History Music / InMyTribe

''In My Tribe'', released in 1987, is the third studio album by American AlternativeRock band Music/TenThousandManiacs. Their second record on Creator/ElektraRecords and their first without co-founder John Lombardo, who previously served as frontwoman Natalie Merchant's songwriting partner on ''Secrets of the I Ching'' and ''The Wishing Chair'', the album served as the band's BreakthroughHit, catapulting them into mainstream stardom for the brief period of time between the rise of alternative rock that year and the start of the {{grunge}} boom in 1991, selling over two million copies in the U.S. by 1998. It remains the band's most popular studio album, their best-selling album overall being their ''MTV Unplugged'' live album.

''In My Tribe'', released in 1987, is the third studio album by American AlternativeRock band Music/TenThousandManiacs. Their second record on Creator/ElektraRecords and their first without co-founder John Lombardo, who previously served as frontwoman Natalie Merchant's songwriting partner on ''Secrets of the I Ching'' and ''The Wishing Chair'', the album served as the band's BreakthroughHit, catapulting them into mainstream stardom for the brief period of time between the rise of alternative rock that year and the start of the {{grunge}} boom in 1991, selling over two million copies in the U.S. by 1998, remaining the band's most popular studio album, their best-selling album overall being their ''MTV Unplugged'' live album.

# "Peace Train"[[note]]Originally by Cat Stevens; removed from US CD, cassette, and [=MiniDisc=] reissues from 1989 onward.[[/note]] (3:26)

* CoverVersion: "Peace Train", originally by Cat Stevens. The song was removed from reissues of the album from 1989 onwards in protest of comments Stevens (by then a Muslim convert under the name Yusuf Islam) made that year in interviews that seemed to support the Iranian government's death order against British Indian author Creator/SalmanRushdie, whose 1988 novel ''Literature/TheSatanicVerses'' was accused of anti-Islam blasphemy. This only applied to American CD, cassette, and [=MiniDisc=] pressings, as the cover remained on international editions of the album and domestic vinyl editions, likely because at this point major labels were phasing out vinyl releases anyway (at least in North America), so the label apparently just let the vinyl version go out of print. That version also later resurfaced on the band's 2004 ''Campfire Songs'' [[GreatestHitsAlbum best-of compilation]].

* VariantCover: The CD, LP, and cassette releases each feature different cover artwork, each taken from a different picture in a photoshoot of children practicing archery (the [=MiniDisc=] release simply uses a cropped version of the CD cover). The album was also reissued as part of parent label Warner Bros.' "Original Album Series" budget-priced box sets, with the CD cover used despite being issued in a cardboard LP replica sleeve. They were all designed by John Kosh, best known for designing covers for Music/TheBeatles, Music/TheWho and the Music/{{Eagles}}, simply credited as usual as [[LastNameBasis "Kosh."]]

# "Peace Train"[[note]]Originally by Cat Stevens; removed in US CD and [=MiniDisc=] reissues from 1989 onward.[[/note]] (3:26)

* CoverVersion: "Peace Train", originally by Cat Stevens. The song was removed from reissues of the album from 1989 onwards in protest of comments Stevens (by then a Muslim convert under the name Yusuf Islam) made that year in interviews that seemed to support the Iranian government's death order against British Indian author Creator/SalmanRushdie, whose 1988 novel ''Literature/TheSatanicVerses'' was accused of anti-Islam blasphemy. This only applied to American CD, cassette, and [=MiniDisc=] pressings, as the cover remained on international editions of the album and domestic vinyl editions, likely because at this point major labels were phasing out vinyl releases anyway (at least in North America). That version also later resurfaced on the band's 2004 ''Campfire Songs'' [[GreatestHitsAlbum best-of compilation]].

* CoverVersion: "Peace Train", originally by Cat Stevens. The song was removed from reissues of the album from 1989 onwards in protest of comments Stevens (by then a Muslim convert under the name Yusuf Islam) made that year in interviews that seemed to support the Iranian government's death order against British Indian author Creator/SalmanRushdie, whose 1988 novel ''Literature/TheSatanicVerses'' was accused of anti-Islam blasphemy. This only applied to American CD and [=MiniDisc=] pressings, as the cover remained on international editions of the album and domestic cassette and vinyl editions, likely because at this point major labels were phasing out vinyl releases anyway (at least in North America) and [=CDs=] were on their way to overtaking cassette sales. That version also later resurfaced on the band's 2004 ''Campfire Songs'' [[GreatestHitsAlbum best-of compilation]].

Like the albums before it, ''In My Tribe'' was released to considerable acclaim from critics, who regarded it as the band truly coming into their own, both musically and artistically. In 2011, ''Magazine/RollingStone'' ranked it as the 65th greatest album of the 1980's, describing it as "a poetic, heartfelt message about social concerns such as alcoholism, child abuse and illiteracy." As of 2020, it currently stands at No. 2941 on ''WebSite/AcclaimedMusic''[='s=] [[UsefulNotes/AcclaimedMusicAllTimeTopAlbums dynamic list]] of the 3000 most critically lauded albums. The record was also a commercial success for the band, peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the charts for 77 weeks, and going gold in the United States within just a year of its release and platinum just a year later; in 1998, the album was eventually certified double-platinum as Natalie Merchant's solo success reinvigorated interest in her former band's back catalog. The album's success crafted a sizable niche for 10,000 Maniacs among the adult alternative crowd and would herald, along with other releases that year like Music/{{U2}}'s ''Music/TheJoshuaTree'', Music/MidnightOil's ''Diesel and Dust'', Music/{{REM}}'s ''Music/{{Document}}'', Music/DepecheMode's ''Music/MusicForTheMasses'', and Music/NewOrder's ''Music/{{Substance|NewOrderAlbum}}'', the entry of alternative rock into the U.S. mainstream.

