Growing, Pains

This article is about the Billie Myers album. For other uses, see Growing Pains (disambiguation).

Growing, Pains
Studio album by
Billie Myers
Released18 November 1997
Studio Abbey Road (London, England)
GenrePop rock
Length43:56 (standard version)
49:25 (DTS CD version)
LabelUniversal
ProducerDesmond Child
Billie Myers chronology
Growing, Pains
(1997) 		Vertigo
(2000)

Growing, Pains is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Billie Myers, released in 1997 by Universal Records. It includes the worldwide hit single "Kiss the Rain", which reached number four in the UK singles chart[1] and number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[2] plus the follow-up single "Tell Me".

In addition to the regular CD, a DTS CD version was released, featuring a 5.1 surround sound mix of the entire album and an unplugged version of "Kiss the Rain" as a bonus track.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Music Week(favorable)[4]

In a review for AllMusic, Alex Henderson wrote that "despite its excessive slickness and commercial leanings, this is an often impressive album that has a lot of heart" and that "[Myers'] passion and soulfulness come through loud and clear". He described Myers' "vocal style" as "a combination of Chrissie Hynde and Tracy Chapman with traces of Joan Armatrading and Joni Mitchell", and that it "never fails to be attractive."[3]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Kiss the Rain"
4:32
2."A Few Words Too Many"
  • Myers
  • Child
4:19
3."Tell Me"
5:05
4."You Send Me Flying"
  • Myers
  • Peter Vale
3:58
5."Please Don't Shout"
  • Myers
  • Pete Q. Harris
3:44
6."First Time"
  • Myers
  • Jane Dobbins
  • George Hutchison
3:39
7."Mother, Daughter, Sister, Lover"
  • Myers
  • Vale
3:38/4:07
8."The Shark and the Mermaid"
  • Myers
  • Harris
3:49
9."Having Trouble with the Language"
  • Myers
  • Vale
3:45
10."Opposites Attract"
  • Myers
  • Hutchison
3:37
11."Much Change Too Soon"
  • Myers
  • Vale
3:50
Total length:43:56
Bonus track on DTS CD Version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Kiss the Rain (unplugged)"
  • Myers
  • Child
  • Bazilian
5:00

Note

  • The duration of the bonus track is 5 minutes long according to the CD's back cover, but the actual track features ~5 more minutes of a recorded thunderstorm after the song, bringing its entire running time to 9:55. Also, the DTS version of "Mother, Daughter, Sister, Lover" is ~30 seconds longer than the stereo version.

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[5]

Musicians

  • Billie Myers – vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, 10)
  • Mercedes Abal – flute (tracks 3, 8), machete (track 8)
  • Kenny Aronoff – drums & percussion (tracks 1–10)
  • Eric Bazilian – guitar (tracks 1, 9), bass guitar (track 1), drum programming (track 1), backing vocals (track 1), electric guitar (tracks 3–8), acoustic guitar (tracks 3, 5, 8), mandolin (track 7)
  • Catherine Browning – violin (track 11)
  • Randy Cantor – organ (track 1)
  • Ramesh Chandra – sitar (track 3)
  • Desmond Child – backing vocals (track 1), keyboards (track 3)
  • Don Coffman – double bass
  • Jane Dobbins – backing vocals (tracks 2–4, 6–10), backing vocal arrangement (tracks 6, 10), string programming (track 6)
  • Alison Dodds – violin (track 11)
  • Richard Drummie – electric guitar (track 2), acoustic guitar (track 2)
  • Charles Dye – backing vocals (track 6)
  • Doug Emery – keyboards (track 2), organ (track 9)
  • Pete Q. Harris – piano (track 5), string programming & arrangement (track 4, 8, 10), string arrangement (track 11)
  • George Hutchison – acoustic guitar (tracks 3, 4, 6–8), electric guitar (track 6), mandolin (track 6), guitar (track 10)
  • Hugh McDonald – bass guitar (tracks 2, 4–10)
  • Tom McWilliams – drum & percussion programming
  • Andrea Morris – violin (tracks 8, 11)
  • Eddie Montilla – keyboards (track 3), synth bass (track 3)
  • Clare Raybould – violin (track 11)
  • Lazaro Rodriguez – electric guitar (track 6)
  • Arturo Sandoval – flugelhorn (track 11)
  • Eliot Sloan – backing vocals (track 4)
  • JR Swingha – drum programming (tracks 3, 9, 10)
  • Peter Vale – acoustic guitar (tracks 4, 7), keyboards (track 7), backing vocals (tracks 4, 7, 9), backing vocal arrangement (tracks 4, 7), electric guitar (track 4), guitar (tracks 9, 11)
  • Betty Wright – backing vocals (tracks 3, 8)

Technical

  • Desmond Child – producer
  • Brian Coleman – production manager
  • Charles Dye – recording
  • Andy Roshberg – additional recording
  • Peter Vale – additional recording
  • Pete Q. Harris – additional recording, programming (track 3)
  • J. C. Ulloa – additional recording
  • Cage Gondor – additional recording, assistant engineer
  • Alex Marcou – additional recording
  • Robert Valdez – assistant engineer
  • Chris Carroll – assistant engineer
  • David Flower – assistant engineer
  • Alex Burak – assistant engineer
  • Michael Brauer – mixing
  • Ryan Hewitt – assistant mix engineer
  • Greg Calbi – mastering
  • Kathy Baylor – A&R
  • Sandie Lee Drake – art direction
  • Susan Bibeau – design
  • Michael Halsband – photography

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Growing, Pains
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[14] Gold 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "BILLIE MYERS". Official Charts. 11 April 1998. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Billie Myers | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Growing, Pains - Billie Myers | Album | AllMusic". Retrieved 19 January 2026 – via www.allmusic.com.
  4. ^ "Album reviews" (PDF). Music Week. 11 April 1998. p. 25. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  5. ^ Growing, Pains (liner notes). Billie Myers. Universal. 1997.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. 30 March 1998. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Billie Myers – Growing, Pains" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  8. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 20. 16 May 1998. p. 11. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Billie Myers - Growing, Pains - hitparade.ch".
  10. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company.com. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Billie Myers – Growing, Pains". Hung Medien.
  12. ^ "Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com.
  13. ^ "Chart History: Billie Myers - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Billie Myers – Growing, Pains". Music Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
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