, 2020.
  8. Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1997. Billboard. November 9, 2020.
  9. Web site: Tracy Chapman. Grammy Awards. July 21, 2019.

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