The Woman in Me (Shania Twain album)
The Woman in Me | ||||
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Studio album by Shania Twain | ||||
Released | February 7, 1995 | |||
Recorded | 1994-1995 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 48:08 | |||
Label | Polygram/Mercury | |||
Producer | Robert John "Mutt" Lange | |||
Shania Twain chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
European re-release |
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Singles from The Woman in Me | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Entertainment Weekly | F[2] |
The Village Voice | C[3] |
The Woman in Me, released on February 7, 1995, is the second studio album released by Shania Twain and her first with the majority of the songs co-written by her. It went onto become her biggest-selling recording at the time of its release, selling 4 million copies by the end of the year, and was eventually certified 12× Platinum by the RIAA on December 1, 2000, representing 12 million shipments throughout the United States, and 20 million copies worldwide.[4]
Background
By 1993, Shania Twain was promoting her debut album by singing at local gigs in the United States with little more than a backing track CD. While the album itself did not perform well in the charts, it attracted the attention of rock producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, whom Twain did not know anything of, and the pair began having long-distance telephone conversations with each other. They bonded over Twain's love of rock music and Lange's love of American country music. After meeting with him at the CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair in June 1993, they began exchanging song ideas with each other and started doing songwriting together. During this time, they developed a romance that culminated in their wedding on December 28, 1993.
It was at this time that Twain was pressed by her record company to return to the studio to start putting together her second album. Twain admitted in her "From This Moment On" memoir that although she was initially reluctant to do so, she told Luke Lewis that she had co-written some songs with Lange, and he agreed to let her record some demos for her album, even though he feared that Twain would deviate too much from the Nashville sound. Twain and Lange continued their songwriting after their wedding and in early 1994, constructed a demo tape produced by Lange of some of their songs which was played to record executives for the first time at Morin Heights Studio. Although some executives were worried because the "less country" sound was different from Twain's debut, Lewis decided to let Twain continue her collaboration with Lange, and hired Lange as the primary producer of the album.
Composition and single releases
"Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?", a country-flavored song about a woman confronting her lover about his frequent infidelity, was released at the first single from the album. Originally, Twain wanted "Any Man of Mine", a song containing both heavy rock and heavy country influences, to be the first single, but was persuaded to change her mind and go with the safer option. While "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" slowly gained some attention on the country charts, it was "Any Man of Mine" which gave Twain her first ever country No.1 and Top 40 crossover hit. Her sentimental ballad and the title track "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)" became her first adult contemporary hit, accompanied by a video shot in Egypt.
"God Bless the Child", an a cappella prayer that Twain prayed to herself after her parents died, was originally the last track recorded for the album in 1994. However, in early 1995, just prior to the album release, Twain and Lange experimented with recording different versions of songs for both country audiences and pop-rock audiences. This meant that the two songs in consideration, "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!", described by Twain as "a warning to pickup artists everywhere, set to a pulsating rock beat, and embroidered with slinky slide guitar" and "You Win My Love", a solely Lange-written love song involving car metaphors, actually had their country and pop-rock counterparts recorded at the same time. Just before the track-listing was finalised, separate country and pop-rock mixes were derived from the original masters, as Twain and Lange intended to release both mixes to the release formats of the album. The pop-rock mixes were shelved in favor of the country mixes during the album's release, but returned billed as "Mutt Lange Mix"es for both songs' single releases. "I'm Outta Here!" and "You Win My Love" became Twain's second and third No.1 hits at country radio, while "I'm Outta Here!" became Twain's first breakthrough hit in Australia.
