My Favorite Mistake
Encyclopedia
"My Favorite Mistake" is the first single from Sheryl Crow
's third album The Globe Sessions
. The song was written about a relationship with a man who proves to be unfaithful and is widely believed to have been written about Eric Clapton
. Released in 1998, the single peaked at #20 becoming Crow's fifth Top 20 single in the USA, while reaching the top 10 in Canada. In the UK, it reached #9, her last Top 10 single in Britain.
. There have also been those who believed the lover in the song to have been based on Jakob Dylan
. However, Crow has refused to say who the song was about, telling Billboard Magazine on the release of her album, "Oh, there will be just so much speculation, and because of that there's great safety and protection in the fact that people will be guessing so many different people and I'm the only person who will ever really know. I'm really private about who I've had relationships with, and I don't talk about them in the press. I don't even really talk about them with the people around me." Crow compared "My Favorite Mistake" to "You're So Vain
" by Carly Simon
. However, she later claimed that she doesn't look at her relationship with Clapton as a mistake and verified that it was definitely not about him. As further corroboration, Crow introduces Clapton as "a real good friend of mine" in her 1999 performance in Central Park, later to be released as an album.
The songs on The Globe Sessions including "My Favorite Mistake" were written in the first person as opposed the narrative songs featured on her first two albums. Crow was having so much difficulty with the honesty of the lyrics on the album that she was considering cancelling the release of the record in June 1998 and cancelled an appearance at Lilith Fair
in the summer of that year. However, eventually the release of the album was deferred for six weeks while she recorded some new songs with a subsequent delay in the release of the leadoff single.
The song was recorded at Globe Recording Studio in New York owned by Robert FitzSimons and Tracey Loggia. Despite the difficulties in recording the album, Crow told the BBC in 2005 that: "My favorite single is 'My Favorite Mistake'; it was a lot of fun to record and it's still a lot of fun to play."
heavily promoted the single and The Globe Sessions. Samuel Bayer
directed the video which was played heavily on both MTV and VH1
. Crow was the artist of the month on VH1 for September 1998 with an episode of "Storytellers" being devoted to her.
The single debuted at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100
on December 5, 1998 and reached #20, as well as reaching #2 on the Adult Top 40 charts. It also reached #6 on the Canadian singles charts. Crow did not tour immediately on the release of the single or album with a US tour scheduled in February/March 1999. In fact, Crow took time off from promoting the single to tour Vietnam in September 1998 with Steve Earle
to promote the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
. "My Favorite Mistake" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
in the Grammy Awards of 1999
losing to Céline Dion
for "My Heart Will Go On
". Crow won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album
.
Crow performed the song on her live album Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park. A different live version appears on some formats of the There Goes the Neighborhood
single.
In 2007, a Grey's Anatomy
episode was titled "My Favorite Mistake" after the song.
UK CD #2 (Cat. No. 582 763-2):
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
's third album The Globe Sessions
The Globe Sessions
The Globe Sessions is the third studio album by American singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow, released in 1998 . It was nominated for Album of the Year, Best Rock Album and Best Engineered Non-Classical Album at the 1999 Grammys, winning the latter two awards...
. The song was written about a relationship with a man who proves to be unfaithful and is widely believed to have been written about Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
. Released in 1998, the single peaked at #20 becoming Crow's fifth Top 20 single in the USA, while reaching the top 10 in Canada. In the UK, it reached #9, her last Top 10 single in Britain.
Writing and recording
The song was written by Crow and her regular collaborator Jeff Trott. The song is about a philandering ex-boyfriend, rumored to be Eric ClaptonEric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
. There have also been those who believed the lover in the song to have been based on Jakob Dylan
Jakob Dylan
Jakob Luke Dylan is the lead singer and songwriter of the rock band The Wallflowers and is a son of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and Sara Dylan. He has also recorded two solo albums.-Personal life:...
