"Bring Me Some Water" | ||||
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Single by Melissa Etheridge | ||||
from the album Melissa Etheridge | ||||
B-side | "Occasionally" | |||
Released | July 1988 [1] | |||
Studio | Cherokee I (Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 3:52 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Songwriter(s) | Melissa Etheridge | |||
Producer(s) |
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Melissa Etheridge singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative covers | ||||
"Bring Me Some Water" is the debut single of American singer Melissa Etheridge. It was released in 1988 and became a hit in several countries, reaching the top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, and on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.
Melissa Etheridge wrote the song after the initial version of her debut album was rejected by the recording company, which left her only four days to provide new material and a modified edition of the album. At the time, she was residing in Los Angeles while her girlfriend, Kathleen, lived elsewhere, so Etheridge had reluctantly agreed to make theirs a non-monogamous relationship.[ citation needed ] The song tells about the pain and jealousy arising from thoughts of her lover being intimate with someone else. There are many metaphors in the lyrics describing her emotional state, principally the chorus line: "Somebody bring me some water – can't you see I'm burning alive." Many other songs on the album deal with the same subject.
Musically, "Bring Me Some Water" is a classic rock song with some blues themes. During an interview featured on the bonus DVD of Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled , Etheridge says:
"I remember sitting in my living room and I loved the blues. I am of the rock 'n' roll school where it comes from the rhythm and blues based music, and so there was this kind of beat that I wanted." [2]
Furthermore, she states that, of all the songs she has written, "Bring Me Some Water" is the one with the highest recognition value and that wherever she plays the song in the world, everybody at her concerts knows the song after the first seconds of the intro. [3]
Etheridge has collaborated with contemporary pop musicians on two notable recorded-live television performances of this song: Joan Osborne, who appeared as one of several guest artists on the inaugural November 22, 1995, episode of the VH1 Duets series; [4] and Kelly Clarkson on the September 17, 2009 VH1 Divas concert special. [5]
"Bring Me Some Water" was remade by American blues artist Koko Taylor and recorded on her 2000 album, Royal Blue. [6]
All songs were written by Melissa Etheridge.
7-inch and Australian cassette single [7] [8]
UK 12-inch and CD single [9] [10]
Australian 12-inch single [11]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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"Come to My Window" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1993 as the second single from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). This was the first song to become a hit after Etheridge publicly announced that she was a lesbian. With the driving force of gay rights, the song gained substantial airplay on radio stations, mostly through call-in requests. The song debuted on the Billboard charts after the first week of its release, reaching number 25 on the chart, remaining on the Hot 100 for 44 weeks and being certified Gold. The song also charted in Canada, reaching number 13 on the RPM Top Singles chart. It was the second song from Etheridge that earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. In 2019, Billboard included "Come to My Window" in its list of the "30 Lesbian Love Songs".
"From a Distance" is a song by American singer-songwriter Julie Gold, initially penned in 1985. Gold's friend Christine Lavin introduced the song to Nanci Griffith, who first recorded it for her 1987 album Lone Star State of Mind. A successful cover version by Bette Midler was released in 1990.
"What I Am" is a song written by Edie Brickell and Kenny Withrow and recorded by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians for their debut album, Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars (1988). The song is highlighted by a guitar solo that notably features an envelope filter. It peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100, topped the Canadian RPM 100 Singles chart, and became a top-20 hit in Australia and New Zealand. "What I Am" was ranked number 23 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s".
"Unskinny Bop" is a song by American glam metal band Poison, released as the first single from their third studio album, Flesh & Blood (1990), on June 18, 1990. The song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, number five on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and number one on Canada's The Record chart. It also entered the top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
"This Kiss" is a song by American country music singer Faith Hill from her third studio album Faith. It was written by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner and Annie Roboff, and produced by Hill and Byron Gallimore. It was released on February 23, 1998, as the album's first single.
"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching No. 12 in Canada and No. 26 in the Netherlands. In the United States, it was slow to gain momentum, but after the success of "Come to My Window", it was re-released, peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in January 1995. It remains Etheridge's biggest hit on either chart and earned her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1995.
"Read My Lips" is a song written by Tony King and Roy Nicolson, produced by Leon Berger for Australian singer Melissa's first album, Fresh (1992). It was released as the album's first single in Australia on 20 May 1991, while Melissa was starring as Nikki Spencer on the Australian soap opera E Street. It became her first and only number-one hit when it topped the Australian ARIA Singles Chart in July 1991.
"Sexy (Is the Word)" is a song by Australian singer Melissa (Tkautz). It was released as her second single, following "Read My Lips". Like "Read My Lips", "Sexy (Is the Word)" was launched via the television series that Tkautz was starring in at the time, E Street. The song appears on her debut album, Fresh (1992).
"Constant Craving" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang and Ben Mink, performed by lang and included on her second solo album, Ingénue (1992). The song was released in the United Kingdom in April 1992 and won lang a Grammy Award in the category for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1993, as well as an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Romanek.
"No Souvenirs" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, release as the second single from her second album, Brave and Crazy, in August 1989. Despite peaking at number 95 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the song experienced more success internationally, reaching number 30 in Australia and number four in Canada, where it became Etheridge's highest-charting single until "I Want to Come Over" reached number one in 1996.
"Like the Way I Do" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released as the second US single from her first album, Melissa Etheridge (1988). In the United Kingdom, "Don't You Need" was released as the second single.
"Angels Would Fall" is a song by American musician Melissa Etheridge, released as the first single from her sixth album, Breakdown (1999), on August 31, 1999.
"If I Wanted To" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1994 as the final single from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). The song entered the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and the United States.
"You Ain’t Thinking " is a song by American soul group Sonia Dada. It was released on January 31, 1993, as the group's second single from their debut studio album and peaked at number three on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, number 19 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and number 68 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. It was certified gold in Australia for shipments exceeding 35,000 copies.
"Don't Call Me Baby" is a song by English-American alternative pop rock band Voice of the Beehive. The song was written by lead singer Tracey Bryn with guitarist and keyboardist Mike Jones and was released as the fourth single from the band's debut album, Let It Bee (1988), on May 2, 1988. Backed with "Jump This Way" outside the US, it became a hit, peaking at No. 15 in the United Kingdom, No. 48 in Australia, and No. 25 in New Zealand. The song was included on the band's compilation albums A Portrait and The Best of Voice of the Beehive.
"Your Little Secret" is the first single and title track from American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge's fifth studio album of the same name (1995). The song was released to US radio stations on October 9, 1995.
"I Want to Come Over" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge. It was released in late January 1996 as the second single from her fifth studio album, Your Little Secret (1995). The song was a commercial success, reaching number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 29 in both Australia and New Zealand. It also reached number one on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart in March 1996. At the end of the year, the song appeared on the American and Canadian year-end charts at numbers 79 and 11, respectively.
"Take the L" is a song by American new wave band The Motels, which was released in 1982 as the second single from their third studio album All Four One. The song was written by Marty Jourard, Martha Davis and Carter, and produced by Val Garay. "Take the L" peaked at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Don't Tell Me the Time" is a song by American singer-songwriter Martha Davis, which was released in 1987 as the lead single from her debut solo studio album Policy. The song was written by Davis and produced by Richie Zito. "Don't Tell Me the Time" peaked at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart.
"Heart of Gold" is a song by English band Johnny Hates Jazz, released by Virgin in 1988 as the fourth single from their debut studio album Turn Back the Clock (1987). The song was written by Clark Datchler and produced by Calvin Hayes and Mike Nocito. It reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for seven weeks.
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