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Ophelia (album)

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Ophelia
Studio album by
Natalie Merchant
ReleasedMay 19, 1998
RecordedJuly 1996 – May 1997
Studio
  • Talking Dwarf (Little Valley, New York)
  • AIR (London, UK)
  • Ocean Way (Hollywood, California)
GenrePop, rock, folk
Length56:38
LabelElektra
ProducerNatalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant chronology
Tigerlily
(1995) 		Ophelia
(1998) 		Live in Concert
(1999)
Singles from Ophelia
  1. "Kind & Generous"
    Released: May 5, 1998
  2. "Break Your Heart"
    Released: 1998
  3. "Life Is Sweet"
    Released: 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Sun-Times[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB[3]
The Guardian[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]
Pitchfork4.1/10[6]
Q[7]
Rolling Stone[8]
Uncut[9]
USA Today[10]

Ophelia is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant, released on May 19, 1998, by Elektra Records. The album was supported by the singles "Kind & Generous" and "Break Your Heart", with the former being the most successful single of the album, reaching the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay Chart. "Break Your Heart" also received single and video treatment. These and the other videos from the album, plus three from Tigerlily, were gathered on a Warner Music Vision home video, also entitled Ophelia. "I love the opportunity to flex my thespian muscle," Merchant quips on it.[11] The album became Merchant's only top ten hit on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number eight.

Merchant built Talking Dwarf Studio in her home and this was the sole recording made in her home studio; she sold the audio equipment in 2022.[12]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs were written by Natalie Merchant.[13]

  1. "Ophelia" – 5:10
  2. "Life is Sweet" – 5:12
  3. "Kind & Generous" – 4:07
  4. "Frozen Charlotte" (with Karen Peris of The Innocence Mission) – 5:23
  5. "My Skin" – 5:30
  6. "Break Your Heart" (with N'Dea Davenport) – 4:47
  7. "King of May" – 4:09
  8. "Thick as Thieves" – 6:57
  9. "Effigy" – 2:30
  10. "The Living" – 3:18
  11. "When They Ring the Golden Bells" (with Karen Peris of The Innocence Mission) / "Ophelia (Reprise)" (string arrangement by Gavin Bryars; hidden track) – 9:33

Personnel

[edit]
  • Natalie Merchant – vocals, Wurlitzer electric piano (4, 9), acoustic piano (5, 10), Hammond organ (9)
  • George Laks – acoustic piano (1, 2), organ (1), Wurlitzer electric piano (3), Hammond organ (3, 7), Rhodes piano (7)
  • Ken Appollo – barrel organ (1)
  • Todd Vos – electric guitar (1)
  • Craig Ross – electric guitar (2, 3, 6), acoustic guitar (2, 5, 7)
  • Lokua Kanza – acoustic guitar (3, 6)
  • Don Peris – electric guitar (4, 11)
  • Donnie Ward – electric guitar (6)
  • Daniel Lanois – electric guitar (8)
  • Karen Peris – vocals (4, 11), acoustic guitar (11)
  • Graham Maby – bass (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11)
  • Jay Brunga – acoustic bass (5)
  • Peter Yanowitz – drums (1–8, 10, 11)
  • Joakim Lartey – percussion (3)
  • Michelle Kinney – cello (1, 5, 8)
  • Karl Berger – string arrangements and conductor (2, 6, 7)
  • Garo Yellin – cello (2, 6, 7)
  • Ralph Farris – viola (2, 6, 7)
  • Conway Kuo – viola (2, 6, 7)
  • Hector Falcon – violin (2, 6, 7)
  • Krystof Witek – violin (2, 6, 7)
  • Tom Varner – French horn (2)
  • Chris Botti – trumpet (6)
  • N'Dea Davenport – vocals (6)
  • Yungchen Lhamo – vocals (9), Tibetan translation (9)

Credits for "Ophelia" and "Ophelia (Reprise)"

  • Camille Labro – French voice (1)
  • Susanna Schmitz – German voice (1)
  • Carmen Consoli – Italian voice (1)
  • Bella Urina – Russian voice (1)
  • Rocio Paez – Spanish voice (1)
  • Christopher Wilson – theorbo (11.3)
  • Pamela Thorby – recorder (11.3)
  • William Hunt – string bass (11.3)
  • Susanna Pell – bass viol (11.3)
  • Richard Campbell – tenor viol (11.3)
  • Julia Hodgson – tenor viol (11.3)
  • Wendy Gillespie – treble viol (11.3)

Technical personnel

  • Todd Vos – engineer (1–7, 10, 11.1)
  • John Holbrook – engineer (8, 9)
  • Rupert Coulson – engineer (11.3)
  • Ricky Graham – assistant engineer (11.3)
  • Jim Scott – mixing
  • Mike Scotella – mix assistant
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine)
  • Helene Silverman – package design
  • Mark Seliger – photography
  • Cynthia Rowley – costume designs

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[21] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[22] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ophelia – Natalie Merchant". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  2. ^ "Natalie Merchant, 'Ophelia' (Elektra)". Chicago Sun-Times. May 17, 1998. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  3. ^ Browne, David (May 29, 1998). "Ophelia". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  4. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (June 19, 1998). "Natalie Merchant: Ophelia (Elektra)". The Guardian.
  5. ^ Nichols, Natalie (June 12, 1998). "Merchant Experiments With Mix of Sounds on 'Ophelia'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  6. ^ Lieberman, Neil. "Natalie Merchant: Ophelia". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 17, 2005. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
  7. ^ Mountain, Jane (August 1998). "Natalie Merchant: Ophelia". Q. No. 143. Archived from the original on November 12, 2004. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  8. ^ Hunter, James (June 11, 1998). "Natalie Merchant: Ophelia". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  9. ^ Williamson, Nigel (August 1998). "Her time in Eden". Uncut. No. 15. p. 88.
  10. ^ Gundersen, Edna (June 9, 1998). "Natalie Merchant, Ophelia". USA Today.
  11. ^ Q, , May 1999
  12. ^ Stewart, Alison (March 30, 2023). "Listen: Natalie Merchant on WNYC's 'All of It with Alison Stewart'". All of It. WNYC. Retrieved March 31, 2023 – via Nonesuch Records.
  13. ^ "Ophelia". AllMusic. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  14. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 185.
  15. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3582". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  16. ^ "Charts.nz – Natalie Merchant – Ophelia". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  18. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "Natalie Merchant Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  20. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  21. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Natalie Merchant – Ophelia". Music Canada. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "American album certifications – Natalie Merchant – Ophelia". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
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