The Trouble with Being Myself
2003 studio album by Macy Gray
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The Trouble with Being Myself is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Macy Gray, released on April 28, 2003, by Epic Records. The album peaked at number 44 on the Billboard 200, and by February 2007, it had sold 134,000 copies in the United States.[12] Despite not being a major commercial success, The Trouble with Being Myself received mostly positive reviews. The album spawned the single "When I See You".
ReleasedApril 28, 2003
Studios
- Paramount (Hollywood, California)
- Ameraycan (North Hollywood, California)
- O'Henry Sound (Burbank, California)
- Royaltone (North Hollywood, California)
Length49:00
| The Trouble with Being Myself | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 28, 2003 | |||
| Studios |
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| Genres | ||||
| Length | 49:00 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Macy Gray | |||
| Macy Gray chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Trouble with Being Myself | ||||
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| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The A.V. Club | Mixed[3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[4] |
| The Guardian | [5] |
| PopMatters | Positive[6] |
| Rolling Stone | [7] |
| Spin | B+[8] |
| Uncut | [9] |
| USA Today | [10] |
| The Village Voice | B+[11] |
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Macy Gray.
| No. | Title | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "When I See You" |
| 3:43 | |
| 2. | "It Ain't the Money" (featuring Pharoahe Monch) |
|
| 4:07 |
| 3. | "She Ain't Right for You" |
|
| 4:12 |
| 4. | "Things That Made Me Change" |
| 4:29 | |
| 5. | "Come Together" |
| 4:35 | |
| 6. | "She Don't Write Songs About You" |
|
| 4:39 |
| 7. | "Jesus for a Day" |
| 3:30 | |
| 8. | "My Fondest Childhood Memories" |
|
| 3:36 |
| 9. | "Happiness" |
|
| 4:13 |
| 10. | "Speechless" |
| Gray | 4:06 |
| 11. | "Screamin'" | Gray |
| 3:16 |
| 12. | "Every Now and Then" |
|
| 4:34 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Lie to Me" |
| 5:34 |
| 14. | "It's Love" |
| 5:40 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "We Will Rock You" | Brian May | 3:03 |
Notes
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Trouble with Being Myself.[15]
Musicians
- Macy Gray – vocals (all tracks); backing vocals (tracks 2, 6, 12)
- Dallas Austin – ARP, guitar (track 1); programming (tracks 3, 4); backing vocals (track 5)
- Scott Breadman – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4–8, 12)
- DJ Kiilu Grand – programming (tracks 1, 2, 11); turntables (tracks 2, 9)
- Fanny Franklin – backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4)
- Victor Indrizzo – drums (tracks 1–9, 11, 12); guitar (tracks 1, 2, 9); guitar loops (track 5)
- Adam MacDougall – Moog (tracks 1, 3); Hammond (track 10); piano (track 11)
- Justin Meldal-Johnsen – bass (tracks 1–4, 6–9, 12); backing vocals (track 2)
- Audra Cunningham Nishita – backing vocals (track 1)
- Mark Ronson – guitar (tracks 1, 11); programming, turntables (track 2)
- Jeremy Ruzumna – Wurlitzer (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 8–10, 12); synthesizer (tracks 1, 2, 6, 9, 11); piano (tracks 1, 8, 10); turntables (track 2); programming (tracks 2, 5, 10); Moog (tracks 2, 6, 11); Hammond (tracks 3, 5, 8); clavinet (track 5); Chamberlin (track 9); organ (track 12)
- Sy Smith – backing vocals (tracks 1, 4, 5, 11); choir leader (track 9)
- Beck – backing vocals, guitar (track 2)
- Dawn Beckman – backing vocals (tracks 2, 5, 6, 11); choir leader (track 9)
- Pharoahe Monch – backing vocals (track 2)
- Chino Smith – backing vocals (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8)
- David Campbell – string arrangements (tracks 3, 7)
- Jinsoo Lim – guitar (track 3)
- Zac Rae – Rhodes (tracks 3, 4); Chamberlin (tracks 3, 4, 8–10); Farfisa (tracks 5, 8); piano (tracks 5, 10); clavinet, organ (track 7); Wurlitzer (tracks 7, 9); tack piano (track 8); synthesizer (track 10)
- Rick Shepherd – programming (tracks 3, 4, 6)
- Printz Board – flugelhorn (track 4); trumpet (tracks 4, 12)
- Arik Marshall – guitar (tracks 4, 5, 7, 8, 10)
- Tom "Tombone" Rawls – trombone (tracks 4, 12)
- Danielle Thomas – backing vocals (tracks 4, 5, 8)
- Tracy Wannomae – bass clarinet (track 4); saxophone (track 12)
- Marsha Ambrosius – backing vocals (track 5); opera vocals (track 8)
- Steve Baxter – trombone (tracks 5, 12)
- Charles Green – saxophone (tracks 5, 12)
- Mike Harris – trumpet (tracks 5, 12)
- Natalie Stewart – backing vocals (track 5)
- Chris Thomas – bass (track 5)
- Darryl Swann – programming (tracks 6, 9); guitar (track 9)
- Bobby Ross Avila – backing vocals (track 7); piano (tracks 7, 12)
- Traci Nelson – backing vocals (track 7)
- Dave Rolicke – saxophone, trombone (track 8)
- Ericka Yancey – backing vocals (track 8)
- Logan Duntzelman – kids choir (track 9)
- Aanisah Hinds – kids choir (track 9)
- Happy Hinds – kids choir (track 9)
- Tahmel Hinds – kids choir (track 9)
- Courtney Johnson – kids choir (track 9)
- Joia Johnson – kids choir (track 9)
- Chris Richardson – kids choir (track 9)
- Sonny Swann – kids choir (track 9)
- Marina Bambino – percussion (tracks 10, 12); backing vocals (tracks 11, 12)
- Herb Graham Jr. – drums (track 10)
- Lukas Haas – acoustic guitar, backing vocals (track 10)
- Dave Wilder – bass (track 10)
- Rama Duke – backing vocals (track 11)
- Mike Elizondo – bass (track 11)
- Esthero – backing vocals (track 11)
- Kam Talbert – backing vocals (track 11)
- Israel Avila – programming (track 12)
Technical
- Dallas Austin – co-production (tracks 1, 3–5, 7, 8, 12); executive production
- Dave Way – co-production (tracks 1, 5); recording, mixing, Pro Tools (all tracks)
- Darryl Swann – vocal production (tracks 1, 7); co-production (tracks 6, 9)
- Thom Russo – additional mixing (track 1); Pro Tools (all tracks)
- DJ Kiilu Grand – co-production (tracks 2, 11)
- Chris Wonzer – additional engineering (tracks 2, 11); engineering assistance (all tracks)
- Macy Gray – production
- Mike Melnick – additional engineering
- Neil Ward – additional engineering
- Tim Lauber – engineering assistance
- Christine Sirois – engineering assistance
- Ted Jensen – mastering
Artwork
- Hooshik – art direction, design
- David LaChapelle – photography
Charts
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[16] | 23 |
| Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[17] | 5 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[18] | 27 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] | 12 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[20] | 22 |
| Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[21] | 88 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[22] | 34 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23] | 18 |
| European Albums (Music & Media)[24] | 25 |
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] | 19 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[26] | 61 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] | 46 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[28] | 40 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)[29] | 20 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[30] | 53 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[31] | 41 |
| Polish Albums (ZPAV)[32] | 22 |
| Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[33] | 22 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] | 10 |
| UK Albums (Official Charts)[35] | 17 |
| UK R&B Albums (Official Charts)[36] | 5 |
| US Billboard 200[37] | 44 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[38] | 29 |