- Miss Thang
-
Miss Thang 
Studio album by Monica Released July 18, 1995 Recorded 1993–1995 Genre R&B, hip hop soul Length 69:33 Label Rowdy, Arista Producer Dallas Austin, Tim & Bob, Soulshock & Karlin, Arnold Hennings, Daryl Simmons, Colin Wolfe Monica chronology Miss Thang
(1995)The Boy Is Mine
(1998)Singles from Miss Thang - "Don't Take It Personal"
Released: April 10, 1995 - "Before You Walk Out of My Life"
Released: October 3, 1995 - "Like This And Like That"
Released: October 3, 1995 - "Why I Love You So Much"
Released: May 21, 1996
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic 
[1]NME (4/10)[2] Miss Thang is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Monica Arnold. It was released by Rowdy and Arista Records on July 18, 1995 in the United States, featuring main production by mentor Dallas Austin protégés from his DARP production camp such as Tim & Bob, Darryl Simmons, Colin Wolfe and Soulshock & Karlin.
The album went to number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number seven on Billboard's Top R&B Albums, and reached the top ten of the New Zealand Albums Chart.[3] In the United States, Miss Thang sold more than 1.4 million copies,[4] and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for more than three million store-shipped copies.[5] In Canada, it was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in 1995.[6]
Contents
Writing and development
After signing a recording contract with Rowdy Records at the age of twelve, Arnold released her debut studio album, Miss Thang, on Arista Records in 1995.[7] Guided by Rowdy head Dallas Austin and developed by his proteges' Tim & Bob, much of the album was recorded during the years of 1993 and 1995, a period that the singer described as hard work. "It was more from the stress I put on myself than it was pressure from others," she said. "There were so many young artists releasing records, and I wanted to stand out. I was a regular female growing up in the inner city, and I wanted to be who I was."[8] Throughout the recording process, Arnold ensured the album's music and lyrical content reflected her persona. As a result, she vetoed some of the songs selected for the album. "I was very assertive in making sure the album was really me," she said in an interview with Billboard. "How can you show your feeling in a song when it's about something you don't know about?"[9]
Chart performance
The Miss Thang album debuted and peaked at number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number seven on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.[3] In the United States, it scored a domestic sales total of about 1.451 million copies,[4] and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for more than three million copies shipped to music stores.[5] In Canada, the album peaked at number fifty-eight only but had a long run at the charts, resulting into a gold certification by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in 1995.[6]
The first two singles from Miss Thang, "Don't Take It Personal" and double-A-side "Before You Walk out of My Life"/"Like This and Like That," both peaked on top of the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart and made the singer the youngest recording artist to have two consecutive number-one hits on particular chart at the age of fourteen.[10] A fourth single "Why I Love You So Much" became another top ten entry in 1995.[3]
Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length 1. "Miss Thang" Dallas Austin D. Austin 3:52 2. "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" D. Austin, Monica Arnold, Daryl Simmons D. Austin 4:18 3. "Like This and Like That" (featuring Mr. Malik) D. Austin, Chris Wolfe D. Austin, C. Wolfe 4:41 4. "Get Down" Tim Kelley, Bob Robinson Tim & Bob 4:22 5. "With You" T. Kelley, B. Robinson Tim & Bob 4:50 6. "Skate" D. Austin, C. Wolfe C. Wolfe 4:26 7. "Angel" Arnold Hennings A. Hennings 4:44 8. "Woman in Me" (Interlude) T. Kelley, B. Robinson Tim & Bob 1:36 9. "Tell Me If You Still Care" Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis Tim & Bob 4:45 10. "Let's Straighten It Out" (featuring Usher) D. Austin, Benny Latimore D. Austin 4:25 11. "Before You Walk Out of My Life" Kenneth Karlin, Andrea Martin, Carsten Schack Soulshock & Karlin 4:53 12. "Now I'm Gone" T. Kelley, B. Robinson Tim & Bob 4:39 13. "Why I Love You So Much" D. Simmons D. Simmons 4:30 14. "Never Can Say Goodbye" A. Hennings A. Hennings 5:02 15. "Don't Take It Personal" (Remix) D. Austin, M. Arnold, D. Simmons D. Austin 3:50 16. "Forever Always" A. Hennings A. Hennings 4:40 Japanese bonus tracks No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length 17. "Time" T. Kelley, B. Robinson Tim & Bob 4:35 - Samples
- "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" contains elements of The Detroit Emeralds' 1973 "You're Getting a Little too Smart".
