On How Life Is
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Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Unsubst-infobox". 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.[1][2]
The album's second single, "I Try", became an international success, topping the charts in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand,[3][4] while reaching number five on the US Billboard Hot 100.[5] The song also won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2001.[6]
Critical reception
Template:Music ratings 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."[7]
Track listing
Template:Track listing Template:Track listing
Sample credits
- "Do Something" contains a sample of "Git Up, Git Out" by OutKast and "Funky for You" by Nice & Smooth.
- "I've Committed Murder" contains a sample of "Live Right Now" by Eddie Harris and an interpolation of "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story" by Francis Lai & His Orchestra.
- "A Moment to Myself" contains a sample of "Human Beat Box" by The Fat Boys, excerpts of "The Wildstyle" by Time Zone, and a sample of "Entropy (Hip Hop Reconstruction from the Ground Up)" by DJ Shadow & the Groove Robbers.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of On How Life Is.[8]
Musicians
- Macy Gray – lead vocals, vocal arrangements (all tracks)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; backing vocals (tracks 1, 3–5, 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Dawn Beckman – backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 5–9)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Musiic Galloway – backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 5–10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Jeremy Ruzumna – backing vocals (track 1)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; organ (tracks 1, 4–6, 8)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; piano (tracks 1, 7, 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; electric piano, Moog (track 2)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; Farfisa, clavinet (track 3)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; Rhodes (tracks 5, 6)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; Optigan, Chamberlin (track 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- David Wilder – backing vocals (track 1)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; bass (tracks 1, 4)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Jinsoo Lim – guitar (tracks 1, 2)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Arik Marshall – guitar (tracks 1, 7–10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Lenny Castro – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 7–9)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Matt Chamberlain – percussion (tracks 1, 3, 9, 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; drums (all tracks)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Darryl Swann – backing vocals, guitar (track 3)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; programming (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8–10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; vocal arrangements (all tracks)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- DJ Kiilu – turntables (tracks 2, 8, 9)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; programming (track 8)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Jon Brion – Chamberlin (tracks 2, 3, 8, 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; synths (tracks 3, 8)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; guitar (tracks 3–6, 8–10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; piano (tracks 4, 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; orchestra bells (track 4)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; vibes (tracks 7, 8)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; marimba (track 8)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; Optigan (track 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Patrick Warren – vibes (track 2)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; Chamberlin (tracks 2–4, 7, 8)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; synths (track 3)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; Rhodes, Wurlitzer (track 9)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Dion Derek Murdock – bass (tracks 2, 6)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Sy Smith – backing vocals (tracks 3, 5, 7)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Bendrix Williams – guitar (track 4)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Rami Jaffee – synths (track 5)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".; piano, Optigan, Chamberlin (track 10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Blackbyrd McKnight – guitar (track 5)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Gabriel Moses – guitar (track 5)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Steve Baxter – horn (track 6)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Charlie Green – horn (track 6)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Michael Harris – horn (track 6)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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- Greg Richling – bass (tracks 6–10)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- David Campbell – string arrangement (track 7)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Jay Joyce – guitar (track 7)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Ngozi Inyama – sax solo (track 8)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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
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Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
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Certifications and sales
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Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | July 1, 1999 | Sony | [14] |
| United States | July 27, 1999 | Epic | [34] |
Notes
References
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