Some People Have Real Problems

Some People Have Real Problems
Sia stands against a light blue background, holding some markers in front of her face. There are drawings on her face. To the left of her, the name "Sia" and the title "Some People Have Real Problems" is stylized in a colorful, handwritten font.
Studio album by
Sia
Released8 January 2008 (2008-01-08)
Recorded2007
Genre
Length59:15
Label
ProducerJimmy Hogarth
Sia chronology
Lady Croissant
(2007) 		Some People Have Real Problems
(2008) 		We Are Born
(2010)
Alternative cover
Singles from Some People Have Real Problems
  1. "Day Too Soon"
    Released: 6 November 2007[2]
  2. "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine"
    Released: 27 March 2008[3]
  3. "Soon We'll Be Found"
    Released: 13 October 2008
  4. "Buttons"
    Released: 25 November 2008[4]

Some People Have Real Problems (sometimes stylised as Some People Have REAL Problems[5][6]) is the fourth studio album by Australian singer Sia. Released in 2008, the album featured singles including "Day Too Soon", "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine" and "Soon We'll Be Found". In live performances of the latter song, Sia used sign language to accompany her singing. The album displays a more upbeat pop-style than Sia's previous downbeat albums, whilst show-casing Sia's vocals on a number of big ballads. Non-single track, "Buttons", received attention due to its video in which Sia's face is distorted by pegs, string, net, condoms and many other things.[7] The album debuted at number 26 on the US Billboard 200 chart which became Sia's first album to chart on the Billboard 200 in her career.

Background

[edit]

Sia, talking about the inspiration for the album's name, said: "During recording people would come in and complain about traffic, and I'd say, 'Some people have real problems.' Like, they're waiting for a lung or they don't have a mum," she says. "I thought it would be a funny name for an album. And then I thought if I were to get rich and successful I would remember to not turn into an asshole. But I am one, so it didn't work."[8]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic64/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
Art Nouveau MagazinePositive[11]
BillboardPositive[12]
The Boston GlobePositive[13]
The Boston Phoenix[14]
Entertainment Weekly(A-)[15]
The Guardian[16]
Pitchfork Media4.8/10[17]
Robert Christgau(dud)[18]
Rolling Stone[6]
Slant Magazine[19]

Some People Have Real Problems received generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 64, based on 20 reviews.[9] Reviewers such as Rolling Stone and The Guardian (both of whom awarded the album 2 out of 5 stars) and Robert Christgau (who gave it a "dud" score) were highly critical. Other reviewers, however, such as Allmusic and Slant (both of whom awarded the album 4.5 out of 5 stars) and Entertainment Weekly (who gave the album an "A−") were highly positive towards the album.

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks produced by Jimmy Hogarth.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Little Black Sandals"
4:14
2."Lentil"
4:27
3."Day Too Soon"
  • Furler
  • Dixon
4:24
4."You Have Been Loved"
4:23
5."The Girl You Lost to Cocaine"
  • Furler
  • Rob Allum
  • Phil Marten
  • Eddie Myer
2:40
6."Academia"
  • Furler
  • Carey
3:16
7."I Go to Sleep"Ray Davies3:47
8."Playground"
3:29
9."Death by Chocolate"
5:03
10."Soon We'll Be Found"
4:21
11."Electric Bird"
  • Furler
  • Henry Binns
4:26
12."Beautiful Calm Driving"
  • Furler
  • Dixon
5:02
13."Lullaby" (including hidden track "Buttons")
  • Furler
  • Dixon
9:55
Total length:59:15
Spotify bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Buttons"3:20
15."Cares at the Door"3:49
Total length:66:24
Physical CD Bonus Tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Blame It On the Radio"2:32
15."Bring It To Me"3:33
16."Buttons"3:20

"Notes"

[edit]

"Buttons" is a hidden track after "Lullaby" on the international edition of the album, but it is a normal track on the Australian edition, in which it was the first single. "Buttons" was written by Freescha and Sia.

“Blame It On the Radio” and “Bring It to Me” were b-sides for “The Girl You Lost to Cocaine” and “Soon We’ll Be Found”.

Personnel

[edit]

Sales and chart performance

[edit]

Following its release, the album debuted at number 26 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling about 20,000 copies in its first week.[22] The album was also chosen as iTunes' Top Pop Album of 2008.

The album was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association in 2011.[23]

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Label Catalog
United States 8 January 2008 Monkey Puzzle / Hear Music HMCD–30629
United Kingdom 14 January 2008 Monkey Puzzle MPRCDC1

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Alex Macpherson (4 January 2008). "Sia, Some People Have Real Problems". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 January 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  2. ^ "iTunes – Music – Day Too Soon". iTunes Store (US). 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015.
  3. ^ "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine". 7digital (BE). Archived from the original on 10 January 2015.
  4. ^ "iTunes – Music – Buttons (Remixes)". iTunes Store (US). 25 November 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015.
  5. ^ Raper, Dan (1 January 2008). "Sia: Some People Have REAL Problems". PopMatters. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (7 January 2008). "Some People Have REAL Problems". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2008.
  7. ^ "Sia interview - Features - Music". Time Out Sydney. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Sia Talks Missed Winehouse Collaboration, Working With Beck". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013.
  9. ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Some People Have Real Problems". Metacritic. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  10. ^ Mason, Stewart. "Some People Have Real Problems – Sia". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  11. ^ Reneau, Cale (2008). "Some People Have Real Problems: Album Review". Art Nouveau Magazine. Archived from the original on 18 August 2009.
  12. ^ Wood, Mikael. "Some People Have Real Problems". Billboard. Archived from the original on 25 September 2008.
  13. ^ Laban, Linda (15 January 2008). "She's not feeling sorry for herself". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010.
  14. ^ Micallef, Ken (28 January 2008). "CD Reviews". The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  15. ^ Savage, Lesley (4 January 2008). "Review: Some People Have Real Problems". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  16. ^ Macpherson, Alex (4 January 2008). "Sia, Some People Have Real Problems | Pop". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 January 2008.
  17. ^ Colville, Liz (27 February 2008). "Sia: Some People Have Real Problems". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009.
  18. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  19. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (13 January 2008). "Music Review: Sia: Some People Have Real Problems". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009.
  20. ^ "**> some people have REAL problems <**". Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 22 December 2007.
  21. ^ "**> Some People Have Real Problems <**". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2008.
  22. ^ Hasty, Katie. "Keys Holds Off Radiohead, 'Juno' At No. 1". Billboard.com. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
  23. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2008 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  24. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Sia – Some People Have Real Problems". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  25. ^ "Ultratop.be – Sia – Some People Have Real Problems" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  26. ^ "Ultratop.be – Sia – Some People Have Real Problems" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  27. ^ "Lescharts.com – Sia – Some People Have Real Problems". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  28. ^ "Chart Log UK". Zobbel Archive. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  29. ^ "Sia Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  30. ^ "Sia Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  31. ^ "The Official UK Singles Charts". OCC. 21 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 July 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
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