New Beginning
Studio album by
Tracy Chapman
ReleasedNovember 14, 1995
GenreFolk rock, blues
Length62:19
LabelElektra
ProducerTracy Chapman, Don Gehman
Tracy Chapman chronology
Matters of the Heart
(1992)		 New Beginning
(1995)		 Telling Stories
(2000)
Singles from New Beginning
  1. "Give Me One Reason"
    Released: 1995
  2. "New Beginning"
    Released: 1996
  3. "The Promise"
    Released: 1996
  4. "Smoke and Ashes"
    Released: 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Cash Box(favorable)[2]
Robert ChristgauB−[3]
Entertainment WeeklyB[4]
The Guardian[5]
Rolling Stone[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]

New Beginning is the fourth 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,[8] 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.[9]

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;[10] however, the use of a didgeridoo by women is taboo in many aboriginal nations.[11] 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

Musicians

  • Tracy Chapman – organ, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead vocals, background vocals
  • Rock Deadrick – percussion, drums, background vocals
  • Lili Haydn – violin
  • Steve Ferrone – drums
  • Adam Levy – electric guitar, background vocals
  • Eric Rigler – tin whistle, Uilleann pipes
  • Scott Roewe – didgeridoo
  • Glenys Rogers – percussion, background vocals
  • John Philip Shenale – keyboards
  • Andy Stoller – bass guitar, background vocals, tamboura
  • Cameron Stone – cello
  • John Thomas – piano

Production

  • Producers: Tracy Chapman, Don Gehman
  • Engineer: Don Gehman
  • Assistant engineers: John Ewing, Jr., Kevin Scott, Doug Trantow
  • Mixing: Don Gehman
  • Mastering: Eddy Schreyer
  • Production coordination: Diane Medak
  • Art direction: Lee Cantelon
  • Design: Lee Cantelon
  • Graphic layout: Lavonne Murlowski
  • Photography: Christine Alicino

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[23] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[24] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[25] 7× Platinum 700,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[26] Gold 10,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[27] Gold 250,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[29] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[30] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Awards

39th Annual Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards
Year Work Award Result Ref
1997 New Beginning Best Pop Album Nominated [31]
"Give Me One Reason" Song of the Year Nominated
Record of the Year Nominated
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance Nominated
Best Rock Song Won

References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William (November 14, 1995). "AllMusic review". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  2. ↑ Baltin, Steve (December 2, 1995). "Pop Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 13. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Robert Christgau review". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  4. ↑ "New Beginning". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  5. ↑ Sullivan, Caroline (November 24, 1995). "Music: This week's pop cd releases". The Guardian.
  6. ↑ "Rolling Stone review". July 26, 2008. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  7. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (May 20, 2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved May 20, 2021 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ "Ask Billboard: Mariah Carey, Tracy Chapman, Jeff Bates". Billboard. January 20, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Tracy Chapman". Grammy Awards. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Learning to Play the Didgeridoo". Aboriginalart.com.au. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  11. ↑ "The ongoing debate about women playing didgeridoo: how a musical icon can become an instrument of remembering and forgetting" (PDF). Lryb.aiatsis.gov.au. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Charts.nz – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Tracy Chapman Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  19. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1996". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1996". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  23. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 54.
  24. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Music Canada. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Danish album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tracy Chapman; 'New Beginning')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  28. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  29. ↑ "British album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  30. ↑ "American album certifications – Tracy Chapman – New Beginning". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Tracy Chapman". Grammy Awards. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
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