On_How_Life_Is

<i>On How Life Is</i>

On How Life Is

1999 studio album by Macy Gray

On How Life Is is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Macy Gray. It was released on July 1, 1999, by Epic Records and Clean Slate. Produced by Andrew Slater, it became Gray's best-selling album to date, selling 3.4 million copies in the United States and seven million copies worldwide.[6][7]

Quick Facts On How Life Is, Studio album by Macy Gray ...

The album's second single, "I Try", became an international success, topping the charts in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand,[8][9] while reaching number five on the US Billboard Hot 100.[10] The song also won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001.[11]

Critical reception

More information Review scores, Source ...

On How Life Is was met with highly positive reviews from music critics upon its release, with many praising Gray's songwriting and vocal performance. Q rated the album four out of five stars, calling it a "confident, bluesy soul debut [...] with a lived-in sound – as if Rod Stewart were a girl."[20]

Track listing

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All lyrics are written by Macy Gray. All tracks are produced by Andrew Slater

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Sample credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of On How Life Is.[25]

Musicians

  • Macy Gray – lead vocals, vocal arrangements (all tracks); backing vocals (tracks 1, 3–5, 10)
  • Dawn Beckman – backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 5–9)
  • Musiic Galloway – backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 5–10)
  • Jeremy Ruzumna – backing vocals (track 1); organ (tracks 1, 4–6, 8); piano (tracks 1, 7, 10); electric piano, Moog (track 2); Farfisa, clavinet (track 3); Rhodes (tracks 5, 6); Optigan, Chamberlin (track 10)
  • David Wilder – backing vocals (track 1); bass (tracks 1, 4)
  • Jinsoo Lim – guitar (tracks 1, 2)
  • Arik Marshall – guitar (tracks 1, 7–10)
  • Lenny Castro – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 7–9)
  • Matt Chamberlain – percussion (tracks 1, 3, 9, 10); drums (all tracks)
  • Darryl Swann – backing vocals, guitar (track 3); programming (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8–10); vocal arrangements (all tracks)
  • DJ Kiilu – turntables (tracks 2, 8, 9); programming (track 8)
  • Jon Brion – Chamberlin (tracks 2, 3, 8, 10); synths (tracks 3, 8); guitar (tracks 3–6, 8–10); piano (tracks 4, 10); orchestra bells (track 4); vibes (tracks 7, 8); marimba (track 8); Optigan (track 10)
  • Patrick Warren – vibes (track 2); Chamberlin (tracks 2–4, 7, 8); synths (track 3); Rhodes, Wurlitzer (track 9)
  • Dion Derek Murdock – bass (tracks 2, 6)
  • Sy Smith – backing vocals (tracks 3, 5, 7)
  • Bendrix Williams – guitar (track 4)
  • Rami Jaffee – synths (track 5); piano, Optigan, Chamberlin (track 10)
  • Blackbyrd McKnight – guitar (track 5)
  • Gabriel Moses – guitar (track 5)
  • Steve Baxter – horn (track 6)
  • Charlie Green – horn (track 6)
  • Michael Harris – horn (track 6)
  • Miles Tackett – guitar (track 6)
  • Greg Richling – bass (tracks 6–10)
  • David Campbell – string arrangement (track 7)
  • Jay Joyce – guitar (track 7)
  • Ngozi Inyama – sax solo (track 8)

Technical

  • Andrew Slater – production
  • Dave Way – recording, mixing
  • Darryl "D-Style" Swann – additional engineering
  • Howard Willing – first assistant engineer
  • Dave Reed – second assistant engineer
  • Kevin Dean – second assistant engineer
  • Jeff Walch – second assistant engineer
  • Michelle Forbes – second assistant engineer
  • Sherry Sutcliff – production coordination

Artwork

  • Stéphane Sednaoui – photography
  • Hooshik – art direction, design
  • Frank Harkins – art direction

Charts

More information Chart (1999–2000), Peak position ...

Certifications and sales

‹See Tfd›‹See Tfd›

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Release history

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Notes

  1. In Japan, "I Try" was released as a double A-side with "Do Something" on July 23, 1999.[3]

References

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