Miss Thang
Encyclopedia
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 Billboards Top R&B Albums
, and reached the top ten of the New Zealand Albums Chart. In the United States, Miss Thang sold more than 1.4 million copies, and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
for more than three million store-shipped copies. In Canada, it was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
in 1995.
at the age of twelve, Arnold released her debut studio album, Miss Thang, on Arista Records
in 1995. 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." 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?"
and number seven on the Billboard Top R&B Albums
chart. In the United States, it scored a domestic sales total of about 1.451 million copies, and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
for more than three million copies shipped to music stores. 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.
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. A fourth single "Why I Love You So Much
" became another top ten entry in 1995.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B recording artist Monica Arnold. It was released by Rowdy
Rowdy Records
Rowdy Records is a record label, distributed through Motown Records.-History:Formed in 1992 by producers Dallas Austin and L.A. Reid, Rowdy was initially distributed through Arista Records. At the time, Austin had gained notoriety for writing and producing hits for acts like Monica, Another Bad...
and Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
on July 18, 1995 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, featuring main production by mentor Dallas Austin
Dallas Austin
Dallas Austin is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include Michael Jackson, TLC, Boyz II Men, Pink, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Fishbone, Sugababes, Anastacia, Namie Amuro, Kim...
protégés from his DARP production camp such as Tim & Bob
Tim & Bob
Tim & Bob aka Funktwons, are Grammy Award-winning songwriting musicians and a Hip-hop/R&B pop production duo. Tim & Bob have discovered and or worked on some of the biggest artists in the music industry and has helped develop the Atlanta music scene as it is widely known for today...
, Darryl Simmons, Colin Wolfe and Soulshock & Karlin
Soulshock & Karlin
Soulshock & Karlin is a duo of Danish record producers and songwriters, Carsten Schack and Kenneth Karlin. They have produced a large number of successful songs, including Monica's "Before You Walk out of My Life", Whitney Houston's "Heartbreak Hotel", JoJo's "Leave ", and Fantasia's "Truth Is"...
.
The album went to number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and number seven on Billboards Top R&B Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
, and reached the top ten of the New Zealand Albums Chart. In the United States, Miss Thang sold more than 1.4 million copies, and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
for more than three million store-shipped copies. In Canada, it was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
in 1995.
Writing and development
After signing a recording contract with Rowdy RecordsRowdy Records
Rowdy Records is a record label, distributed through Motown Records.-History:Formed in 1992 by producers Dallas Austin and L.A. Reid, Rowdy was initially distributed through Arista Records. At the time, Austin had gained notoriety for writing and producing hits for acts like Monica, Another Bad...
at the age of twelve, Arnold released her debut studio album, Miss Thang, on Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in 1995. Guided by Rowdy head Dallas Austin
Dallas Austin
Dallas Austin is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include Michael Jackson, TLC, Boyz II Men, Pink, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Fishbone, Sugababes, Anastacia, Namie Amuro, Kim...
and developed by his proteges' Tim & Bob
Tim & Bob
Tim & Bob aka Funktwons, are Grammy Award-winning songwriting musicians and a Hip-hop/R&B pop production duo. Tim & Bob have discovered and or worked on some of the biggest artists in the music industry and has helped develop the Atlanta music scene as it is widely known for today...
, 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." 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
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
. "How can you show your feeling in a song when it's about something you don't know about?"
Chart performance
The Miss Thang album debuted and peaked at number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and number seven on the Billboard Top R&B Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. In the United States, it scored a domestic sales total of about 1.451 million copies, and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
for more than three million copies shipped to music stores. 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
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
in 1995.
The first two singles from Miss Thang, "Don't Take It Personal
Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)
"Don't Take It Personal " is a song by American R&B singer Monica. It was written by producer Dallas Austin, Willie James Baker, Daryl Simmons, Marlon Williams and rappers LL Cool J and Chuck D for her debut studio album, Miss Thang , incorporating samples of both LL Cool J's 1993 record "Back Seat...
" and double-A-side "Before You Walk out of My Life
Before You Walk out of My Life
"Before You Walk out of My Life" is a song by American R&B singer Monica. It was written by Andrea Martin and Soulshock & Karlin, and it was produced by Soulshock & Karlin for her debut studio album, Miss Thang...
"/"Like This and Like That
Like This and Like That
"Like This and Like That" is a song by American R&B singer Monica, penned by producer Dallas Austin and Colin Wolfe for her debut studio album, Miss Thang...
," 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. A fourth single "Why I Love You So Much
Why I Love You So Much
"Why I Love You So Much" is a song by American R&B singer Monica, composed by Darryl Simmons for Monica's debut studio album, Miss Thang . The ballad was released as the album's fourth and final single on a double A-side with "Ain't Nobody" during the second quarter of 1995 . The double-A-side...
" became another top ten entry in 1995.
Track listing
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 versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
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 JacksonJermaine JacksonJermaine La Jaune Jackson is an American singer, bassist, composer, a member of The Jackson 5, older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and occasional film director...
's 1989 "Don't Take It Personal".
Charts
- These are the peak positions from chart providers.
| Chart (1995) | Provider | Peak position |
Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart | CRIA Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... /Nielsen SoundScan Nielsen SoundScan Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada... |
58 | Gold |
| Dutch Albums Chart | MegaCharts MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
41 | — |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
9 | — |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... |
36 | 3x platinum |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
7 |
Musicians
- Colin Wolfe - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Kenneth Crouch - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Derrick Edmondson - fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player .... - Tommy Martin - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Derek Organ - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Sandy Lawrence - art direction
- Tim Kelley - producer, arranger, drum programming, keyboards,
- Bob Robinson - keyboardKeyboard 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...
, product - Dallas Austin, Ron Gresham, Ron Gresham, Michael Patterson, Darin Prindle - mixingAudio 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...
Production
- Vocal assistance: Debra Killings, Monica, Lisette Titi, UsherUsher (entertainer)Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
- Creative Director: Naim Ali, Dallas Austin, Caron Veazey
- Programming: Arvel McClinton III