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Pieces of You

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This article is about the Jewel album. For the book by Tablo, see Pieces of You (book).
Pieces of You
Studio album by
Jewel
ReleasedFebruary 28, 1995
Studio
Genre
Length58:31
LabelAtlantic
ProducerBen Keith
Jewel chronology
Pieces of You
(1995) 		Spirit
(1998)
Singles from Pieces of You
  1. "Who Will Save Your Soul"
    Released: June 4, 1996
  2. "You Were Meant for Me"
    Released: November 12, 1996
  3. "Foolish Games"
    Released: July 8, 1997
  4. "Morning Song"
    Released: January 9, 1998

Pieces of You is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Jewel, released on February 28, 1995, by Atlantic Records. It was produced by Ben Keith, who has also produced works for artists such as Neil Young and Patsy Cline. Featuring acoustic guitar-based songs written when Jewel was a teenager, the album is composed of both live recordings from 1994 at the Innerchange, a coffeehouse in San Diego, and studio recordings completed at Neil Young's personal studio in Redwood City, California.[citation needed]

After its release in February 1995, the album initially failed to chart. Two years later, in 1997, Bob Dylan invited Jewel to tour with him as his opening act, which gave the album widespread public exposure. The single "Who Will Save Your Soul" eventually received airplay, and the album peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200, almost exactly two years after its release. Other hits included were "Foolish Games" and "You Were Meant for Me", as well as the UK single "Morning Song". After two years, the album was re-released featuring the re-recorded versions of "You Were Meant for Me" and "Foolish Games". Despite a mixed critical response, the album is listed at number 64 of the "Definitive 200" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[2]

Pieces of You was certified 12-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 30, 2006, denoting shipments in excess of 12 million copies in the United States.[3] As of June 2010, the album had sold over 7.3 million copies in the US,[4] becoming one of the best-selling debut albums of all time.[5]

On September 28, 2020, Jewel announced that the album would be re-released in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the album's release. It was released through Craft Recordings in multiple formats including the original album remastered, alongside a four-disc box set containing B-sides, demos, outtakes, and live performances of the album's songs.[6]

Background

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The bulk of the songs featured on Pieces of You were written by Jewel between the ages of 16 and 19; she has said that "Who Will Save Your Soul" specifically was written while she was busking during a hitchhiking trip she took by herself over spring break from the Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she had been studying on a vocal scholarship.[7]

While living in San Diego, California, Jewel managed to amass a local following while performing in coffee houses and local bars, which resulted in a bootleg being broadcast on 91X FM.[7] Jewel then became subject of a bidding war between labels, eventually signing with Atlantic Records.[7]

Recording

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Several tracks on Pieces of You were recorded live in 1994 at the Innerchange, a San Diego coffeehouse where Jewel was a regular performer.[8] The remainder of the album was recorded in Neil Young's studio at Broken Arrow Ranch in Redwood City, California, under the supervision of producer Ben Keith.[9] Jewel told Time about the recording process:[10]

"[...] Typically I've had difficulty in the studio. I don't sing as raw, it's just a bit more tame. I'm a live singer who's always fed off the energy of the audience. In a studio, you're just looking at a wall—it feels very odd to me. I've been a live performer since I was six years old. The reason I recorded the album live with the band was so that I could play guitar, which I usually never do in the studio, while I sing at the same time. The band was accustomed to following singer-songwriters and feeling for me slowing down and speeding up. It has a real ebb and a flow and a naturalness that didn't inhibit my singing or performance."

In her 2015 memoir, Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story, Jewel described Pieces of You as "imperfect, full of mistakes and guitar flubs", but also "honest".[11]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[13]
Q[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[1]
The Village VoiceC−[15]

Upon its initial release in 1995, the album received little attention, after which Jewel was invited to tour as the opener for Bob Dylan, which helped garner more public attention.[7] Two of the album's singles were re-recorded for a 1997 re-release of the album.

David Browne of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a negative review upon its 1997 re-release, noting, "Pieces of You remains a wimpily produced batch of songs – so ineffectual that both 'Who Will Save Your Soul?' and 'You Were Meant for Me' had to be rerecorded for release as singles. It's best considered as a guided tour through three decades of female folk-pop styles," comparing it negatively to Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush.[13] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice also gave the album a starkly negative review, writing: "With the possible exception of Saint Joan, who at least had some stature, this is the bad folkie joke to end all bad folkie jokes."[15]

