Motherland is the third studio album by Natalie Merchant, released on November 13, 2001, by Elektra Records.
Contents
History
Originally, a song named "The End" was supposed to appear on the album instead of "Not In This Life". Merchant noted that: "I'd take out one song, 'Not in This Life,' because it seems frivolous to me now. And I'd put back a song called 'The End,' which probably would have gotten me in trouble. Part of the lyric goes: 'That'll be the end of war/ the end of the law of Bible, of Koran, Torah.' I really wanted to put it on the record, but I felt there was so much serious material already that I chose something lighter, for balance." "The End" later appeared on Merchant's self-titled sixth studio album (2014).
Two tracks from Motherland, "Tell Yourself" and "Not in This Life", appeared on the television series Felicity and Alias respectively. The song "Henry Darger" is about "posthumously appreciated outsider artist" Henry Darger.
Track listing
All songs written by Natalie Merchant.
"This House Is on Fire" – 4:42
"Motherland" – 4:44
"Saint Judas" – 5:44
"Put the Law on You" – 5:01
"Build a Levee" – 4:46
"Golden Boy" – 4:10
"Henry Darger" – 4:24
"The Worst Thing" – 5:46
"Tell Yourself" – 5:14
"Just Can't Last" – 4:31
"Not in This Life" – 5:22
"I'm Not Gonna Beg" – 3:40
Production
T-Bone Burnett – producer
Natalie Merchant – producer, package design
Mike Piersante – recording
Ryan Boesch – recording assistant
Kevin Dean – recording assistant
Brandon Mason – recording assistant
Keith Shortreed – recording assistant
Jim Scott – additional recording, mixing
Jennifer Hilliard – mix assistant
Robert Read – mix assistant
Bob Ludwig – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine)
Paul Ackling – production assistant, guitar technician
Lili Picou – package design
Laura Wilson – photography
Gary Smith – management