A Place in the World (Mary Chapin Carpenter album)

A Place in the World is the sixth album by Mary Chapin Carpenter, and was a No. 3 Country Album on the Billboard charts. Album tracks that entered the Hot Country Singles chart were "Let Me into Your Heart" at No. 11, "I Want to Be Your Girlfriend" at No. 35, and "Keeping the Faith" at No. 58. Carpenter wrote all of the songs on the album singlehandedly.

A Place in the World
Studio album by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Released	October 22, 1996
Genre	Country
Length	45:06
Label	Columbia Nashville/TriStar
Producer	Mary Chapin Carpenter John Jennings
Mary Chapin Carpenter chronology
Stones in the Road (1994) A Place in the World (1996) Party Doll and Other Favorites (1999)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Chicago Tribune	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	B[3]
Q	[4]
Robert Christgau	B−[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

1. "Keeping the Faith" – 3:19
2. "Hero in Your Own Hometown" – 3:50
3. "I Can See It Now" – 3:34
4. "I Want to Be Your Girlfriend" – 3:30
5. "Let Me into Your Heart" – 2:54
6. "What If We Went to Italy" – 3:38
7. "That's Real" – 3:53
8. "Ideas Are Like Stars" – 4:05
9. "Naked to the Eye" – 3:54
10. "Sudden Gift of Fate" – 5:05
11. "The Better to Dream of You" – 3:18
12. "A Place in the World" – 4:06

Personnel

• Pete Barenbregge – tenor saxophone
• J.T. Brown – background vocals
• Jon Carroll – piano, accordion, background vocals
• Mary Chapin Carpenter – lead vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar
• Shawn Colvin – background vocals
• Mike Crotty – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
• Bob Glaub – bass guitar
• Rich Haering – trumpet
• John Jennings – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, backpacker, baritone guitar, bass guitar, fretless bass, lap steel guitar, percussion, synthesizer, background vocals
• Duke Levine – electric guitar, mandola
• Robbie Magruder – drums
• Dave Mattacks – drums, tambourine
• Kim Richey – background vocals
• Harry Stinson – drums, cowbell
• Benmont Tench – piano, organ

String section

• Kim Miller, Margaraet Gutierrez, Lilly Soong Kramer, Theresa Lazar, Steven Romer, Matthew Loden, Mark Dulac, Ozman Kivrak, Joan Singer, Vickie Yanics, Tracy Jasas, Christoff Richter – violins
• Marcio Botelho, Timothy Butler, Nancy Jo Snyder, David Teie – cellos

Strings and horns conducted and arranged by Michael "Rico" Petruccelli.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Canadian Country Albums (RPM) 13 Scottish Albums (OCC)[6] 33 UK Albums (OCC)[7] 36 US Billboard 200[8] 20 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[9] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[10] 75 Chart (1997) Position US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[11] 30

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[12]	Gold	50,000^^
United States (RIAA)[13]	Gold	500,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Jurek, Thom. A Place in the World at AllMusic
2. Chicago Tribune review
3. Entertainment Weekly review
4. Album reviews at CD Universe
5. Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
6. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
7. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
8. "Mary Chapin Carpenter Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
9. "Mary Chapin Carpenter Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
10. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
11. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
12. "Canadian album certifications – Mary Chapin Carpenter – A Place in the World". Music Canada. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
13. "American album certifications – Mary Chapin Carpenter – A Place in the World". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 1, 2021. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.