Come to My Window
Encyclopedia
"Come to My Window" is a Grammy Award
-winning song by Melissa Etheridge
released in 1994 on her 1993 album Yes I Am
. This was the first song to be released after Etheridge publicly announced her sexual orientation
of being a lesbian
. With the driving force of gay rights, the song gained a lot of airplay on radio stations, mostly through call-in requests. The song debuted on the Billboard charts after the first week of its release, reaching #25 on the chart. It was also the second song from Etheridge that earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
.
featuring Brandon Fields on saxophone, covered the song from their album "Sax All Night."
s that wanted an instrumental beginning rather than a vocal one. The song's lyrics describes the intense love that Etheridge has for another person. It describes situations that she is willing to endure and how happy the other person makes her feel. In addition, the song implicitly alludes to the singer's sexual orientation and activism by the lyrics:
Etheridge tells both in her autobiography and during the interview on the bonus DVD of her greatest hits album that Come to My Window is of all songs she has written the one that surprises her the most and that she almost did not put it on the album. She states that while she wrote the song, she did not realize what she was actually writing and that it was not before meeting Tammy Lynn Michaels
that she understood what this songs means to other people. She also says that it has the best musical bridge
part of all her songs.
The sound effect at the beginning was created by Mauricio Fritz Lewak who put coins inside of a pair of clash cymbals
. This song was also about her girlfriend at the time.
, cuts between a mental patient (Juliette Lewis
) and Etheridge playing her guitar and singing.
The video also features "child-like" drawings in certain scenes. According to an episode of VH1
's Pop Up Video, these drawings were created by a crew member's five year old daughter. Additionally, the video was to have included an appearance by a little girl; the mental patient's "lost childhood". While the appearance was filmed, it got lost during editing.
, the benefit concert following the September 11, 2001 attacks
. Early during her performance, her microphone failed, leaving Etheridge to play her guitar without singing while an alternate mic was found. Famously, the audience, made up largely of members of the New York City fire and police departments (and survivors of NYPD and FDNY personnel who were lost in the attacks) sang the lyrics themselves until Etheridge's mic was restored.
The song was played by the World Wrestling Federation
in the background of a tribute to fallen wrestler Owen Hart
.
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning song by Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals...
released in 1994 on her 1993 album Yes I Am
Yes I Am
Yes I Am is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 21, 1993 . The title is generally thought to refer to Etheridge's recent coming out as a lesbian, confirming long-standing rumors about her personal life. This is the album...
. This was the first song to be released after Etheridge publicly announced her sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
of being a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
. With the driving force of gay rights, the song gained a lot of airplay on radio stations, mostly through call-in requests. The song debuted on the Billboard charts after the first week of its release, reaching #25 on the chart. It was also the second song from Etheridge that earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the rock music genre...
.
Other versions
In 1997, The John Tesh ProjectJohn Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
featuring Brandon Fields on saxophone, covered the song from their album "Sax All Night."
Song information
When the song was being promoted, a portion of the song's beginning was omitted. This was to help accommodate some radio stationRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s that wanted an instrumental beginning rather than a vocal one. The song's lyrics describes the intense love that Etheridge has for another person. It describes situations that she is willing to endure and how happy the other person makes her feel. In addition, the song implicitly alludes to the singer's sexual orientation and activism by the lyrics:
- "I don't care what they think.
- I don't care what they say.
- What do they know about this love, anyway?"
Etheridge tells both in her autobiography and during the interview on the bonus DVD of her greatest hits album that Come to My Window is of all songs she has written the one that surprises her the most and that she almost did not put it on the album. She states that while she wrote the song, she did not realize what she was actually writing and that it was not before meeting Tammy Lynn Michaels
Tammy Lynn Michaels
Tammy Lynn Michaels , also known by the surname Etheridge after marrying Melissa Etheridge, is an American actress....
that she understood what this songs means to other people. She also says that it has the best musical bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
part of all her songs.
The sound effect at the beginning was created by Mauricio Fritz Lewak who put coins inside of a pair of clash cymbals
Clash cymbals
Clash cymbals or hand cymbals are cymbals played in identical pairs by holding one cymbal in each hand and striking the two together.-Terminology:The technical term clash cymbal is rarely used...
. This song was also about her girlfriend at the time.
Music video
The black-and-white music video, directed by Samuel BayerSamuel Bayer
Samuel David Bayer is an American commercial, music video and film director, and cinematographer.-Early life:Bayer was born in Syracuse, New York...
, cuts between a mental patient (Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
) and Etheridge playing her guitar and singing.
The video also features "child-like" drawings in certain scenes. According to an episode of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Pop Up Video, these drawings were created by a crew member's five year old daughter. Additionally, the video was to have included an appearance by a little girl; the mental patient's "lost childhood". While the appearance was filmed, it got lost during editing.
Live performances
Etheridge performed Come to My Window during The Concert for New York CityThe Concert for New York City
The Concert for New York City was a benefit concert, featuring many famous musicians, that took place on October 20, 2001 at Madison Square Garden in New York City in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks...
, the benefit concert following the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. Early during her performance, her microphone failed, leaving Etheridge to play her guitar without singing while an alternate mic was found. Famously, the audience, made up largely of members of the New York City fire and police departments (and survivors of NYPD and FDNY personnel who were lost in the attacks) sang the lyrics themselves until Etheridge's mic was restored.
The song was played by the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
in the background of a tribute to fallen wrestler Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
.
Tracklist
All songs written by Melissa Etheridge.- "Come to My Window" - 3:55
- "Ain't it Heavy" (live) - 4:20
- "The Letting Go" (live) - 3:05
- "I'm the Only One" (live)I'm the Only One"I'm the Only One" is a Melissa Etheridge song that appears on her 1993 album Yes I Am. The single itself was released in 1993, and hit number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary charts in January 1995...
- 5:30
Peak positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
13 |
| 1994 | U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
4 |
| 1994 | U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 22 |
| 1994 | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
25 |
| 1994 | U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 13 |
| 1995 | U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 | 27 |
| 1995 | U.S. Billboard Top 40 Adult Recurrents | 4 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 43 |
Credits and personnel
- VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
by Melissa Etheridge - DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
by Mauricio Fritz Lewak - Electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
by Waddy Wachtel - KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
by Scott Thurston - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
by Pino Palladino - EngineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
- Hugh Padgham - Assistant engineers - Greg Goldman, John Aguto, Mike Baumgartner
- MixedAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
by Hugh Padgham - Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering
Sources
- Greatest Hits: The Road Less TraveledGreatest Hits: The Road Less TraveledGreatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled is a 2005 music album by Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records. It featured 17 tracks from her 17-year career, five of which were newly recorded...
(Bonus DVD) - Melissa Etheridge and Laura Morton: The Truth Is..., Random House 2002
- The single on amazon.de