''In My Tribe'', released in 1987, is the third studio album by American AlternativeRock band Music/TenThousandManiacs. Their second record on Creator/ElektraRecords and their first without co-founder John Lombardo, who previously served as frontwoman Natalie Merchant's songwriting partner on ''Secrets of the I Ching'' and ''The Wishing Chair'', the album served as the band's BreakthroughHit, catapulting them into mainstream stardom for the brief period of time between the rise of alternative rock that year and the start of the {{grunge}} boom in 1991, selling over two million copies in the U.S. by 1998, remaining the band's most popular studio album, their best-selling album overall being their ''MTV Unplugged'' live album. With Lombardo's departure the previous year, Merchant opted to increase her level of collaboration with the other band members, particularly guitarist Rob Buck, resulting in a poppier sound compared to the band's previous two albums while still having a distinctively alternative edge to its brand of JanglePop, most significantly still continuing the socially conscious lyrics that Merchant had already become known for. The album was produced by former Peter and Gordon member Peter Asher, best known for producing Music/JamesTaylor and Music/LindaRonstadt, which also added to the folk-rock sound updated for the '80s.

Like the albums before it, ''In My Tribe'' was released to considerable acclaim from critics, who regarded it as the band truly coming into their own, both musically and artistically. In 2011, ''Magazine/RollingStone'' ranked it as the 65th greatest album of the 1980's, describing it as "a poetic, heartfelt message about social concerns such as alcoholism, child abuse and illiteracy." As of 2020, it currently stands at No. 2941 on ''WebSite/AcclaimedMusic''[='s=] [[UsefulNotes/AcclaimedMusicAllTimeTopAlbums dynamic list]] of the 3000 most critically lauded albums. The record was also a commercial success for the band, peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the charts for 77 weeks, and going gold in the United States within just a year of its release and platinum just a year later; in 1998, the album was eventually certified double-platinum on the heels of Natalie Merchant's successful launch of her solo career. The album's success crafted a sizable niche for 10,000 Maniacs among the adult alternative crowd and would herald, along with other releases that year like Music/{{U2}}'s ''Music/TheJoshuaTree'', Music/MidnightOil's ''Diesel and Dust'', Music/{{REM}}'s ''Music/{{Document}}'', Music/DepecheMode's ''Music/MusicForTheMasses'', and Music/NewOrder's ''Music/{{Substance|NewOrderAlbum}}'', the entry of alternative rock into the U.S. mainstream.

* CoverVersion: "Peace Train", originally by Cat Stevens. The song was removed from reissues of the album from 1989 onwards in protest of comments Stevens (by then a Muslim convert under the name Yusuf Islam) made that year in interviews that seemed to support the Iranian government's death order against British Indian author Creator/SalmanRushdie, whose 1988 novel ''Literature/TheSatanicVerses'' was accused of anti-Islam blasphemy. This only applied to American CD and [=MiniDisc=] pressings, as the cover remained on international editions of the album and domestic cassette and vinyl editions, likely because at this point major labels were phasing out vinyl releases anyway and [=CDs=] were on their way to overtaking cassette sales. That version also later resurfaced on the band's 2004 ''Campfire Songs'' [[GreatestHitsAlbum best-of compilation]].

Like the albums before it, ''In My Tribe'' was released to considerable acclaim from critics, who regarded it as the band truly coming into their own, both musically and artistically. In 2011, ''Magazine/RollingStone'' ranked it as the 65th greatest album of the 1980's, describing it as "a poetic, heartfelt message about social concerns such as alcoholism, child abuse and illiteracy." The album was also a commercial success for the band, peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the charts for 77 weeks, and going gold in the United States within just a year of its release and platinum just a year later; in 1998, the album was eventually certified double-platinum on the heels of Natalie Merchant's successful launch of her solo career. The album's success crafted a sizable niche for 10,000 Maniacs among the adult alternative crowd and would herald, along with other releases that year like Music/{{U2}}'s ''Music/TheJoshuaTree'', Music/MidnightOil's ''Diesel and Dust'', Music/{{REM}}'s ''Music/{{Document}}'', Music/DepecheMode's ''Music/MusicForTheMasses'', and Music/NewOrder's ''Music/{{Substance|NewOrderAlbum}}'', the entry of alternative rock into the U.S. mainstream.

''In My Tribe'', released in 1987, is the third studio album by American AlternativeRock band Music/TenThousandManiacs. Their second record on Creator/ElektraRecords and their first without co-founder John Lombardo, who previously served as frontwoman Natalie Merchant's songwriting partner on ''Secrets of the I Ching'' and ''The Wishing Chair'', the album served as the band's BreakthroughHit, catapulting them into mainstream stardom for the brief period of time between the rise of alternative rock that year and the start of the {{grunge}} boom in 1991, selling over two million copies in the U.S. by 1998, remaining the band's most popular album. With Lombardo's departure the previous year, Merchant opted to increase her level of collaboration with the other band members, particularly guitarist Rob Buck, resulting in a poppier sound compared to the band's previous two albums while still having a distinctively alternative edge to its brand of JanglePop, most significantly still continuing the socially conscious lyrics that Merchant had already become known for. The album was produced by former Peter and Gordon member Peter Asher, best known for producing Music/JamesTaylor and Music/LindaRonstadt, which also added to the folk-rock sound updated for the '80s.

''In My Tribe'' was supported by four singles: "Don't Talk", "Peace Train", "Like the Weather", and "What's the Matter Here?", all of which remain favorites on AAA stations to this day.