"Trouble Me" is a song by the American alternative rock group 10,000 Maniacs and the first single from their 1989 albumBlind Man's Zoo. The single was co-written by the band's then-lead singer, Natalie Merchant, as dedication to her father, Anthony Merchant. "Trouble Me" charted in both the United States and the United Kingdom, becoming a hit for the band. A live version with lead vocalist Mary Ramsey was also included on their 2016 album Playing Favorites.
Background and production
"Trouble Me", composed by Dennis Drew and lyricized by Natalie Merchant,[1] was the first released single of the album. The song was written for Merchant's father, Anthony, who was hospitalized at the time.[2][3] Gospel singer Jevetta Steele provided the background vocals for the song.[4] Merchant said in late 1980s, "The most uplifting song is 'Trouble Me', which seems like the antidote for all the rest of [Blind Man's Zoo]."[2]
Music video
A music video for "Trouble Me" was produced, containing outdoor scenes. Merchant caught a common cold during the filming.[2] It is included in the VHS release 10,000 Maniacs: Time Capsule, Filmed 1982–1990,[5] later re-released on DVD as 10,000 Maniacs: Time Capsule, Filmed 1982–1993.
In the music video, while she performs the song in various scenes, Merchant takes an elderly woman on the bicycle to the place where the elderly woman's friends surprise her and then do activities. In the end, Merchant and the elderly woman ride on the bicycle to a shoreline.
Reception
Music critic Anthony DeCurtis wrote, "Blind Man's Zoo, [which includes the song], is a starkly pessimistic statement."[2] Chris Willman of Los Angeles Times reviewed the band's song performance at the 1989 Santa Barbara Bowl concert, calling it "honey in the soothing."[6] Joseph Pryweller of Virginia's Daily Press reviewed the band's song performance at a 1989 Colonial Williamsburg concert, saying that the performance resembled songs from the band's previous album, In My Tribe, and "lacked special character."[7]
The song is featured in the Dead of Summer episode, "Barney Rubble Eyes" (season 1, episode 2).[15][16]Billboard reviewer Chuck Taylor said that the "[m]idtempo pacing" of James Blunt's song "1973" would resemble 10,000 Maniacs' song.[17]
References
^10,000 Maniacs (1989). Blind Man's Zoo (booklet). Elektra/Asylum Records.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ abcdDeCurtis, Anthony (1999). Rocking My Life Away: Writing About Music and Other Matters. Duke University Press. pp. 162–164. ISBN0-8223-2419-9.