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I Try
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = I Try
| cover = Macygray-itry.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Macy Gray
| album = On How Life Is
| B-side =
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:59
| label =
| composer =
| lyricist = Macy Gray
| producer = Andrew Slater
| prev_title = Do Something
| prev_year = 1999
| next_title = Still
| next_year = 2000
| misc =
}}
"'I Try'" is a song co-written and performed by American musician Macy Gray. The song was released on September 27, 1999, as the second single from her debut album, 'On How Life Is' (1999). It is Gray's most successful single to date, peaking at number six in the United Kingdom, number five in the United States, number two in Canada, and number one in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.
At the 2001 Grammy Awards, "I Try" won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It remains Gray's biggest hit single in the US to date, and her only one to reach the top 40 of the 'Billboard' Hot 100. The song was used in the TV sitcom 'Spin City', when Michael J. Fox's character, Michael Flaherty, was leaving his job and moving from NYC; the actor was also leaving the series after he had announced that he had Parkinson's disease. In 2010, the song was featured in an episode of 'The Office'. It was also featured in the series 2 finale of 'Mrs. Brown's Boys' during which it was sung by Brendan O'Carroll and Pat "Pepsi" Shields. In 2018, the song was featured in an episode of 'The Last Man on Earth'.
Critical reception
'Daily Record' called the song "soulful", noting that Macy Gray "has one of the most distinctive singing voices around.""Chartslot". 'Daily Record'. October 29, 1999. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
Music video
The music video for the song, directed by American filmmaker Mark Romanek (who had previously directed the video for Gray's "Do Something"), depicts Gray waking up in a hotel room, buying flowers, and traveling through New York City, traveled through by bus and train to meet a man in a park. At the end of the video, Gray is shown to still be in her hotel room. It is implied that she may have been dreaming the entire time and that none of the events in the video actually occurred.
At the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won Best New Artist and was nominated for Best Female Video and Best New Artist in a Video. Gray presented the award for Best Pop Video alongside LL Cool J.2000 MTV Video Music Awards Award Ceremony
Track listings
* 'UK CD1'
# "I Try" 3:59
# "I Try" (Full Crew Mix) 5:21
# "Don't Come Around" 4:20
* 'UK CD2'
# "I Try" 3:59
# "I Try" (JayDee Remix) 5:55
# "I Try" (Bob Power Remix) 3:51
* 'UK cassette single'
# "I Try" 3:59
# "Don't Come Around" 4:20
* 'European CD1'
# "I Try" 3:59
# "Rather Hazy" 3:10
* 'European CD2'
# "I Try" 3:59
# "Rather Hazy" 3:10
# "I Try" (Full Crew Mixextended IIno vocoder) 5:27
* 'Australian CD single'
# "I Try" 3:59
# "Rather Hazy" 3:10
# "Do Something" (Black Apple Mix edit) 3:33
# "I Try" (Full Crew Mixextended IIno vocoder) 5:27
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the 'On How Life Is' album booklet.
'Studios'
* Recorded and mixed at Paramount Studios, Sunset Sound, and A&M Studios (Hollywood, California)
'Personnel'
* Macy Gray lyrics, music, back-up vocals
* Jeremy Ruzumna music, organ
* Jinsoo Lim music
* David Wilder music, bass
* Jon Brion guitars, piano, orchestra bells
* Bendrix Williams guitars
* Patrick Warren Chamberlin
* Matt Chamberlain drums
* Lenny Castro percussion
* Andrew Slater production
* Dave Way recording, mixing
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
Category:1990s ballads
Category:1999 singles
Category:Macy Gray songs
Category:Music videos directed by Mark Romanek
Category:Number-one singles in Australia
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand
Category:Contemporary R&B ballads
Category:Songs written by Jeremy Ruzumna
Category:Songs written by Macy Gray
Category:1999 songs
Category:Epic Records singles
Category:Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
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