- "Tell Me If You Still Care" is a cover version of S.O.S. Band's 1983 original recordings.
- "Let's Straighten It Out" is a cover version of Benny Latimore's 1974 original recordings.
- The remix of "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" contains elements of Jermaine Jackson's 1989 "Don't Take It Personal".
Charts
- These are the peak positions from chart providers.
Chart (1995) Provider Peak
positionCertification Canadian Albums Chart CRIA/Nielsen SoundScan 58 Gold[6] Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts 41 — New Zealand Albums Chart RIANZ 9 — U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 36 3x platinum[11] U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 7 Credits and personnel
Musicians
- Colin Wolfe - bass
- Kenneth Crouch - piano
- Derrick Edmondson - flute, saxophone, horn
- Tommy Martin - guitar
- Derek Organ - drums
- Sandy Lawrence - art direction
- Tim Kelley - producer, arranger, drum programming, keyboards,
- Bob Robinson - keyboard, product
- Dallas Austin, Ron Gresham, Ron Gresham, Michael Patterson, Darin Prindle - mixing
Production
- Vocal assistance: Debra Killings, Monica, Lisette Titi, Usher
- Creative Director: Naim Ali, Dallas Austin, Caron Veazey
- Programming: Arvel McClinton III
References
- ^ Lytle, Craig. "Monica: Miss Thang" at Allmusic. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
- ^ Lewis, Angela (September 30, 1995). "Review: Monica - Miss Thang". NME (IPC Media): 53. ISSN 0028-4955.
- ^ a b c "Artist Chart History - Monica - Singles". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media). http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=679240&model.vnuAlbumId=986558. Retrieved April 12, 2009.
- ^ a b Trust, Gary (August 6, 2010). "Ask Billboard: As Years Go By". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media). http://www.billboard.com/#/column-chartbeat/ask-billboard-as-years-go-by-1004108098.story. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
- ^ a b Basham, David (March 14, 2002). "Got Charts? The Long Road To #1 — And Those Who Rocked It". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452903/20020314/brandy.jhtml. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Canadian album certifications – Monica – Miss Thang". Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Miss+Thang&sa=Monica&smt=0.
- ^ Samuels, Anita (June 20, 1998). Sharing A Hit Duet, Arista's Monica Finds Her Own Voice On Boy. Google Books. http://books.google.com/?id=-w0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA23&dq=monica+%22don't+take+it+personaL%22&q=monica%20%22don't%20take%20it%20personaL%22. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ Ewey, Melissa (September 1, 1998). Miss Thang Grows Up. Google Books. http://books.google.com/?id=4nXHlKc5kCwC&pg=PA84&dq=monica+%22dallas+austin%22&q=monica%20%22dallas%20austin%22. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ Reynolds, J.R. (March 25, 1995). Rowdy/Arista Debuts The Confident Voice Of 14-Year-Old Rapper Monica. Google Books. http://books.google.com/?id=7AsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA23&dq=monica+%22don't+take+it+personaL%22&q=monica%20%22don't%20take%20it%20personaL%22. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ Christian, Margena A. (July 28, 2003). "Monica: Shares Life's Lessons On New CD After The Storm". Jet. FindArticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_5_104/ai_105917570/. Retrieved November 21, 2009.
- ^ "American album certifications – Monica – Miss Thang". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Miss+Thang%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
External links
- Monica.com — official site
Discography · Videography · Songs · Awards Studio albums Miss Thang · The Boy Is Mine · All Eyez on Me · After the Storm · The Makings of Me · Still Standing · New LifeExtended plays Dance Vault Remixes: Get It Off/Knock KnockCompilation albums Super HitsFilmography Related articles 
Book:MonicaCategories:- 1995 albums
- Albums produced by Dallas Austin
- Albums produced by Soulshock & Karlin
- Debut albums
- Monica albums
- "Don't Take It Personal"
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