I Am What I Am is a studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 that includes the first recordings by Milan

Milan (aka The Leather Boy)

Milan was an enigmatic producer, songwriter and recording artist on numerous songs made throughout the 1960s, mostly though not exclusively in the garage rock genre...

 (with the exception of two early singles). The front cover (pictured) also includes "presenting a bright new star". The album was produced by Budd Granoff.

Although Milan recorded many additional songs on later singles, this was the only album ever released in his name. This album (and its associated singles) is also notable for apparently being the only time in his career that Milan used the "Rodell" surname.

Songwriter Credits

Milan is listed as the songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

 on all tracks under the name "M. Rodell"; on the first 45, the songwriter's name is Milan Rodelle (which is presumably a misspelling). As verified in the liner notes, the album is unusual for pop music

Pop music

Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 albums of the times in this regard. There are three music publishing companies listed for the songs on the album: Jonathan Glenn Music, Nom Music and Pine Knob Music.

Release Data

The album was released in the LP format on 20th Century Fox in 1964 in both monaural

Monaural

Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...

 and stereophonic editions (catalogue numbers TFM 3149 and TFS 4149, respectively). The first and last songs on Side 1 were released as the first single on the same record label

Record label

In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...

(catalogue number 478), also in 1964. The second single from the album was "Runnin' Wild" b/w "Angel's Lullaby".

Track listing

All songs written by Milan (M. Rodell)

Side 1:

1. I Am What I Am, 2:22
2. Two of a Kind, 2:24
3. Angel's Lullaby, 2:45
4. There's Nothing without You, 2:32
5. Dream Girl, 2:25
6. Over and Over Again, 2:15

Side 2:

1. Runnin' Wild, 2:20
2. Going My Way, 1:56
3. Spellbound, 2:15
4. Today Is My Day, 2:20
5. This Little Girl, 2:25
6. The Big Lie, 2:09