"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.
"No Souvenirs" | ||||
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Single by Melissa Etheridge | ||||
from the album Brave and Crazy | ||||
B-side |
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Released | August 14, 1989[1] | |||
Recorded | A&M (Hollywood) | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 4:33 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Songwriter(s) | Melissa Etheridge | |||
Producer(s) |
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Melissa Etheridge singles chronology | ||||
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Song information
edit"No Souvenirs" was actually written before the first album came out but Melissa Etheridge decided to keep it back until the second album since its original intro was too similar to the intro of "Bring Me Some Water". The song is about a love affair that goes by very fast and leaves "no souvenirs". The lyrics reflect a phone call the singer makes a while after the breakup reminding her lover that she can still get in touch with her but that she would also accept it if she destroys all the souvenirs of that relationship. On the bonus DVD of her greatest hits album, Etheridge states that this is the song she gets the most questions about since it names various words she has created and phrases that mean specific things to her ("Jackpot telephone", "Make the buffalo roam"...).[2]
Music video
editThe music video was shot in 1989 and shows the singer sitting at the dock of a bay playing the guitar with her band in the background. The video plays at night in a big city, most likely New York regarding the skyline in the background. The scene is interrupted by various short films showing her lover destroying the souvenirs of the very short love affair. To illustrate the anonymous character of that relationship, the head of the person is not visible.[3]
Track listings
editAll songs were written by Melissa Etheridge.
7-inch, cassette, and mini-CD single[4][5][6]
- "No Souvenirs" – 4:33
- "No Souvenirs" (live) – 4:43
US maxi-CD single[7]
- "No Souvenirs" – 4:33
- "No Souvenirs" (live) – 4:43
- "Like the Way I Do" (live) – 10:46
UK 12-inch and CD single[8][9]
- A1. "No Souvenirs" – 4:33
- B1. "Brave and Crazy" (live) – 4:47
- B2. "No Souvenirs" (live) – 4:43
Credits and personnel
edit- vocals and 12 string guitar by Melissa Etheridge
- Bass, recording and mix by Kevin McCormick
- drums and cymbals by Mauricio Fritz Lewak
- Electric guitar by Bernie Larsen
- keyboards by Scott Thurston
- Acoustic guitar by Waddy Wachtel
- Harmonica by Bono
- Arrangement by Kevin McCormick and Melissa Etheridge
- Engineering by Bob Vogt
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
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References
edit- ^ "New Singles". Music Week. August 12, 1989. p. 33. Misprinted as August 17 on source. The New Albums section uses the correct date.
- ^ Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled Bonus DVD at 28:01
- ^ Melissa Etheridge – No Souvenirs on YouTube
- ^ No Souvenirs (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1989. 7-99176.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ No Souvenirs (US cassette single sleeve). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1989. 4-99176.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ No Souvenirs (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Polydor Records. 1989. PO9D-31007.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ No Souvenirs (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1989. 2-99176.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ No Souvenirs (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1989. 12IS431.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ No Souvenirs (UK CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1989. CID431.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Melissa Etheridge – No Souvenirs". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6617." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6610." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Melissa Etheridge – No Souvenirs" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Top 100 Singles of '89". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- Melissa Etheridge and Laura Morton: The Truth Is..., Random House 2002
- Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled bonus DVD
- Bring me some water at musicmoz.org
- Melissa Etheridge records