Whatever (Aimee Mann album)

Whatever
Studio album by Aimee Mann
Released	May 11, 1993
Recorded	Q Division, Capitol Studios, Clubhouse, Blue Jay, Bearsville, Zeitgeist, Sunset Sound, Presence
Genre	Pop, Rock
Length	52:14
Label	Imago Records (original release); Geffen (reissue)
Producer	Tony Berg Jon Brion Michael Hausman Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann chronology
Whatever (1993) I'm with Stupid (1995)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Chicago Tribune	[2]
Robert Christgau	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	A [4]
The Independent	(highly recommended) [5]
Los Angeles Times	[6]
Q	[7]
Rolling Stone	[8]

Whatever is the first solo album by the American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann, released in 1993.

"I've Had It" is one of the songs featured in Nick Hornby's book 31 Songs. The album, with special note for the song "4th of July", was included by Elvis Costello in his "Costello's 500" list for Vanity Fair.^[9] It has also been included in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list.^[10]

Track listing

All songs by Aimee Mann, unless otherwise noted.

1. "I Should've Known" – 4:53
2. "Fifty Years After the Fair" – 3:46
3. "4th of July" – 3:21
4. "Could've Been Anyone" (Lyrics by Mann, Music by Mann, Jules Shear, Marty Willson-Piper) – 4:23
5. "Put Me on Top" – 3:28
6. "Stupid Thing" (Mann, Jon Brion) – 4:27
7. "Say Anything" (Mann, Jon Brion) – 4:57
8. "Jacob Marley's Chain" – 3:01
9. "Mr. Harris" – 4:05
10. "I Could Hurt You Now" – 4:17
11. "I Know There's a Word" (Mann, Jon Brion) – 3:16
12. "I've Had It" – 4:42
13. "Way Back When" – 4:05
14. "Nothing" – 0:09

Whatever — An Exclusive Collection

In 1994 BMG Records in Germany released a limited edition Whatever — An Exclusive Collection. This featured a second CD containing previously released B-sides. The cover of the CD was unchanged, there just being a sticker announcing the bonus material. It appears that Aimee was unaware of this release until it was mentioned in the message forum at her website in 2004, her management calling it a bootleg before it being confirmed as an official release.^[11]

1. "Jimmy Hoffa Jokes"
2. "4th of July" (live for Virgin 1215)
3. "Say Anything" (acoustic)
4. "Baby Blue"
5. "Truth on My Side" (demo, 1989)
6. "Fifty Years After the Fair" (demo, 1989)
7. "Put On Some Speed" (demo, 1989)
8. "Stupid Thing" (live)
9. "The Other End (Of the Telescope)" (live)

Reception

Whatever received mostly positive reviews from the critics. Most praised her sense of melody and the wordplay of her lyrics, exemplified by Entertainment Weekly in "hooky songs" and "evocative lyrics".^[4] The Los Angeles Times reflected this by saying she "mixes words like a master, catching lifetimes of ache and Angst" in her songs^[6] while the Chicago Tribune compared her to Elvis Costello.^[2] Rolling Stone cited her music as "sunny, surreal melodies" with "razor-sharp lyrics".^[8] On the other hand, Robert Christgau only cited "Mr. Harris" as a choice cut, finding nothing else to say about it.^[3]

Personnel

• Aimee Mann – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, mellotron, pump organ, percussion
• Michael Hausman – drums, percussion, conga, cymbals
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Milt Sutton – drums
• Jon Brion – bass, electric guitar, turtle guitar, piano, chamberlin, optigan, hammond organ, toy piano, marimba, pipes, pump organ, vibraphone, glockenspiel, tambourine, mellotron, drums, bass harmonica, piccolo, vocals
• Buddy Judge – acoustic guitar, vocals, pipes
• Todd Nelson – electric guitar
• Randy Brion – euphonium, trombone
• Mike Breaux – bassoon, oboe
• Roger McGuinn – 12 string electric guitar, vocals (on Fifty Years After the Fair)
• David Coleman – cello, electric cello
• Sid Sharp, Sidney Sharp, Joy Lyle, Harry Shirinian, Harry Shultz – Strings

Charts

Album ^[12]

Singles ^[13]

References