Unplugged (The Corrs album)

The Corrs Unplugged is the third album (and the first visual recording) by Irish band The Corrs, filmed and released in the fall of 1999. The album is part of the iconic MTV Unplugged series, which features musicians performing in a more acoustic, “stripped-down” concert setting. Initially, the album was released internationally, albeit not in the United States until a year later, after the band had experienced further success with their single “Breathless” and their fourth album In Blue, with both releases earning them their highest chart positions to-date in the US.

The Corrs Unplugged
Live album by the Corrs
Released	November 12, 1999 (1999-11-12) (CD) February 28, 2000 (2000-02-28) (VHS, DVD)
Recorded	October 5, 1999
Venue	Ardmore Studios, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland
Genre	Pop rock orchestral pop Celtic fusion folk rock
Length	68:17 (CD) 72 minutes (VHS, DVD)
Label	Atlantic 143 Lava
Producer	The Corrs Mitchell Froom
The Corrs chronology
Talk on Corners (1997) The Corrs Unplugged (1999) In Blue (2000)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

The “MTV Unplugged” session was recorded with a small, invitation-only audience, and features the Irish Film Orchestra^[2] accompanying the band on most of their songs. The album was recorded live on October 5, 1999 (1999-10-05) at Ardmore Studios, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, and was released on CD, MiniDisc, DVD, VCD and VHS. The compact-disc version features the songs in a somewhat different order to that in which they were actually performed, and the Fleetwood Mac cover “Dreams” was strangely omitted from the CD (but featured as a bonus track on some releases). The DVD and VHS retains the original song order, and is mostly unedited, while the CD edits out almost all of the talking and introductions between songs.

In addition to The Corrs’ familiar songs, plus two Irish tunes from their debut album (“Toss the Feathers”, “Lough Erin Shore”), the “Unplugged” album features several new songs. The band performed a heartfelt version of the R.E.M. song “Everybody Hurts”, as well as debuting two unreleased compositions: the songs “Radio” and “At Your Side”, with lyrics by Sharon Corr, would eventually go on to be re-recorded and featured on their album In Blue, the following year. The Jimi Hendrix song “Little Wing” features a stellar steel guitar solo by the band’s longtime guitarist, Anto Drennan. The Irish peace-themed duet "No Frontiers" was sung by Sharon and Caroline—who typically play violin and drums, respectively—during their Talk on Corners World Tour European leg in 1998 and 99, and subsequently included on “Unplugged”. The song was originally recorded by Mary Black on her album of the same name (written by Jimmy MacCarthy). The band also performed a rendition of “Old Town” by Phil Lynott.

Track listing

CD

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Only When I Sleep"	Andrea Corr Sharon Corr Caroline Corr Jim Corr Oliver Leiber Paul Peterson John Shanks	4:38
2.	"What Can I Do"		4:36
3.	"Radio"		4:51
4.	"Toss the Feathers"	Traditional (arranged by the Corrs)	3:14
5.	"Runaway"		4:36
6.	"Forgiven Not Forgotten"		5:22
7.	"At Your Side"		4:33
8.	"Little Wing"	Jimi Hendrix	4:41
9.	"No Frontiers"	Jimmy McCarthy	4:28
10.	"Queen of Hollywood"	The Corrs Glen Ballard Dane Deviller Sean Hosein	4:44
11.	"Old Town (This Boy Is Cracking Up)"	Jimmy Bain Phil Lynott	3:09
12.	"(Lough) Erin Shore"	Traditional (arranged by the Corrs)	4:25
13.	"So Young"		4:53
14.	"Everybody Hurts"	Bill Berry Peter Buck Mike Mills Michael Stipe	5:45

All tracks are written by the Corrs, except where noted

Bonus track – on German issue release

No.	Title	Length
15.	"At Your Side" (remix version)	4:22

Bonus track – on some releases

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
16.	"Dreams"	Stevie Nicks	3:43

DVD and VHS track listing

1. "Only When I Sleep"
2. "What Can I Do"
3. "Radio"
4. "Toss The Feathers"
5. "Everybody Hurts"
6. "Dreams"
7. "Runaway"
8. "Forgiven Not Forgotten"
9. "At Your Side"
10. "Little Wing"
11. "No Frontiers"
12. "Queen Of Hollywood"
13. "Old Town (This Boy Is Cracking Up)"
14. "(Lough) Erin Shore"
15. "So Young"

