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Yes I Am (Melissa Etheridge album)

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This article is about the 1993 album by Melissa Etheridge. For the album by Jack Vidgen, see Yes I Am (Jack Vidgen album).

Yes I Am
Studio album by
Melissa Etheridge
ReleasedSeptember 21, 1993 (1993-09-21)[1]
RecordedA&M Studios in Los Angeles, California[2]
GenreBlues rock, hard rock[3]
Length43:54
LabelIsland
ProducerMelissa Etheridge, Hugh Padgham[2]
Melissa Etheridge chronology
Never Enough
(1992) 		Yes I Am
(1993) 		Your Little Secret
(1995)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Calgary HeraldB[4]
Robert ChristgauC+[5]
Entertainment WeeklyB[6]
Philadelphia Inquirer[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]

Yes I Am is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 21, 1993.[1] The title is generally thought to refer to Etheridge's recent coming out as a lesbian, confirming long-standing rumors about her personal life.[8] However, in 2018, Etheridge clarified that in fact the title for the track and album were not statements regarding her sexual identity.[9] Yes I Am is the pivotal album that gave Etheridge national and international recognition.[10] The rock ballad "Come to My Window" was the first single released from the album, which peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its video featured the actress Juliette Lewis having a nervous breakdown. This single was quickly followed by "I'm the Only One", which became a major hit in the US and reached No. 8 on the Hot 100, and "If I Wanted To", which reached No. 16.

By 2010, the album had sold over 4,348,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[11] In 2018, Etheridge went on tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Yes I Am's release and also re-released the album with eight bonus tracks.[12]

Recording and production

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The songs on Yes I Am were recorded at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, California. The album was produced by Etheridge and Hugh Padgham, who also engineered the album.[2] Padgham had previously worked mainly with British artists and bands including Genesis, David Bowie and Sting. He also produced Etheridge's next album, Your Little Secret.

The main musicians backing Etheridge were Kevin McCormick (who had co-produced her previous albums), Mauricio Fritz Lewak, Waddy Wachtel and Scott Thurston. Pino Palladino replaced McCormick on several tracks and David Sutton replaced him on one song. Ian McLagen and James Fearnley also made appearances.[2]

Reception

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In their review, Billboard noted that "working with Etheridge for the first time, veteran producer Padgham has not tampered with the formula that made the rock singer/songwriter's first three works album rock standbys. Here, she scores with bluesy lead single "I'm The Only One" and tracks "If I Only Wanted To," "Come To My Window," and "All- American Girl." [13]

In their review, Allmusic stated that "Melissa Etheridge wasn't out of the closet when she released Yes I Am in 1993, yet it's hard not to notice the defiant acclamation in the album's title. This barely concealed sense of sexual identity seeps out from the lyrics, and it informs the music as well, which is perhaps the most confident she has ever been. It's also the most professional she's ever been."[14]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Melissa Etheridge.

  1. "I'm the Only One" – 4:54
  2. "If I Wanted To" – 3:55
  3. "Come to My Window" – 3:55
  4. "Silent Legacy" – 5:22
  5. "I Will Never Be the Same" – 4:41
  6. "All American Girl" – 4:05
  7. "Yes I Am" – 4:24
  8. "Resist" – 2:57
  9. "Ruins" – 4:53
  10. "Talking to My Angel" – 4:48

Personnel

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The following people contributed to Yes I Am:[2]

Technical
  • Hugh Padgham – producer, mixing engineer
  • Greg Goldman – assistant engineer
  • John Aguto – assistant engineer
  • Mike Baumgartner – assistant engineer
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering

Charts

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Awards

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Grammy Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1995 "Come to My Window" Best Female Rock Vocal Performance Won
Best Rock Song Nominated
I'm the Only One Nominated

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[27] 2× Platinum 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[28] 6× Platinum 6,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Yes I Am – Melissa Etheridge". United States: AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e Yes I Am (CD liner). Melissa Etheridge. New York City, New York, United States: Island Records. 1993. p. 13. 422–848 660-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ a b Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 283. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone melissa etheridge album guide.
  4. ^ Phillips, Shari (September 26, 1993). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 23, 1993). "Turkey Shoot". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  6. ^ Sandow, Greg (September 24, 1993). "Yes I Am Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  7. ^ Wood, Sam (October 5, 1993). "Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop; Session with Stanley Turrentine". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  8. ^ Grady, Marie P. (July 11, 2008). "She calls it as she sees it". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  9. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Demystifies Rumors That She Used 1993 Album Title 'Yes I Am' To Come Out". Billboard. September 21, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  10. ^ Ferraro, Robert (October 3, 2018). "Melissa Etheridge's pivotal 'Yes I Am' album turns 25". NJArts. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
    - "Melissa Etheridge Demystifies Rumors That She Used 1993 Album Title 'Yes I Am' To Come Out". Billboard. September 21, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  11. ^ Trust, Gary (August 5, 2010). "Ask Billboard: Records About Records". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  12. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Demystifies Rumors That She Used 1993 Album Title 'Yes I Am' To Come Out". Billboard. September 21, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  13. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard Music Week. No. October 2, 1993. p. 74. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  14. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Yes I Am - Melissa Etheridge | Album | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  15. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Melissa Etheridge – Yes, I Am". Hung Medien.
  16. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Melissa Etheridge – Yes, I Am" (in German). Hung Medien.
  17. ^ "100 Albums (CD's & Cassettes" (PHP). RPM. 58 (15). October 23, 1993. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  18. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Melissa Etheridge – Yes, I Am" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  19. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Melissa Etheridge – Yes, I Am" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
  20. ^ "Charts.nz – Melissa Etheridge – Yes, I Am". Hung Medien.
  21. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Melissa Etheridge – Yes, I Am". Hung Medien.
  22. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  23. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 10, no. 44. October 30, 1993. p. 19. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  24. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1993". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  25. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Yes I Am". Music Canada. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  28. ^ "American album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Yes I Am". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 17, 2020.


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