MTV Unplugged
Natalie Merchant sitting on a stool and singing into a microphone
Live album by
10,000 Maniacs
ReleasedOctober 26, 1993 (1993-10-26)[1]
RecordedApril 21, 1993
VenueSony Music, New York City
GenreAlternative rock, folk rock, soft rock
Length60:03
LanguageEnglish
LabelElektra
ProducerPaul Fox
10,000 Maniacs chronology
Our Time in Eden
(1992)		 MTV Unplugged
(1993)		 Love Among the Ruins
(1997)
Singles from MTV Unplugged
  1. "Because the Night"
    Released: October 28, 1993

MTV Unplugged is a 1993 live album and video by American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs, recorded for the MTV Unplugged series. The album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and spawned the hit single "Because the Night", a cover of the song written by Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen. Between the recording and release of the album, vocalist Natalie Merchant left the band to pursue a solo career.

Outtakes

Many songs were recorded during the performance that were not included on the album. These included four takes of "How You've Grown" and a brief take of "Puff the Magic Dragon". In addition, three songs were performed with David Byrne as a guest singer: two takes of "Let the Mystery Be" (one of which was released as a B-side to "Few and Far Between" and reissued on Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings of 10,000 Maniacs), Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and "Dallas".

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB− link
Q link
Rolling Stone link

The album debuted at its No. 13 peak and spent 45 weeks on the Billboard charts.[2] In December 1997, it was certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA.[3]

The single release "Because the Night" reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[4] two positions higher than Patti Smith's original version in 1978.[5] It remains the band's biggest hit.

Track listing

Cassette/CD

  1. "These Are Days" (Rob Buck, Natalie Merchant) – 4:22
  2. "Eat for Two" (Merchant) – 4:12
  3. "Candy Everybody Wants" (Dennis Drew, Merchant) – 3:19
  4. "I'm Not the Man" (Merchant) – 3:46
  5. "Don't Talk" (Drew, Merchant) – 5:22
  6. "Hey Jack Kerouac" (Buck, Merchant) – 3:29
  7. "What's the Matter Here?" (Buck, Merchant) – 4:50
  8. "Gold Rush Brides" (Buck, Merchant) – 4:12
  9. "Like the Weather" (Merchant) – 4:15
  10. "Trouble Me" (Drew, Merchant) – 3:40
  11. "Jezebel" (Merchant) – 4:20
  12. "Because the Night" (Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith) – 3:44
  13. "Stockton Gala Days" (Jerome Augustyniak, Buck, Drew, Steve Gustafson, Merchant) – 5:25
  14. "Noah's Dove" (Merchant) – 5:07

LaserDisc/VHS

  1. "Noah's Dove" (Merchant)
  2. "These Are Days" (Buck, Merchant)
  3. "Eat for Two" (Merchant)
  4. "Candy Everybody Wants" (Drew, Merchant)
  5. "I'm Not the Man" (Merchant)
  6. "Don't Talk" (Drew, Merchant)
  7. "Hey Jack Kerouac" (Buck, Merchant)
  8. "What's the Matter Here?" (Buck, Merchant)
  9. "Gold Rush Brides" (Buck, Merchant)
  10. "Like the Weather" (Merchant)
  11. "Trouble Me" (Drew, Merchant)
  12. "Jezebel" (Merchant)
  13. "Stockton Gala Days" (Augustyniak, Buck, Drew, Gustafson, Merchant)
  14. "Because the Night" (Springsteen, Smith)
  15. "Let the Mystery Be" (Iris DeMent) (with David Byrne)
  16. "Jolene" (Dolly Parton) (with David Byrne)
  17. "Dallas" (Jimmie Dale Gilmore) (with David Byrne) / End Credits
  • During the introduction to "Hey Jack Kerouac", Merchant reads a passage from On the Road by Jack Kerouac. During the introduction to "Gold Rush Brides", she reads a passage from Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey by Lillian Schlissel.[6][7][8]

Personnel

10,000 Maniacs

Additional musicians

Technical

  • Paul Fox – producer
  • Ed Thacker – engineer, mixing
  • Jay Vicari – engineer
  • Mike Scott – engineer
  • Chris Laidlaw – mixing assistant
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering (audio)
  • Ebet Roberts – photography
  • Frank Olinsky – package design (audio)
  • Natalie Merchant – package design
  • Barbara Lambert – package design (video)
  • George Reisz – digital remastering (video)
  • Francis Milano – digital remastering (video)

For MTV

  • Alex Coletti – producer
  • Milton Lage – director
  • John Vesey – editor

Charts

References

  1. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review of MTV Unplugged". AllMusic. All Media Guide.
  2. ↑ "Billboard 200 for week ending 13 November 1993". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  3. ↑ "RIAA – Searchable Database: 10,000 Maniacs". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ "10,000 Maniacs". Billboard.
  5. ↑ "Patti Smith". Billboard.
  6. ↑ Annie's Natalie Merchant Compendium Blog: Gold Rush Brides / Among the Americans
  7. ↑ "Artist for Literacy". Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  8. ↑ Review & Lyrics
  9. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2388". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  10. ↑ "10,000 Maniacs | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  11. ↑ "10,000 Maniacs Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
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