Vitamin C (album)

This article is about the self-titled album by Vitamin C. For other albums by Vitamin C, see Vitamin C discography.

Vitamin C is the debut studio album by pop singer Vitamin C, released in 1999. Initially failing to chart, the album later became a success, climbing the Billboard 200 to number 29.^[4] It was certified as gold and later certified platinum by the RIAA.^[5]

Vitamin C
Studio album by Vitamin C
Released	August 31, 1999
Recorded	1998–1999
Genre	Pop
Length	47:27
Label	Elektra
Producer	Josh Deutsch Garry Hughes
Vitamin C chronology
Vitamin C (1999) More (2001)
Singles from Vitamin C
"Smile" Released: June 8, 1999[1] "Me, Myself & I" Released: October 19, 1999[2] "Graduation (Friends Forever)" Released: March 7, 2000[3]

The album spawned two hits, the gold-selling top 20 hit "Smile"^[6] and the top 40 hit "Graduation (Friends Forever)". The album features guest appearances by Lady Saw, Count Bass D, and Waymon Boone. On the track "Fear of Flying", Vitamin C samples the Clash's "The Magnificent Seven".^[7] The Japanese edition features the bonus track "The Only One".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[9]
People	(favorable)[10]
Rolling Stone	[11]

The album elicited generally positive reviews from music critics upon its release. Tom Demalon, writing for AllMusic, praised Vitamin C's range, adding that "there is no shortage of hooks" on the album and concluding that "there's not a weak track on this stellar record."^[8] Entertainment Weekly gave the album an "A−" and called the album "the unabashedly great pop album the Spice Girls might have made (but never quite did)."^[9]

However, some critics were less favorable in their assessments of the album. Rolling Stone's Neva Chonin awarded the album two and a half stars, praising the album's stylistic range but criticizing its production, which she felt "makes it difficult to tell where the cut-and-paste production ends and Vitamin C begins."^[11]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Smile" (featuring Lady Saw)	Colleen Fitzpatrick Josh Deutsch	3:58
2.	"Turn Me On"	Fitzpatrick Deutsch Michael D. Goodman	3:47
3.	"Me, Myself and I"	Gregg Rolie Michael John Carabello Thomas Coke Escobedo	3:57
4.	"Unhappy Anniversary"	Sean Altman Neol Cohen	3:56
5.	"Not That Kind of Girl"	Fitzpatrick Michael Kotch	3:27
6.	"Do What You Want to Do"	Fitzpatrick Deutsch George Clinton Bootsy Collins David Elliott Gregory Jacobs Terrence Woodford Bernard Worrell Herbert Ivey	3:21
7.	"Girls Against Boys" (featuring Count Bass D)	Fitzpatrick Kotch Matt Mahaffey	4:16
8.	"I Got You"	Neil Finn	4:01
9.	"Money" (featuring Waymon Boone)	Fitzpatrick Deutsch	3:47
10.	"About Last Night"	Fitzpatrick Robbie Nevil	4:01
11.	"Fear of Flying"	Jimmy Harry Mick Jones Joe Strummer Topper Headon	3:16
12.	"Graduation (Friends Forever)"	Fitzpatrick Deutsch	5:40
Total length:			47:27

US reissue bonus track

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Graduation (Friends Forever)" (Student Interview Mix) (hidden track)	5:40

Japanese bonus track

No.	Title	Length
13.	"The Only One"	2:52

Personnel

• Vitamin C – vocals, composition, backing vocals
• Ada Dyer – backing vocals (3, 6, 9, 12)
• Sean Altman – backing vocals (4)
• Vaneese Thomas – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12)
• David Rainger – guitar (1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10)
• Fred Maher – guitar (5, 8)
• Josh Deutsch – guitar (1), production
• Michael Kotch – guitar (5)
• David Rainger – bass (9, 10)
• Melvin Gibbs – bass (3, 4, 6, 12)
• Alan Friedman – keyboards (3)
• Fred Maher – keyboards (5, 8)
• Jimmy Harry – production (11)
• Garry Hughes – keyboards (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12)
• Ashley Horne – viola (12)
• Denise Stillwell – viola (12)
• Jill Jaffe – viola (12)
• Joel Rudin – viola (12)
• Mark Wood – viola (12)
• Martha Mooke – viola (12)
• Ron Lawrence – viola (12)
• Sally Shumway – viola (12)
• Sandy Robbins – viola (12)
• Gregor Kitzis – violin (12)
• Laura Seaton – violin (12)
• Mary Rowell – violin (12)
• Paul Woodiel – violin (12)
• Dan Barrett – cello (12)
• Mary Wooten – cello (12)
• Matt Goeke – cello (12)
• Jonas Tauber – cello (12)
• Suzie Katayama – cello (8)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) Peak position US Billboard 200[12] 29 US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[13] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2000) Position US Billboard 200[14] 165

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[15]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Bell, Carrie (July 17, 1999). "Elektra's Vitamin C Gives Pop a Twist". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 29. pp. 12, 16.
2. "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1321. October 15, 1999. pp. 132, 139.
3. "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2293. February 25, 2000. p. 8.
4. "Vitamin C Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
5. "RIAA Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
6. "Vitamin C Gold single for "Smile" as certified by the RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
7. "Vitamin C: Vitamin C : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 21, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
8. "Vitamin C - Vitamin C - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
9. "Vitamin C". Ew.com. August 30, 1999. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
10. "Picks and Pans Main: Song – Vol. 52 No. 12". People.com. September 27, 1999. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
11. "Vitamin C: Vitamin C : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. August 21, 2007. Archived from the original on August 21, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
12. "Vitamin C Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
13. "Vitamin C Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
14. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
15. "American album certifications – Vitamin C – Vitamin C". Recording Industry Association of America.