Who Will Save Your Soul

Last updated
"Who Will Save Your Soul"
Who Will Save Your Soul Commercial US cover art.jpg
US CD variant of standard artwork
Single by Jewel
from the album Pieces of You
B-side "Near You Always"
ReleasedApril 23, 1996 (1996-04-23)
Length4:00 (radio version)
5:03 (unedited master take)
3:08 (demo)
6:14 (live version)
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Jewel Kilcher
Producer(s) Ben Keith
Jewel singles chronology
"Who Will Save Your Soul"
(1996)
"You Were Meant for Me"
(1996)
Music video
"Who Will Save Your Soul" on YouTube

"Who Will Save Your Soul" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jewel. It was the first song released from her first studio album, Pieces of You (1995), and became a hit in North America and Australasia, peaking at number seven in Canada, number 11 in the United States, number 14 in New Zealand, and number 27 in Australia. It was also moderately successful in the United Kingdom, reaching number 52 on the UK Singles Chart.

Contents

Background

Jewel has said that "Who Will Save Your Soul" was the first song that she ever wrote and has explained her creative process in interviews and on-stage as:

When I was about sixteen years old I took a train from Michigan to San Diego and then into Tijuana and hitchhiked around Mexico. It seemed like everybody else was looking for somebody to save them. I wrote it during that trip, but I had no idea it would ever be on a record.[ citation needed ]

The original version of "Who Will Save Your Soul" was never released on Pieces of You . During the process of picking songs, it was decided that it would be re-recorded for its radio release, which removes a verse. A commercial single of "Who Will Save Your Soul" was released in the United States in 1996. It became Jewel's first hit single, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard called the song a "charmer". He added, "Amid a spare setting of strumming guitars, twinkling piano lines, and playful percussion, she comes off a tad like Joan Osborne, but with less earthy grit and more girlish glee. If there is a hit for Jewel on this album, this is probably her best shot. The odds appear to be in her favor." [1] Steve Baltin from Cash Box wrote that on songs like “Who Will Save Your Soul”, "Jewel shows a depth people three times her age will never approach." [2]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Who Will Save Your Soul" was directed by Geoff Moore. The video features Jewel singing the song interspersed with the goings-on in a restroom. It is shown in both black-and-white and color and was filmed in the women's restroom at Los Angeles City Hall. It was nominated for MTV Video Music Awards in the Best Female Video and Best New Artist in a Video categories.

Awards

YearAward-giving bodyAwardResult
1996 MTV Video Music Awards Best Female VideoNominated
1996MTV Video Music AwardsBest New ArtistNominated
1997 Grammy Awards Best Female Pop Vocal PerformanceNominated

Track listings

  1. "Who Will Save Your Soul" – 4:00
  2. "Near You Always" – 3:08
  1. "Who Will Save Your Soul" – 4:00
  2. "Pieces of You" – 4:15
  3. "Emily" – 3:15
  1. "Who Will Save Your Soul" – 4:00
  2. "Emily" – 3:15

Charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesApril 23, 1996 Contemporary hit radio Atlantic [26]
May 14, 1996Cassette [27]
June 4, 1996CD [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Name (song)</span> 1995 single by Goo Goo Dolls

"Name" is a song by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in September 1995 as the third single from their fifth studio album, A Boy Named Goo (1995). "Name" became the band's first major hit, topping both the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Album Rock Tracks chart. It also reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, "Name" peaked at number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number one on the RPM Alternative 30.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foolish Games</span> 1997 single by Jewel

"Foolish Games" is a song by American singer-songwriter Jewel from her debut studio album, Pieces of You (1995). It was also the third single to be lifted from the Batman & Robin motion-picture soundtrack. Jewel re-recorded the single for the soundtrack to produce a more radio-friendly version, similar to her other singles "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "You Were Meant for Me". This version is shorter than the album version by one verse. The song details the frustration and agony of knowing that the intensity of one's love is not reciprocated by one's lover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hands (Jewel song)</span> 1998 single by Jewel

