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Your Little Secret (song)

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"Your Little Secret"
Single by Melissa Etheridge
from the album Your Little Secret
ReleasedOctober 9, 1995 (1995-10-09)
Length4:20
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)Melissa Etheridge
Producer(s)Hugh Padgham
Melissa Etheridge singles chronology
"If I Wanted To"
(1994) 		"Your Little Secret"
(1995) 		"I Want to Come Over"
(1996)

"Your Little Secret" is the first single and title track from American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge's fifth studio album of the same name (1995). The song was released to US radio stations on October 9, 1995.

Production

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The song was written by Melissa Etheridge. "Your Little Secret" (as well as the album) was produced by British record producer Hugh Padgham, who had also produced Etheridge's breakthrough 1993 album, Yes I Am.[1] After the pop music success of singles from Yes I Am, "Your Little Secret" was marketed as a single for the alternative and modern rock music genres.[1]

The single was released to US radio stations on October 9, 1995, with an emphasis on alternative and modern rock format stations.[1]

Critical reception

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Steve Baltin from Cash Box picked the song as Pick of the Week, noting that "this fiery rocker with the blues base has been immediately embraced at all formats of radio, successfully continuing the singles success she had with her breakthrough album, last year’s Yes I Am." He added, "Featuring the singer/songwriter’s infamous snarl on the song’s seductive chonis, “Your Little Secret” encapsulates all of the traits that have catapulted Etheridge into the best-bet category among pop/rock acts. And with VH1 all over this track, and two upcoming specials on the channel, expect this album to break out big."[2]

Music video

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The accompanying music video for "Your Little Secret" was directed by David Hogan.[1][3][4] The black and white video features Etheridge performing with her band against a white background. Etheridge, as well as the video's dancers, are seen through a keyhole, a recurring theme for the Your Little Secret album.[4] In addition to the music video, the keyhole imagery was also utilized on the CD single cover art, the album cover, and the marketing campaign for the album.[1]

The video depicts a woman, as well as other men and women, scaling and climbing a human wall of attractive male and female models.[1][4] Etheridge and Hogan had become personal and professional friends. Hogan conceived the concept of a wall after listening to "You Little Secret" on repeat. In a 2015 interview, Hogan explained, "We [he and Etheridge] had met at a party through mutual friends and did our first video. We've remained friends ever since. She just called me about that one and I sat and listened to the song ['Your Little Secret'] over and over, as usual. It just kind of popped into my head. 'Little secrets, I've got a whole wall of little secrets.' So that's kind of where it came from."[3] Two women kiss on screen, while other men and women get intimately close with each other.[1][3]

According to Steve Reeds, the then Vice President of video and alternative radio, the music video's themes were positively received by MTV and VH1.[1] The music video received a VH1 Fashion Awards nomination in 1996 for "Most Stylish Video."[4]

Track listings

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Charts

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Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States October 9, 1995 Radio Island [1]
United Kingdom October 23, 1995
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [21]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Newman, Melinda (October 14, 1995). "Island Targeting Etheridge Abroad (page 92)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  2. ^ Baltin, Steve (November 11, 1995). "Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 13. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Lindsay, Bethany (July 27, 2015). "Interview: Music Video Director David Hogan". Songfacts.com. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Luck, Joyce (1997). "Melissa Etheridge: Our Little Secret (page 194)". ECW Press (Google Books). ISBN 9781550222982. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  5. ^ Your Little Secret (Canadian CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1995. 422 854 453-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ Your Little Secret (Australian CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1995. 854 453-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Your Little Secret (European CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1995. 854 452-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Your Little Secret (UK CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1995. CID608, 854 451-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ "Melissa Etheridge – Your Little Secret". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  10. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2851." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2822." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "Melissa Etheridge – Your Little Secret" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  13. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 45, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "Melissa Etheridge – Your Little Secret" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  15. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  16. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  18. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  19. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  20. ^ "RPM Year-End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  21. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. October 21, 1995. p. 35. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
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