The endlessly delayed A Thousand Different Ways, Clay Aiken's second proper album, was long-awaited, at least by the hoards of fans enthusiastically calling themselves Claymates, of which there are many. There were enough Claymates to make the American Idol season two runner-up one of the two biggest stars the show has produced to date -- the other, of course, being Kelly Clarkson -- propelling his debut album, Measure of a Man, to number one upon its 2003 release. Chart success means a lot, particularly for an American Idol, and it would seem that blockbuster success would embolden a pop star. That certainly was the case with Kelly Clarkson, who came on strong with her second album, forever banishing the specter of AmIdol as she swaggered through the irresistible "Since U Been Gone." Given Kelly's example, it would seem that Clay could have come out swinging with A Thousand Different Ways and do something interesting, but A Thousand Different Ways isn't risky: it's an album made directly for fans and makes Measure of a Man seem daring. This record has a couple of new made-to-order tunes for Clay, but for the most part it consists of songs you know by heart, equal parts popular standards and adult contemporary. Clay sings Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting," Badfinger's "Without You," Hall & Oates' "Every Time You Go Away," Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It for You)," Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is," and Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings." He does a really nice job with Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again" (the closest thing to a genuine surprise here), rivals Celine Dion on "Because You Loved Me," and naturally does a pretty good job with Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word." The cumulative effect of all these covers plus the new songs is like a season of American Idol in microcosm: it's uncannily like listening to outtakes from the show. And it's the first album from any American Idol contestant to sound exactly how they did on the show. Justin Guarini, George Huff, Josh Gracin, and even William Hung sound different on record than they did on the show -- but not Clay, one of the few genuine American Idol superstars. He sounds exactly how you remember him from TV, which means that A Thousand Different Ways will particularly satisfy the Claymates -- but the truth is, they probably would have stuck with him under any circumstances. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Jeremy Lubbock (String Arrangements), Russ Irwin (Guitar), Russ Irwin (Keyboards), Russ Irwin (Programming), Russ Irwin (Producer), Russ Irwin (Engineer), David Foster (String Arrangements), Ed Ackerson (Engineer), Tommy Barbarella (Keyboards), Tommy Barbarella (String Arrangements), Charlie Bisharat (Violin), Gregg Bissonette (Drums), Michael Bland (Drums), Jeff Bova (String Arrangements), Jules Chaiken (Strings Contractor), Jules Chaiken (String Conductor), Marshall P. Coid (Violin), Marshall P. Coid (Concert Master), Larry Corbett (Cello), Tom Durack (Engineer), Marti Frederiksen (Producer), Marti Frederiksen (Engineer), Erik Friedlander (Cello), Humberto Gatica (Producer), Humberto Gatica (Mixing), Humberto Gatica (String Engineer), Ross Hogarth (Engineer), Henrik Janson (String Arrangements), Henrik Janson (String Conductor), Ulf Janson (String Arrangements), Ulf Janson (String Conductor), George Marino (Mastering), Dean Parks (Guitar), Shawn Pelton (Drums), Charlton Pettus (Bass), Charlton Pettus (Guitar), Charlton Pettus (Programming), Charlton Pettus (Producer), Charlton Pettus (Engineer), Doug Petty (Organ (Hammond)), Carol Pool (Violin), Michele Richards (Violin), Alejandro Rodriguez (Digital Editing), Jason Scheff (Vocals (Background)), Mike Shipley (Mixing), Phil Solem (Vocals (Background)), Paul Wertheimer (Assistant), Steven Miller (Engineer), Matt Funes (Viola), Nikki Hassman (Vocals (Background)), Nikki Hassman (Vocal Producer), Dorothy Lawson (Cello), Dorothy Lawson (Principal), Suzie Katayama (String Conductor), John Fields (Bass), John Fields (Guitar), John Fields (Keyboards), John Fields (Vocals (Background)), John Fields (Producer), John Fields (Engineer), John Fields (Effects), David Krueger (Arranger), David Krueger (Programming), David Krueger (Producer), Owsley (Guitar), Yuri Vodovoz (Violin), David Channing (Engineer), David Channing (Digital Editing), David Channing (Editing), Ken Chastain (Percussion), Ken Chastain (Effects), Norm Dlugatch (Assistant Engineer), Norm Dlugatch (Assistant), Jimi Englund (Percussion), Jimi Englund (Drums), Emanuel Kiriakou (Guitar (Acoustic)), Emanuel Kiriakou (Bass), Emanuel Kiriakou (Piano), Emanuel Kiriakou (Guitar (Electric)), Emanuel Kiriakou (Keyboards), Emanuel Kiriakou (Programming), Emanuel Kiriakou (Producer), Emanuel Kiriakou (Engineer), Esbjörn Öhrwall (Guitar (Electric)), Brent Paschke (Programming), Brent Paschke (Engineer), Brent Paschke (Digital Editing), Miranda Penn Turin (Photography), Rob Shaw (Violin), Greg Suran (Guitar), Tom Leonard (Vocals (Background)), Stephen Lu (Piano), Stephen Lu (Conductor), Stephen Lu (Keyboards), Stephen Lu (String Arrangements), Stephen Lu (String Conductor), Chris Brooke (Engineer), Dorian Crozier (Drums), Brett Kilroe (Art Direction), Per Magnusson (Arranger), Per Magnusson (Keyboards), Per Magnusson (Producer), Adam Anders (Bass), Adam Anders (Guitar), Adam Anders (Arranger), Adam Anders (Keyboards), Adam Anders (Producer), Adam Anders (Engineer), Adam Anders (Editing), Adam Anders (Vocal Producer), Andreas Carlsson (Guitar (Acoustic)), Andreas Carlsson (Arranger), Andreas Carlsson (Vocals (Background)), Andreas Carlsson (Producer), Andreas Carlsson (Engineer), Andreas Carlsson (String Arrangements), Andreas Carlsson (Mixing), Cornelius Dufallo (Violin), Ralph Farris (Viola), Ralph Farris (Orchestra Leader), Ryan Brown (Drums), Mats Berntoft (Guitar (Acoustic)), Alex Anders (Engineer), Jay Goin (Assistant Engineer), Vivian Ng (Art Direction), Bo Reimer (Drum Engineering), Supaflyas (Arranger), Joe Wohlmuth (Digital Editing), Jochem van der Saag (Programming), Jochem van der Saag (Engineer), Jonathan Dinklage (Violin), Sebastian Nylund (Guitar (Acoustic)), Sebastian Nylund (Guitar (Electric)), David Gold (Viola), Steve Lotz (Assistant), Samuel Waermo (Percussion), Samuel Waermo (Arranger), Samuel Waermo (Programming), Samuel Waermo (Producer), Samuel Waermo (Engineer), Samuel Waermo (String Arrangements), Samuel Waermo (Mixing), Brian Wohlgemuth (Digital Editing), Brian Wohlgemuth (Editing Assistant), Johannes Nyberg (Sitar (Electric)), Rasmus Billie Bähncke (String Arrangements), Rasmus Billie Bähncke (Keyboard Programming), Morgan Grace (Vocals (Background)), Morgan Grace (Harmony Vocals), Courtney Blooding (Production Assistant), Emil Heiling (Vocals (Background)), Rebecca Walker (Vocals (Background)), William Joseph (Piano), Lara Lynne Hickes (Viola), Quiana Parler (Vocals (Background)), Ian Schreier (Engineer), Matt Beckley (Assistant Engineer), René Tromberg (Drum Programming), Peter Anderson (Assistant Engineer), Thomas Bundberg (Bass), Mairi Dorman Phaneuf (Cello), Jonas Groning (String Arrangements), Peter Ijung (Piano), Brian Krinke (Violin), Frederik Larsson (Piano), Cliff Lin (Guitar (Electric)), Cliff Lin (Editing), Cliff Lin (Drum Programming), Cliff Lin (Assistant Engineer), Jesse Marks (Assistant Engineer), Henrik Nordenback (Percussion), Henrik Nordenback (Drums), Brian Paderalsky (Engineer), Owsley Suran (Guitar), Fredrik Andersson (Engineer), Fredrik Andersson (Mixing)
A Thousand Different Ways is the third studio album by Clay Aiken. The album, which was executive produced by Jaymes Foster, consists of ten covers and four new songs. It was released by RCA on September 19, 2006. The first single was "Without You" and the second, "A Thousand Days."
Writers of the four new songs ("These Open Arms", "Lonely No More", "A Thousand Days" and "Everything I Have") include Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child, Andreas Carlsson, Jeremy Bose, Aldo Nova, Samuel Waermo, Mimmi Waermo and Aiken himself.
Available only through iTunes as a bonus cut when the complete album is downloaded, is a fifth new song titled "Lover All Alone". Aiken wrote the lyrics and David Foster wrote the music.
"Broken Wings" is the last cut on the album and an original poem written by Erin Taylor was woven throughout the lyrics. The last line of this poem which is also the last line added to the song lyrics became the album title.
The album, selling 211,000 units in its first week, made its debut on the Billboard charts at #2 on the Billboard 200, #3 on Digital Albums and #1 on Internet Sales.
The album received RIAA Gold certification on November 2, 2006 and spent 14 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart.
On his 2005 Juke Box Tour, Aiken previewed 3 other songs that did not make the final album cut. "Back For More" was sung at every concert date after its introduction at GMA's Summer Concert Series in 2005.[1] "Tears Run Dry" and "Just You" each got one third of the JBT performance dates.