Sara Sytsma of AllMusic gave the album a positive review, calling it "a charming collection of light alternative folk-rock from the teenage singer/songwriter. Her songs are occasionally naive, but her melodies can usually save her lyrics."[16] In his review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Pieces of You is a charming debut that is somewhat undone by its own naïveté. Jewel has a rich voice and an innocent, beguiling charm that makes 'Who Will Save Your Soul,' 'I'm Sensitive,' and 'You Were Meant for Me' – songs with slight, simple lyrics and catchy, sweet melodies – quite endearing; they sound like a high-school diary brought to life. [...] Pieces of You has enough charm to make it an ingratiating debut, even if the album doesn't quite fulfill Jewel's potential."[12]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Jewel Kilcher, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Who Will Save Your Soul" 4:00
2."Pieces of You" 4:15
3."Little Sister" 2:29
4."Foolish Games" 5:39
5."Near You Always" 3:08
6."Painters" 6:43
7."Morning Song" 3:35
8."Adrian"
7:02
9."I'm Sensitive" 2:54
10."You Were Meant for Me"
  • Kilcher
  • Poltz
4:13
11."Don't" 3:34
12."Daddy" 3:49
13."Angel Standing By" 2:38
14."Amen" 4:32
Total length:58:31

Personnel

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Musicians

Technical personnel

  • Ben Keith – production
  • Tim Mulligan – production
  • John Nowland – production
  • John Dixon – engineering assistance
  • John Hausmann – engineering assistance
  • Gene Eichelberger – mixing
  • Tim Mulligan – mixing
  • John Nowland – mixing
  • Joe Baldrige – mixing
  • Tim Mulligan – mastering
  • Jenny Price – A&R
  • Gena Maria Rankins – production coordination
  • Tim Mulligan – digital editing
  • Charlotte Caffey – arrangements
  • Jewel Kilcher – arrangements

Art personnel

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Certifications and sales for Pieces of You
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[41] 6× Platinum 420,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[42] 8× Platinum 800,000^
Japan — 60,000[43]
Netherlands (NVPI)[44] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[45] Platinum 15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[46] Gold 25,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[28] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[3] 12× Platinum 8,753,000[a]
Summaries
Worldwide — 12,000,000[50]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ As of June 2010, Pieces of You had sold 7,353,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan,[4] with an additional 1.4 million sold at BMG Music Club.[48] Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[49]

References

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  1. ^ a b Berger, Arion; Walters, Barry (2004). "Jewel". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 431–432. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  2. ^ "The 200 Definitive Albums of All Time". EIL.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-11. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  3. ^ a b "American album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". Recording Industry Association of America. January 30, 2006.
  4. ^ a b Trust, Gary (June 18, 2010). "Ask Billboard: Jewel, Ciara, Ricky Martin". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Jewel – Biography". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  6. ^ "Pieces Of You 25th Anniversary". JewelJK.com. September 28, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d Kilcher, Jewel (March 31, 2017). "22 Minutes with Jewel" (Interview). Interviewed by Brigitte Quinn. CBS New York. Video on YouTube.
  8. ^ Gaar 2002, p. 415.
  9. ^ Dodd 2004, p. 164.
  10. ^ Berman, Eliza (September 11, 2015). "Jewel on Coping With Heartache: 'I Peel Off Every Scab and Stick My Finger in Them". Time.
  11. ^ Gibson, Caitlin (January 18, 2018). "'90s folk superstar Jewel is happy — finally. Now she wants to know: Are you?". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  12. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pieces of You – Jewel". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Browne, David (August 15, 1997). "Pieces of You". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  14. ^ Aizlewood, John (June 1996). "Jewel: Pieces of You". Q. No. 117.
  15. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (July 23, 1996). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  16. ^ Sytsma, Sara. "Pieces of You – Jewel". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  17. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Jewel – Pieces of You". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  18. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Jewel – Pieces of You" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Jewel – Pieces of You" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3367". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  21. ^ "Jewel Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  22. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jewel – Pieces of You" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  23. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 47. November 22, 1997. p. 19. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  24. ^ "Lescharts.com – Jewel – Pieces of You". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  25. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Jewel – Pieces of You" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  26. ^ "Charts.nz – Jewel – Pieces of You". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  27. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Jewel – Pieces of You". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  28. ^ a b Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  29. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Jewel – Pieces of You". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  30. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  31. ^ "Jewel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  32. ^ "Jewel Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  33. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  34. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1997". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  35. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1997". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  36. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  37. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1998". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  38. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  39. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  40. ^ Mayfield, Geoff (December 25, 1999). "Top Pop Albums of the '90s". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. p. YE-20. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  41. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  42. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". Music Canada.
  43. ^ Pride, Dominic; Verna, Paul (December 27, 1997). "Global Market Remains Tough for U.S. Music: Jewel's Fortunes Abroad". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. p. 86. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  44. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Pieces of You in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  45. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  46. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  47. ^ "British album certifications – Jewel – Pieces of You". British Phonographic Industry. July 22, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  48. ^ David, Barry (February 18, 2003). "Shania, Backstreet, Britney, Eminem And Janet Top All Time Sellers". Music Industry News Network. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  49. ^ Caulfield, Keith (January 25, 2008). "Ask Billboard: One More for 'One More Time'?". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  50. ^ Vega, George (November 8, 2020). "Jewel reflects on her 1995 debut album, which sold 12 million copies and changed her life". Retrieved April 17, 2022.

Bibliography

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