Welcome to the Cruel World
{{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Fight for Your Mind1995studioWelcome to the Cruel WorldBen Harper - Welcome to the Cruel World.jpgBen HarperFebruary 8, 1994The ConventAcoustic blues<ref name=IS/>50:25VirginBen Harper, Jean-Pierre Plunierx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Welcome to the Cruel World is the debut album by the American musician Ben Harper, released in 1994 through Virgin Records. The album established Harper as a popular folk musician in the California area. After the release, Harper went on to add a permanent backing band, the Innocent Criminals, although they remained unnamed until the Burn to Shine album. The song "I'll Rise" is based on a 1978 Maya Angelou poem "And Still I Rise".
Critical receptionEdit
Template:Music ratings The Indianapolis Star wrote that "Harper impresses with his play of guitar and dobro, but it's his mastery of the Weissenborn ... and his vocal nuances that persuade the listener to heed these vignettes of cold truth, the essence of blues."<ref name=IS/>
Track listingEdit
All songs written by Ben Harper except as noted.
- "The Three of Us" – 2:35
- "Whipping Boy" (Chris Darrow) – 5:31
- "Breakin' Down" (Harper, music: Jean-Pierre Plunier) – 4:00
- "Don't Take That Attitude to Your Grave" – 4:25
- "Waiting on an Angel" – 3:53
- "Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now" – 2:29
- "Forever" – 3:23
- "Like a King" – 4:18
- "Pleasure and Pain" – 3:44
- "Walk Away" – 3:49
- "How Many Miles Must We March" – 3:07
- "Welcome to the Cruel World" – 5:36
- "I'll Rise" (lyrics: Maya Angelou; music: Harper) – 3:35
- Contains the hidden track "...By and By I'm Going to See the King" (Blind Willie Johnson) – 0:30
- "Remember" (unreleased version; bonus track) – 2:49
PersonnelEdit
Musicians
- Ben Harper – vocals, acoustic guitar, Weissenborn guitar, dobro
- Richard Cook – Uilleann pipes on "Pleasure and Pain"
- Rock Deadrick – percussion, drums, backing vocals
- Tom Freund
- Suzie Katayama – cello on "Pleasure and Pain"
- John McKnight – bass guitar, accordion on "Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now"
- Tommy D. Daugherty – drum programming
- Gail Deadrick – piano on "I'll Rise"
- Clabe Hangan, Clarence Butler, John Taylor, Kenneth McDaniel, Clyde Allen, Jelanie Jones, Kevin Williams – backing vocals
Production
- Producers: Ben Harper, J.P. Plunier
- Associate producer: Jeff Gottlieb, Mikal Reid
- Engineer: Mikal Reid
- Assistant engineer: Bradley Cook
- Mixing: Mikal Reid
- Mastering: Eddy Schreyer
- Advisor: Ben Elder
- Art direction: Tom Dolan, J.P. Plunier
- Research: Ben Elder
- Photography: Jeff Gottlieb
ChartsEdit
Chart (1998) | Peak position | |
---|---|---|
Australian Albums Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
94 |
French Albums Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
11 |
CertificationsEdit
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