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A Few Small Repairs

A Few Small Repairs is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin. It was released on October 1, 1996, by Columbia Records.[1] On September 15, 2017, Columbia/Legacy Recordings released a 20th anniversary edition of the album on CD, vinyl and digital formats. In addition to the original album being newly remastered, seven previously-unreleased live tracks were included.

A Few Small Repairs

October 1, 1996 (1996-10-01)

51:09

Columbia

Background[edit]

A Few Small Repairs is a concept album about divorce, as Colvin's marriage was ending. At the time of the album's release, she had relocated to Austin, Texas.[2] The album cover consists of a painting by Colvin's friend Julie Speed[3] of a three-eyed woman with a lit match, which inspired Colvin to write the song "Sunny Came Home".[4] Colvin found the painting so arresting that she knew she wanted to use it as the cover before the songwriting and recording were done.[4]

Singles[edit]

A Few Small Repairs was supported by four singles. The album's biggest single, released in 1997, was "Sunny Came Home", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 7,[5] and topped the Adult Contemporary,[6] Adult Top 40,[7] and Top 40 Adult Recurrents[8] charts the same year.


Another notable song from the album was "Nothin' on Me", which peaked at number 24 on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart.[9] The song was also used on Suddenly Susan as its theme song from 1997 to 2000.[10] Colvin appeared on the show in the second season episode Ready ... aim ... Fong!.[11] She performed the song on the show.

"What I Get Paid For" does not appear on North American pressings of the album, therefore reducing the number of tracks to 12.

[20]

– All vocals (2, 5–8, 12), lead vocals (1, 3–4, 9–10, 13), background vocals (4), acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 5, 8–10, 12–13), additional guitars (6), piano (7), handclaps (2)

Shawn Colvin

– trumpet (4)

Chris Botti

Bob Carlisle – French horn (3)

Rick Depofi – tenor saxophone (4), clarinet (7), bass clarinet (3), piccolo flute (9), recorder instrument (9)

Larry Farrell – trombone (3–4)

Danny Ferrington – background vocals (4)

Tony Kadlek – flugelhorn (3)

– All guitars (2), electric guitar (12), additional guitars (1, 3–6, 8–10, 12–13), pedal steel guitar (6), mandolin (1), keyboards (1–5, 8–10, 12–13), organ played by (6), violin (1), additional percussion (1, 3–6, 8–10, 13), harmonica (2, 4), background vocals (4, 9, 13)

John Leventhal

– harmony vocals (3)

Lyle Lovett

– harmony vocals (1, 4), background vocals (4)

Kate Markowitz

Eugene Moye – cello (2, 7–8)

– harmony vocals (10)

Judith Owen

– bass played by (4)

Mark Plati

Sandra Park – violin (2, 7–8)

– drums (1–6, 8–10, 13), percussion (2, 4–5)

Shawn Pelton

– bass guitar (1, 3, 6, 9–10)

Michael Rhodes

Robert Rinehart – viola (2, 7–8)

Carol Webb – violin (2, 7–8)

Credits adapted from the liner notes of A Few Small Repairs.[19]