The Way That I Am

1993 studio album by Martina McBride
The Way That I Am
Studio album by
Martina McBride
ReleasedSeptember 14, 1993 (1993-09-14)
GenreCountry
Length34:05
LabelRCA Nashville
ProducerPaul Worley
Martina McBride
Ed Seay
Martina McBride chronology
The Time Has Come
(1992) 		The Way That I Am
(1993) 		Wild Angels
(1995)
Alternative cover
Cover of the international release.
Singles from The Way That I Am
  1. "My Baby Loves Me"
    Released: July 12, 1993
  2. "Life #9"
    Released: January 3, 1994
  3. "Independence Day"
    Released: May 2, 1994
  4. "Heart Trouble"
    Released: October 22, 1994
  5. "Where I Used to Have a Heart"
    Released: 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Robert Christgau(choice cut)[2]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[3]

The Way That I Am is the second studio album by American country music singer Martina McBride, released on September 14, 1993, through RCA Nashville. It was certified Platinum on May 15, 1995, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This was her breakthrough album, producing her first Top 5 hit in "My Baby Loves Me", which was previously released as a single by Canadian singer Patricia Conroy from her 1992 album Bad Day for Trains. McBride's version was a number 2 hit on the Hot Country Songs. Also released as singles from this album were "Life #9" at number 6, "Independence Day" at number 12, "Heart Trouble" at number 21, and "Where I Used to Have a Heart" at number 49.

Content

Although never released as a single, "Strangers" was reprised on McBride's Greatest Hits album in 2001. In the liner notes of that album, she stated that she included the song because it was a fan favorite, and she felt that it would have been a better follow-up to "Independence Day" than "Heart Trouble" and "Where I Used to Have a Heart" were.[4]

The Compact Cassette version of this album omits the final track, "Ashes".[5]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Heart Trouble"Paul Kennerley3:19
2."My Baby Loves Me"Gretchen Peters2:36
3."That Wasn't Me"Gary Harrison, Tim Mensy3:44
4."Independence Day"Peters3:25
5."Where I Used to Have a Heart"Craig Bickhardt3:50
6."Goin' to Work"Bill Lloyd, Pam Tillis3:30
7."She Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"Walt Aldridge, Anna Lisa Graham3:26
8."Life #9"Kostas, Tony Perez3:59
9."Strangers"Bobby Braddock3:21
10."Ashes"Chris Waters, Lonnie Wilson, Charlotte Wilson2:55
Total length:34:05
International bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."The Time Has Come"Lonnie Wilson, Susan Longacre2:32
12."That's Me"Tony Haselden, Bob Alan3:52
13."Cheap Whiskey"Emory Gordy Jr., Jim Rushing3:08
14."When You Are Old"Gretchen Peters3:07

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.[5]

Musicians
  • Grace Mihi Bahng – cello (3)
  • Brett Beavers – backing vocals (6 & 10)
  • Joe Chemay – bass guitar
  • Ashley Cleveland – backing vocals (4)
  • Deryl Dodd – backing vocals (6 & 10)
  • Dan Dugmore – electric guitar (2)
  • Larry Franklin – fiddle (1, 8 & 10)
  • Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar (4 & 8)
  • Johnny Garcia – electric guitar (1)
  • Vicki Hampton – backing vocals (4)
  • Dann Huff – electric guitar (2, 6 & 7)
  • Bill Hullett – acoustic guitar (1, 3-5 & 8-10)
  • Mary Ann Kennedy – backing vocals (2, 4 & 7)
  • Martina McBride – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 4, & 7-9), tambourine (6)
  • Anthony S. Martin – backing vocals (8), keyboards (9)
  • Brent Mason – electric guitar (1, 3-5 & 8-10)
  • Steve Nathan – keyboards (except 9)
  • Mary Kathryn Van Osdale – violin (3)
  • Herb Pedersen – backing vocals (5)
  • Pam Rose – backing vocals (2, 4 & 7)
  • John Wesley Ryles – backing vocals (1, 8 & 9)
  • Biff Watson – acoustic guitar (1 & 5-7)
  • Charlie Whitten – pedal steel guitar (6, 7, 9 & 10)
  • Kris Wilkinson – viola (3)
  • Dennis Wilson – backing vocals (1, 8 & 9)
  • Lonnie Wilson – drums
  • Paul Worley – electric guitar (1, 2, 6 & 7), acoustic guitar
Production
  • Don Cobb – digital editor
  • Carlos Grier – digital editor
  • Martina McBride – producer
  • Anthony S. Martin – assistant producer
  • Mike Poole – recording engineer
  • Denny Purcell – mastering engineer
  • Clarke Schleicher – recording engineer
  • Ed Seay – production, recording engineer
  • Paul Worley – producer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993–1994) Peak
position
Canadian Country Albums (RPM) 8
US Billboard 200[6] 106
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[7] 14

Year-end charts

Chart (1994) Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[8] 46
Chart (1995) Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[9] 55

Singles

Year Single Peak positions Certifications
US
Country
[10] 		CAN
Country
[11][12]
1993 "My Baby Loves Me" 2 1
1994 "Life #9" 6 8
"Independence Day" 12 14 * RIAA: Platinum[13]
"Heart Trouble" 21 32
1995 "Where I Used to Have a Heart" 49 —

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[14] Platinum 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[15] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  3. ^ Album reviews at CD Universe
  4. ^ Greatest Hits (CD booklet). Martina McBride. RCA Records. 2001. 67012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ a b The Way That I Am (CD booklet). Martina McBride. RCA Records. 1993. 66288.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ "Martina McBride Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "Martina McBride Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  10. ^ "Martina McBride Album & Song Chart History – Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  11. ^ "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada – Country Singles". RPM. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  12. ^ "Martina McBride chart history (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  13. ^ "American single certifications – Martina McBride – Independence Day". Recording Industry Association of America.
  14. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Martina McBride – The Way That I Am". Music Canada. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "American album certifications – Martina McBride – The Way That I Am". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  • v
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  • e
Studio albums
Live albums
  • Live in Concert
Compilation albums
  • Greatest Hits
  • Playlist: The Very Best of Martina McBride
  • Hits and More
Concert tours
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