"Hands" is a song by American singer Jewel, released as the first single from her second studio album, Spirit (1998). Jewel wrote the song following an incident in which she considered stealing a sundress after getting fired from various jobs due to kidney troubles, and she decided that her hands were better suited to writing songs than stealing clothes. Written as one of the last songs for the album, the lyrics express how the smallest decisions have the power to make change. A piano-driven ballad, the song was serviced to American radio stations on October 7, 1998, ahead of its planned release date in mid-October due to a radio leak in Dallas, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Push (Matchbox Twenty song)</span> 1997 single by Matchbox Twenty

"Push" is a song by American rock band Matchbox Twenty. It was released in 1997 as the second single from their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996). After landing "Long Day" on several rock radio stations paving the way, "Push" topped the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and became one of the band's signature songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runaway (The Corrs song)</span> 1995 single by the Corrs

"Runaway" is a song by Irish family band the Corrs, released in September 1995 as the debut single from their first album, Forgiven, Not Forgotten (1995). It had middling chart success except in Ireland and Australia, peaking at number 10 in both countries. It was also an adult contemporary hit in Canada, reaching number two on the RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and number 25 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. On the UK Singles Chart, it originally reached number 49, but a re-release in 1999 saw the single reach a new peak of number two on the same chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sittin' Up in My Room</span> 1995 single by Brandy

"Sittin' Up in My Room" is a song by American recording artist Brandy. It was written and produced by Babyface and recorded by Norwood for the soundtrack of the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale, starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. The song was among five of the album's singles and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, seeing Norwood's furthest commercial success on the chart at that time. The bass intro is similar to that of the riff performed by bassist Larry Graham, of Sly and the Family Stone, on their hit "Thank You ", and its remix featuring LL Cool J contains a sample of "Haven't You Heard" by Patrice Rushen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strong Enough (Sheryl Crow song)</span> 1994 single by Sheryl Crow

"Strong Enough" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow from her debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club (1993). The song reached number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks, number three in Australia, and number one in Canada, becoming her second chart-topper there following "All I Wanna Do". In Australia, the song received a double-platinum certification for sales and streams exceeding 140,000 units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Insensitive (song)</span> 1994 single by Jann Arden

"Insensitive" is the second single released from Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden's second studio album, Living Under June (1994). Written by Anne Loree and produced by Ed Cherney, the song became Arden's most successful single, reaching number one in Canada and Australia and number 12 in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Her Cry (song)</span> 1994 single by Hootie & the Blowfish

"Let Her Cry" is a song by American rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. It was released in December 1994 as the second single from their debut album, Cracked Rear View (1994), and became a top-10 hit in Australia, Canada, Iceland, and the United States. The song received the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Cry Anymore</span> 1995 single by Sheryl Crow

"Can't Cry Anymore" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow from her debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club (1993), released through A&M Records. Released in May 1995, the song reached number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Crow's third top-40 hit. In Canada, the song reached number three to become Crow's third consecutive top-three hit, following the number-one singles "All I Wanna Do" and "Strong Enough". Elsewhere, the song had limited success, reaching number 33 in the United Kingdom and number 41 in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roll to Me</span> 1995 single by Del Amitri

"Roll to Me" is a song by Scottish pop rock band Del Amitri, released as the third single from their fourth studio album, Twisted (1995). The song became their biggest hit in the United States when it reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It finished at number 55 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles chart of 1995. In the United Kingdom, it was a moderate hit, peaking at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Were Meant for Me (Jewel song)</span> 1996 single by Jewel

"You Were Meant for Me" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Jewel, released on her first album, Pieces of You (1995). It was written by Jewel and Steve Poltz. It describes a failed relationship and the narrator's inadequate attempts at moving on with her life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobody Knows (Tony Rich song)</span> 1995 single by Tony Rich

"Nobody Knows" is a song by R&B singer Tony Rich from his 1996 debut album, Words. Released as his debut single on November 7, 1995, the song peaked at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. It also became a hit in several other countries, topping the Irish Singles Chart and reaching number two in Australia and Canada, number four in the United Kingdom, and the top 20 in the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. Rich received a nomination for the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">December (Collective Soul song)</span> 1995 single by Collective Soul

