Melissa Etheridge (album)

Melissa Etheridge is the self-titled debut album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1988 (see 1988 in music).

Melissa Etheridge
Studio album by Melissa Etheridge
Released	May 2, 1988
Recorded	October 19–25, 1987
Genre	Roots rock[1]
Length	45:59
Label	Island
Producer	Melissa Etheridge Niko Bolas Craig Krampf Kevin McCormick
Melissa Etheridge chronology
Melissa Etheridge (1988) Brave and Crazy (1989)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Q	(Deluxe edition)[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[3]
Uncut	(Deluxe edition)[2][4]

The album was re-released on September 23, 2003, as a two-CD remastered edition containing a bonus disc of ten tracks recorded live at the Roxy in Los Angeles and a five-track session from BBC Kent in April 1988.

As of 2010, the album has tallied 1,145,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[5] This figure does not include sales of the album between 1988 and 1991.

Track listing

All tracks written by Melissa Etheridge.

1. "Similar Features" – 4:42
2. "Chrome Plated Heart" – 3:59
3. "Like the Way I Do" – 5:23
4. "Precious Pain" – 4:15
5. "Don't You Need" – 4:59
6. "The Late September Dogs" – 6:33
7. "Occasionally" – 2:36
8. "Watching You" – 5:33
9. "Bring Me Some Water" – 3:52
10. "I Want You" – 4:07

Note

• The album lists the running time of "I Want You" as 4:07, but the actual running time is 3:44.

Remastered edition bonus disc

1. "Chrome Plated Heart" – 3:55
2. "Don't You Need" – 4:54
3. "Similar Features" – 4:25
4. "Precious Pain" – 5:55
5. "Occasionally" – 3:11
6. "The Late September Dogs" – 6:34
7. "Watching You" – 5:57
8. "I Want You" – 5:26
9. "Bring Me Some Water" – 5:34
10. "Like The Way I Do" – 10:31
11. "Chrome Plated Heart" – 3:28
12. "Don't You Need" – 4:22
13. "Similar Features" – 4:07
14. "Bring Me Some Water" – 3:37
15. "Precious Pain" – 3:52

Personnel

• Melissa Etheridge – 12 string Ovation acoustic guitar, vocals, production, arranger
• Johnny Lee Schell – guitar
• Waddy Wachtel – guitar
• Kevin McCormick – bass guitar, production
• Scott Thurston – keyboards
• Wally Badarou – keyboards
• Craig Krampf – drums, percussion, production, arranger

Technical

• Niko Bolas – production
• Chris Blackwell – executive producer
• Rob Fraboni – executive producer
• Engineers: Allan Blazek – engineer
• Jim Nipar – engineer
• David Kane – assistant engineer
• Duane Seykora – mixing assistant
• Bob Vogt – mixing assistant
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering
• George DuBose – photography
• Tony Wright – cover design

Charts

Chart (1988–89)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[6]	3
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7]	16
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8]	9
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9]	36
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10]	3
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11]	48
US Billboard 200[12]	22

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1988	"Bring Me Some Water"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	10
1988	"Like the Way I Do"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	28
1988	"Similar Features"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	6
1988	"Similar Features"	Billboard Hot 100	94
1989	"Chrome Plated Heart"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	22

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[13]	2× Platinum	300,000[14]
Austria (IFPI Austria)[15]	Gold	25,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[16]	3× Platinum	300,000^^
Germany (BVMI)[17]	Gold	250,000^^
Netherlands (NVPI)[18]	Gold	50,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[19]	Platinum	15,000^^
United States (RIAA)[20]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^^
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. AllMusic review
2. Album Reviews at CD Universe
3. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City: Simon and Schuster. p. 283. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone melissa etheridge album guide.
4. Uncut review
5. Trust, Gary (August 5, 2010). "Ask Billboard: Records About Records". Billboard. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
6. "Australiancharts.com – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Hung Medien.
7. "Austriancharts.at – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in German). Hung Medien.
8. "Dutchcharts.nl – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
9. "Offiziellecharts.de – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
10. "Charts.nz – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Hung Medien.
11. "Swedishcharts.com – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Hung Medien.
12. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
13. "Aria Album Charts – 1989". Aria Charts.
14. "Pacing the Majors" (PDF). Billboard. January 20, 1990. p. A-10. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
15. "Austrian album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
16. "Canadian album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Music Canada. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
17. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Melissa Etheridge; 'Melissa Etheridge')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
18. "Dutch album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved February 17, 2020. Enter Melissa Etheridge in the "Artiest of titel" box.
19. "New Zealand album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
20. "American album certifications – Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 17, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.