. However, Crow has refused to say who the song was about, telling Billboard Magazine on the release of her album, "Oh, there will be just so much speculation, and because of that there's great safety and protection in the fact that people will be guessing so many different people and I'm the only person who will ever really know. I'm really private about who I've had relationships with, and I don't talk about them in the press. I don't even really talk about them with the people around me." Crow compared "My Favorite Mistake" to "You're So Vain
You're So Vain
"You're So Vain" is a song written and performed by Carly Simon and released in December 1972. The song is a critical profile of a self-absorbed lover; Simon asserts "You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you." The subject's identity has been the matter of speculation, fueled by...
" by Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
. However, she later claimed that she doesn't look at her relationship with Clapton as a mistake and verified that it was definitely not about him. As further corroboration, Crow introduces Clapton as "a real good friend of mine" in her 1999 performance in Central Park, later to be released as an album.
The songs on The Globe Sessions including "My Favorite Mistake" were written in the first person as opposed the narrative songs featured on her first two albums. Crow was having so much difficulty with the honesty of the lyrics on the album that she was considering cancelling the release of the record in June 1998 and cancelled an appearance at Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
in the summer of that year. However, eventually the release of the album was deferred for six weeks while she recorded some new songs with a subsequent delay in the release of the leadoff single.
The song was recorded at Globe Recording Studio in New York owned by Robert FitzSimons and Tracey Loggia. Despite the difficulties in recording the album, Crow told the BBC in 2005 that: "My favorite single is 'My Favorite Mistake'; it was a lot of fun to record and it's still a lot of fun to play."
Release and promotion
"My Favorite Mistake" was released in the US to rock, pop and adult alternative stations in the US on August 18. It was considered to be the obvious choice as the lead single from the album and was widely considered to be one of the best songs from it. A&M RecordsA&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
heavily promoted the single and The Globe Sessions. Samuel Bayer
Samuel Bayer
Samuel David Bayer is an American commercial, music video and film director, and cinematographer.-Early life:Bayer was born in Syracuse, New York...
directed the video which was played heavily on both MTV and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. Crow was the artist of the month on VH1 for September 1998 with an episode of "Storytellers" being devoted to her.
The single debuted at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on December 5, 1998 and reached #20, as well as reaching #2 on the Adult Top 40 charts. It also reached #6 on the Canadian singles charts. Crow did not tour immediately on the release of the single or album with a US tour scheduled in February/March 1999. In fact, Crow took time off from promoting the single to tour Vietnam in September 1998 with Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
to promote the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines is a coalition of non-governmental organizations working for a world free of anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions, where mine and cluster munitions survivors see their rights respected and can lead fulfilling lives.The coalition was formed in...
. "My Favorite Mistake" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
in the Grammy Awards of 1999
Grammy Awards of 1999
The 41st Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1999. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1998. Lauryn Hill was the nights big winner winning a total of 5 awards including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. Madonna won three awards while country musicians the Dixie...
losing to Céline Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
for "My Heart Will Go On
My Heart Will Go On
"My Heart Will Go On" is the theme song/love theme of the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. With music by James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings, and production by Simon Franglen, James Horner and Walter Afanasieff ,, it was recorded by Céline Dion...
". Crow won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album
Grammy Award for Best Rock Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the rock music genre...
.
Crow performed the song on her live album Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park. A different live version appears on some formats of the There Goes the Neighborhood
There Goes the Neighborhood
There Goes the Neighborhood is the fifth studio album by Joe Walsh, released in 1981.-History:The album's biggest hit "A Life of Illusion" was recorded in 1973 with Joe Walsh's first solo band Barnstorm but was not completed. The overdubs and final mixes were completed during the There Goes the...
single.
In 2007, a Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
episode was titled "My Favorite Mistake" after the song.
CD single track listing
UK CD #1 (Cat. No. 582 761-2):- "My Favorite Mistake"
- "In Need" - Non LP Track
- "Carolina" - Non LP Track
UK CD #2 (Cat. No. 582 763-2):
- "My Favorite Mistake"
- "Subway Ride"
- "Crash and Burn"
Charts
| Chart | Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | 20 |
| Modern Rock Tracks | 26 |
| Top 40 Tracks | 7 |
| Top 40 Mainstream | 5 |
| Adult Top 40 | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 9 |