"December" is a song by American alternative rock band Collective Soul, released on the band's 1995 eponymous album. It was serviced to album rock radio on March 17, 1995. Written by singer and guitarist Ed Roland, it peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for nine weeks, becoming that chart's most successful song of 1995. In Canada, the song reached number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, becoming the band's highest-charting single until "The World I Know" attained the top spot in March 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The World I Know</span> 1995 single by Collective Soul

"The World I Know" is a song by American rock band Collective Soul from their second studio album, Collective Soul (1995). Written by lead singer and guitarist Ed Roland, the song was released as the album's fourth single in October 1995. "The World I Know" peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. In Canada, the song reached number one on the week of March 11, 1996, becoming the band's highest-charting single there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Save Tonight</span> 1997 single by Eagle-Eye Cherry

"Save Tonight" is a song written and performed by Swedish rock musician Eagle-Eye Cherry, released on 7 October 1997 as the lead single from his debut album, Desireless (1997). It is the album's opening track and gained substantial radio success, reaching number three in Ireland, number five in the United States, number six in the United Kingdom, and number two in Cherry's native Sweden. "Save Tonight" was awarded the Rockbjörnen award in the "Swedish song of the year 1997" category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Into Your Arms</span> 1993 single by the Lemonheads

"Into Your Arms" is a 1989 song by Australian duo Love Positions, consisting of Robyn St. Clare and Nic Dalton. In 1992, Dalton joined American alternative rock band the Lemonheads, who covered the song on their sixth studio album, Come on Feel the Lemonheads (1993). The song was released as the album's lead single in October 1993 by Atlantic Records and reached number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, remaining atop the chart for nine straight weeks, a record at the time that they shared with U2. The song also reached number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted in Australia, Canada, and the UK; in the latter country, it was a top-20 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Someday (Sugar Ray song)</span> 1999 single by Sugar Ray

"Someday" is a song by American rock band Sugar Ray. First serviced to American radio in June 1999, the song was released on September 7, 1999, as the second US single and third single overall from the band's third album, 14:59 (1999). The song reached number seven on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Modern Rock Tracks charts, number four on Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, and number 25 in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desperately Wanting</span> 1996 single by Better Than Ezra

"Desperately Wanting" is a song by American alternative rock group Better Than Ezra. It was released in December 1996 as the second single from their third studio album, Friction, Baby, and became a chart hit in the United States, Australia and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucker's Town (song)</span> 1996 single by Hootie & the Blowfish

"Tucker's Town" is a song by American rock group Hootie & the Blowfish. It was released on June 25, 1996, as the second single from their second album, Fairweather Johnson (1996). In the United States, it peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 24 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number 29 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Outside the US, "Tucker's Town" reached number two in Canada—ending 1996 as the country's 25th-most-successful single—and number 20 in Iceland.

References

  1. Flick, Larry (May 4, 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard . p. 43. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  2. Baltin, Steve (March 18, 1995). "Pop Albums" (PDF). Cash Box . p. 9. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  3. Who Will Save Your Soul (US CD single liner notes). Jewel. Atlantic Records. 1996. 2-87151.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. Who Will Save Your Soul (US cassette single sleeve). Jewel. Atlantic Records. 1996. 4-87151.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. Who Will Save Your Soul (UK, European & Australian CD single liner notes). Jewel. Atlantic Records. 1996. A8514CD, 7567-88514-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. Who Will Save Your Soul (UK cassette single sleeve). Jewel. Atlantic Records. 1996. A8514C, 7567-87064 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. "Jewel – Who Will Save Your Soul". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9639." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  9. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9825." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  10. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3053." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  11. "Jewel – Who Will Save Your Soul". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  12. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  14. "Jewel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  15. "Jewel Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  16. "Jewel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  17. "Jewel Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  18. "Jewel Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  19. "Jewel Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  20. "RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM . Retrieved February 23, 2019 via Library and Archives Canada.
  21. "Billboard Top 100 – 1996" . Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  22. "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks". Billboard . Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-86.
  23. "The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-78.
  24. "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Mainstream Titles". Airplay Monitor . Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 30.
  25. "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Triple A Tracks". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 24.
  26. "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records . No. 1142. April 19, 1996. p. 27. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  27. "Who Will Save Your Soul". Amazon . Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  28. "Who Will Save Your Soul / Near You Always". Amazon. Retrieved August 13, 2021.