After more success with another No.1 hit named "No One Needs To Know", which was selected for the soundtrack to the film "Twister", and another minor hit "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)", Twain decided to turn "God Bless The Child" into a full-length song. She and Lange co-wrote new verses touching on the turbulent lives in people's society, and Lange developed two new instrumentals for Twain to record her vocals on: a country version with a banjo and a pop version with a subtle electronic beat. Both versions contain the same acoustic drum set, guitars and chord arrangements, and also feature the Fisk University Jubilee singers and a local performing arts choir on backing vocals.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Shania Twain and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, except where noted.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)" | 4:12 |
2. | "Any Man of Mine" | 4:07 |
3. | "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" | 4:25 |
4. | "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!" | 4:30 |
5. | "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)" | 4:50 |
6. | "Is There Life After Love?" | 4:39 |
7. | "If It Don't Take Two" | 3:40 |
8. | "You Win My Love" (Robert John "Mutt" Lange) | 4:26 |
9. | "Raining on Our Love" | 4:38 |
10. | "Leaving Is the Only Way Out" (Shania Twain) | 4:07 |
11. | "No One Needs to Know" | 3:04 |
12. | "God Bless the Child" | 1:30 |
Total length: |
48:08 |
Australian 2CD release bonus disc ("The Woman in Me: Radio Remixes") | ||
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No. | Title | Length |
1. | "I'm Outta Here!" (Mutt Lange Mix) | 4:21 |
2. | "I'm Outta Here!" (Dance Mix) | 4:39 |
3. | "You Win My Love" (Mutt Mix) | 3:54 |
4. | "God Bless the Child" (Extended Version) | 3:52 |
5. | "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)" (International Acoustic Version) | 4:40 |
European re-release bonus tracks | ||
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No. | Title | Length |
13. | "You Win My Love" (Remix edit) | 3:54 |
14. | "Medley: Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)/The Woman in Me/You've Got a Way" (Live & Direct TV Mix) | 7:25 |
15. | "(If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here!" (Remix) | 4:21 |
16. | "God Bless the Child" (Video) | 3:48 |
Personnel
As listed in liner notes.[5]
- Sam Bush – mandolin
- Larry Byrom – acoustic guitar, electric rhythm guitar
- Billy Crain – slide guitar
- Glen Duncan – fiddle
- Dann Huff – tic tac bass, lead guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, guitar textures, wa-wa guitar, jangle guitar, claps
- Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar, Pedabro
- Rob Hajacos – fiddle
- John Hughey – pedal steel guitar
- David Hungate – bass guitar, fretless bass, double bass
- John Barlow Jarvis – piano, Wurlitzer electric piano
- Nick Jeca – claps
- Robert John "Mutt" Lange – background vocals, claps
- Paul Leim – drums, percussion, tambourine, shaker
- Brent Mason – lead guitar, electric guitar, six-string bass guitar
- Terry McMillan – percussion, cowbell, harmonica, harp
- Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
- Brent Rowan – electric guitar textures
- Joe Spivey – fiddle
- Shania Twain – lead vocals, background vocals, claps
- Robert John "Mutt" Lange – producer
- Engineer at Sound Stage Studios – Ron "Snake" Reynolds
- Assistant engineer – Craig White
- Overdubs recorded at Battery Studios, Javelina Recording Studios and Recording Arts, Nashville
- Engineer at Battery Studios – Lee Groitzsch
- Engineer at Javelina Studios – Warren Peterson, Lee Groitzsch, Robert Charles
- Engineers at Recording Arts – Brian Tankersly, Wayne Morgan
- Vocals and additional overdubs recorded at A.R.P. Track Productions, Sainte Anne Des Lacs, Quebec, Canada
- Engineer – Nik Keca
- Mixed at Le Studio by Lynn Peterzell and Simon Pressey
"(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!" also features footsteps performed by Shania Twain, and a door slam performed by Paul Leim. Terry McMillan also performs boot stomping on "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?"
All strings performed by the Nashville String Machine, arranged by Ronn Huff and contracted by Carl Gorodetzky.
Singles chronology
U.S. Country
- "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?"
- "Any Man of Mine"
- "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)"
- "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!"
- "You Win My Love"
- "No One Needs to Know"
- "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)"
- "God Bless the Child" (Single Mix - Country Version)
Europe
- "Any Man of Mine"
- "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)"
- "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!"
