Don't Ask

For other uses, see Don't Ask (disambiguation).

Don't Ask is the third studio album by Australian singer Tina Arena released by Columbia Records on 21 November 1994.^[1]

Don't Ask
Studio album by Tina Arena
Released	21 November 1994 (1994-11-21)[1]
Recorded	1994
Genre	Pop pop rock
Length	45:28
Label	Columbia
Producer	David Tyson
Tina Arena chronology
Strong as Steel (1990) Don't Ask (1994) In Deep (1997)
Alternative cover
1996 release artwork
Singles from Don't Ask
"Chains" Released: 29 August 1994[2] "Sorrento Moon (I Remember)" Released: 16 January 1995[3] "Heaven Help My Heart" Released: 22 May 1995[4] "Wasn't It Good" Released: 18 September 1995[5] "Show Me Heaven" Released: 20 November 1995 "That's the Way a Woman Feels" Released: 26 February 1996[6]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Billboard	(favorable)[8]
Music & Media	(favorable)[9]
Smash Hits	[10]

Overview

Arena co-wrote all of the songs on the original release of the album which was produced by David Tyson. The album spawned six successful singles "Chains", "Sorrento Moon (I Remember)", "Heaven Help My Heart", "Wasn't It Good", "That's the Way a Woman Feels" and the cover version of Maria McKee's song "Show Me Heaven" which was recorded for the international version and was released as a single in the United Kingdom.

Don't Ask and its singles earned Arena ten ARIA Awards nominations throughout 1995 and 1996, winning five, including Album of the Year. It is the first album by a female artist to do so.

Track listing

Australian version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Chains"	Tina Arena, Pam Reswick, Steve Werfel	4:22
2.	"Heaven Help My Heart"	Arena, Dean McTaggart, David Tyson	5:28
3.	"Sorrento Moon (I Remember)"	Arena, Tyson, Christopher Ward	4:54
4.	"Wasn't It Good"	Arena, Heather Field, Robert Parde	5:14
5.	"Message"	Arena, April Lang, Annie Roboff, Tyson	5:22
6.	"Love Is the Answer"	Arena, Rick Price	3:56
7.	"Greatest Gift"	Arena, Parde	4:23
8.	"That's the Way a Woman Feels"	Arena, Reswick, Werfel	4:21
9.	"Be a Man"	Arena, Reswick, Werfel	3:51
10.	"Standing Up"	Arena, Field, Price	3:35

Japanese edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"Show Me Heaven"	Maria McKee, Eric Rackin, Jay Rifkin	4:20

International version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Chains"	Tina Arena, Pam Reswick, Steve Werfel	4:22
2.	"Heaven Help My Heart"	Arena, Dean McTaggart, David Tyson	5:28
3.	"Sorrento Moon (I Remember)"	Arena, Tyson, Christopher Ward	4:54
4.	"Wasn't It Good"	Arena, Heather Field, Robert Parde	5:14
5.	"Message"	Arena, April Lang, Annie Roboff, Tyson	5:22
6.	"Show Me Heaven"	McKee, Rackin, Rifkin	4:20
7.	"Love Is the Answer"	Arena, Rick Price	3:56
8.	"Greatest Gift"	Arena, Parde	4:23
9.	"That's the Way a Woman Feels"	Arena, Reswick, Werfel	4:21
10.	"Be a Man"	Arena, Reswick, Werfel	3:51
11.	"Standing Up"	Arena, Field, Price	3:35

European version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"Chains" (S&M radio edit)	Tina Arena, Pam Reswick, Steve Werfel	4:07

Personnel

• Tina Arena − vocals, background vocals
• Peter Asher − percussion
• Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick − cello
• Claude Gaudette − piano
• Raven Kane − background vocals
• Peter Kent − violin
• Kirkpatrick − cello
• Matt Lang − percussion
• Bob Mann − guitar
• Marilyn Martin − background vocals
• Pat Mastelotto − percussion, drums
• Robert Parde − background vocals
• John Pierce − bass guitar
• Tim Pierce − acoustic guitar, guitar
• Rick Price − acoustic guitar, background vocals
• David Tyson − keyboard, Hammond organ, background vocals
• Carlos Vega − drums
• The Waters Family − background vocals
• Jai Winding − piano, keyboard

Production

• Producers: Peter Asher, Chris O'Brien, David Tyson
• Engineers: Greg Droman, George Massenburg, Frank Wolf
• Mixing: Chris Lord-Alge
• Mixing assistant: Steve Gallagher
• Mastering: Doug Sax
• Production coordination: Tony DeFranco
• Programming: Chris O'Brien, Dave Tyson
• Arrangers: Tina Arena, David Campbell, Robert Parde, David Tyson

Charts

Don't Ask became Arena's highest selling album to date selling in excess of 2 million copies^[11] worldwide and was certified ten times platinum by the ARIA.^[12]

Weekly charts Chart (1994–96) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] 1 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] 65 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[15] 12 Scottish Albums (OCC)[16] 34 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 49 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 32 UK Albums (OCC)[19] 11 US Billboard 200[20] 101 European Albums (Eurotipsheet)[21] 71

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 100 Chart (1995) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[23] 1 Chart (1996) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[24] 19 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[25] 29

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[26]	10× Platinum	700,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[27]	Platinum	15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[28]	Gold	100,000*
United States	—	130,000[29]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
Australia	14 November 1994[1]	Columbia Records	CD	4778862
United Kingdom	8 May 1995	Columbia	CD
Australia	24 November 2017	Sony Music	Vinyl	88985342401

See also

• List of best-selling albums in Australia

References

1. "ARIA Report > New Releases 14th November 1994 (from the ARIA Report Issue No. 248 – Week Ending 13th November 1994)". ARIA, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
2. "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 29/08/94 > Singles (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 237)". ARIA, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
3. "New Releases - Product Available from: 16/01/95 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 257)". ARIA, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
4. The ARIA Report. Vol. 275. ARIA. 21 May 1995. p. 21.
5. The ARIA Report. Vol. 292. ARIA. 17 September 1995. p. 21.
6. The ARIA Report. Vol. 314. ARIA. 25 February 1995. p. 20.
7. AllMusic review
8. Verna, Paul (1 June 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Albums" (PDF). Billboard. p. 82. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
9. "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 7. 18 February 1995. p. 10. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
10. Frith, Mark (10 May 1995). "Albums: Best New Album". Smash Hits. p. 61. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
11. Don't Ask - Worldwide sales. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
12. "Top 40 Compilation Albums, Australian Compilation Records | ARIA Charts".
13. "Australiancharts.com – Tina Arena – Don't Ask". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Tina Arena – Don't Ask" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
15. "Charts.nz – Tina Arena – Don't Ask". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
16. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
17. "Swedishcharts.com – Tina Arena – Don't Ask". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
18. "Swisscharts.com – Tina Arena – Don't Ask". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
19. "Tina Arena | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
20. "Tina Arena Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
21. "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 12, no. 24. 17 June 1995. p. 25. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
22. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1994". Australian Record Industry Association Ltd. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
23. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 50 Albums 1995". Archived from the original on 28 May 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
24. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 50 Albums 1996". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
25. "Top Selling Albums of 1996". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
26. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
27. "New Zealand album certifications – Tina Arena – Don't Ask". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
28. "British album certifications – Tina Arena – Don't Ask". British Phonographic Industry.
29. Bouley, Charles Karel II (6 February 1999). "Tina Arena Targets U.S. With 'Deep'". Billboard. p. 14. Retrieved 8 February 2011.