Personnel

The Corrs

• Andrea Corr – lead vocals, tin whistle
• Caroline Corr – drums, tambourine, bodhrán, conga, piano, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "No Frontiers"
• Sharon Corr – violin, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "No Frontiers"
• Jim Corr – acoustic guitar, piano, backing vocals

Guest musicians

• Anthony Drennan – acoustic guitar, dobro
• Keith Duffy – bass guitar, percussion
• Mitchell Froom – Hammond organ, piano
• The Irish Film Orchestra conducted by Fiachra Trench – orchestration

Technical

• Engineers – Tim Martin and Tim Summerhayes
• Producers – Mitchell Froom and the Corrs

Charts

Album charts Chart (1999) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[3] 14 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[4] 1 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[5] 2 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[6] 3 Danish Albums (Tracklisten)[7] 6 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] 3 European Albums (Billboard)[9] 5 French Albums (SNEP)[10] 5 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] 6 Irish Albums (IRMA)[12] 1 Malaysian Albums (RIM)[13] 7 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[14] 17 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[15] 4 Portuguese Albums (AFP)[16] 4 Spanish Albums (Promúsicae)[17] 8 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 30 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 3 UK Albums (OCC)[20] 7 Video charts Chart (1999) Peak position UK Videos (OCC)[21] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 98 UK Albums (OCC)[23] 31 Chart (2000) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[24] 77 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Österreich)[25] 4 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[26] 25 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[27] 15 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[28] 7 European Albums (Music & Media)[29] 13 French Albums (SNEP)[30] 50 German Albums (GfK)[31] 17 Swiss Albums (Hitparade)[32] 10 UK Albums (OCC)[33] 89 Chart (2001) Position Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[34] 29 All-time charts Chart Peak position Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[8] 51

Certifications

Album certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Australia (ARIA)[35] Platinum 70,000^ Austria (IFPI Austria)[36] Platinum 50,000* Belgium (BEA)[37] Gold 25,000* France (SNEP)[38] Platinum 300,000* Germany (BVMI)[39] 3× Gold 450,000^ Ireland (IRMA)[40] 8× Platinum 120,000^ Italy (FIMI)[41] Platinum 100,000* Netherlands (NVPI)[42] 2× Platinum 200,000^ New Zealand (RMNZ)[43] Gold 7,500^ Norway (IFPI Norway)[44] Platinum 50,000* Spain (PROMUSICAE)[17] 3× Platinum 300,000^ Sweden (GLF)[45] Gold 40,000^ Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[46] Platinum 50,000^ United Kingdom (BPI)[47] 2× Platinum 600,000^ Summaries Europe (IFPI)[48] 2× Platinum 2,000,000* * Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Video certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Australia (ARIA)[49] Platinum 15,000^ Austria (IFPI Austria)[50] Gold 5,000* Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[51] Gold 25,000* United Kingdom (BPI)[52] Platinum 50,000* * Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

• November 12, 1999 (1999-11-12), Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, Atlantic 7567-80986-2, CD
• November 15, 1999 (1999-11-15), Europe, Canada, UK, Atlantic 7567-80986-2, CD
• November 12, 1999 (1999-11-12), Singapore, Atlantic 7567-80986-2/4, CD (with bonus track)
• November 29, 1999 (1999-11-29), Australia, Atlantic 7567-80992-2, CD (with "Dreams" bonus track)
• November 25, 1999 (1999-11-25), Japan, Warner AMCY-7120, CD (with "Dreams" bonus track)
• December 3, 1999 (1999-12-03), Mexico, Atlantic CS 809862–8, CD (with "Dreams" bonus track)
• February 28, 2000 (2000-02-28), Germany, Atlantic 0756-792890-2, CD (reissue, with different bonus track)
• November 12, 2001 (2001-11-12), Taiwan, Warner 7567-80986-2, CD (with bonus disk of "Rainy Day" 7567-80986-4)
• January 2004 (2004-01), Australia, Warner 7567-93277-2, CD (double album with The Best of The Corrs)

References

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