- "You Win My Love"
- "No One Needs to Know"
- "God Bless the Child" (Single Mix - Pop Version)
Australia Pop
- "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!" (Mutt Lange Mix)
- "You Win My Love" (Mutt Lange Mix)
- "No One Needs to Know"
- "God Bless the Child" (Single Mix - Pop Version)
Charts and certifications
Charts
End of decade charts
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Certifications
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Awards
- Canadian Country Music Association Awards (CCMA's): Album of the Year (1995)
- Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMA's): Album of the Year (1996)
- Billboard Music Awards: Country Album of the Year (1996)
- Golden Pick Awards: Favorite Album (1996)
- Grammy Awards: Best Country Album (1996)
- Radio & Records' Trade Magazine Poll: Best Country Album (1996)
- RPM's Big Country Music Awards - (Canada): Album of the Year (1996)
- Canadian Country Music Association Awards (CCMA's): Special Achievement Award (Top selling album by a female country artist ever) (1997)
- Canadian Country Music Association Awards (CCMA's): Top Selling Album (1997)
- CMT's 40 Greatest Albums in Country Music #8 in 2006, the highest rank by a woman in that list.
See also
References
- ↑ The Woman in Me (Shania Twain album) at AllMusic
- ↑ Nash, Alanna (10 February 1995). "The Woman in Me Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert (1995). "Turkey Shoot". The Village Voice (November 28) (New York). Retrieved September 11, 2014.
- 1 2 "American album certifications – Shania Twain – The Woman in Me". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ↑ The Woman in Me (CD liner notes). Shania Twain. Mercury Records. 1995. 522886.
- ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart- Australia's Official Top 50 Songs - ARIA Charts - ARIA Charts". ariacharts.com.au. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ↑ "CANOE -- JAM! Music - SoundScan Charts". canoe.ca. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ↑ "RPM Country Albums for April 17, 1995". RPM. Retrieved 2011-02-09.
- ↑ Dutch Albums Chart
- ↑ German Albums Chart
- ↑ ">> IRMA << Welcome to our site >>". irma.ie. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ↑ New Zealand Albums Chart
- ↑ Norwegian Albums Chart
- ↑ UK Albums Chart
- ↑ Billboard 200
- ↑ "The Woman in Me - Shania Twain". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-02-09.
- ↑ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Shania Twain – The Woman in Me". Music Canada.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Shania Twain – The Woman in Me". British Phonographic Industry. Enter The Woman in Me in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
Preceded by The Hits by Garth Brooks Fresh Horses by Garth Brooks Borderline by Brooks & Dunn |
Top Country Albums number-one album July 22 - October 6, 1995 January 27 - May 3, 1996 June 29 - July 26, 1996 |
Succeeded by All I Want by Tim McGraw Borderline by Brooks & Dunn Blue by LeAnn Rimes |
Preceded by The Hits by Garth Brooks New Country 2 by Various Artists John Michael Montgomery by John Michael Montgomery All I Want by Tim McGraw Fresh Horses by Garth Brooks Revelations by Wynonna Fresh Horses by Garth Brooks Borderline by Brooks & Dunn Borderline by Brooks & Dunn The Greatest Hits Collection by Alan Jackson Blue by LeAnn Rimes Calm Before the Storm by Paul Brandt Calm Before the Storm by Paul Brandt Blue by LeAnn Rimes Collection by The Rankin Family Everything I Love by Alan Jackson |
RPM Country Albums number-one album April 17–23, 1995 May 22 - July 30, 1995 September 11 - October 1, 1995 October 16–29, 1995 January 8 - March 3, 1996 March 18–31, 1996 April 15 - May 12, 1996 May 20 - June 9, 1996 June 17–30, 1996 July 22 - August 4, 1996 August 12–18, 1996 September 2–8, 1996 September 16–29, 1996 November 11–17, 1996 November 25 - December 22, 1996 January 20–26, 1997 |
Succeeded by The Hits by Garth Brooks The Hits by Garth Brooks All I Want by Tim McGraw Now That I've Found You: A Collection by Alison Krauss & Union Station Revelations by Wynonna Fresh Horses by Garth Brooks Borderline by Brooks & Dunn Borderline by Brooks & Dunn Calm Before the Storm by Paul Brandt Blue by LeAnn Rimes Calm Before the Storm by Paul Brandt Calm Before the Storm by Paul Brandt Calm Before the Storm by Paul Brandt Collection by The Rankin Family Everything I Love by Alan Jackson Calm Before the Storm by Paul Brandt |
Preceded by The Hits by Garth Brooks |
Top Country Albums number-one album of the year 1996 |
Succeeded by Blue by LeAnn Rimes |
RPM Country Albums number-one album of the year 1996 |
Succeeded by Did I Shave My Legs for This? by Deana Carter |
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