Based on O'Connor's version of "You Do Something to Me" (a highlight on the Cole Porter tribute album Red Hot & Blue), an album of pop standards performed with a big band might have actually worked. At times, Am I Not Your Girl? does work. "Success Has Made A Failure of Our Home" is quite chilling, and "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" doesn't deserve O'Connor's sympathetic reading. However, O'Connor runs into trouble with acknowledged standards such as "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" and songs heavily identified with other vocalists ("Gloomy Sunday"). She doesn't offer a new perspective on these songs, and her airy voice is buried by overwrought string arrangements. Am I Not Your Girl? would be just an admirable failure if it wasn't for the presence of O'Connor's bizarre two-minute rant on love, hatred, herself, and the Catholic Church, making an already strange album one of the weirdest releases by a major artist in years. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Ronnie Cuber (Clavichord), Ronnie Cuber (Sax (Baritone)), Rob Mounsey (Arranger), Rob Mounsey (Conductor), Ted Nash (Sax (Tenor)), Lew Soloff (Trumpet), Lew Soloff (Flugelhorn), Patrick Williams (Arranger), David Nadien (Violin), Bob Carlisle (French Horn), Jill Dell'Abate (Project Coordinator), Gloria Agostini (Harp), Lamar Alsop (Viola), Lamar Alsop (Viol), Dave Anderson (Flute), Dave Anderson (Sax (Alto)), Dennis Anderson (Fiddle), Dennis Anderson (Flute), Dennis Anderson (Sax (Alto)), Julien Barber (Viola), Julien Barber (Viol), Elena Barere (Violin), Dave Braynard (Tuba), Greg Calbi (Mastering), Kim Cissel (Trombone), Jon Clarke (French Horn), Concert Master (Violin), Arnold Eidus (Violin), David Finck (Bass), Barry Finclair (Violin), Gerald Tarack (Violin), Fred Griffin (French Horn), Birch Johnson (Trombone), Doug Katsaros (Arranger), Doug Katsaros (Conductor), Dave Lebolt (Synthesizer), Jesse Levine (Viola), Jesse Levine (Viol), Charles Libove (Violin), Richard Locker (Cello), Joanie Madden (Whistle (Human)), Joanie Madden (Whistle (Instrument)), Joanie Madden (Tin Whistle), Alan Martin (Violin), Nancy McAlhany (Violin), Charles McCracken (Cello), Bob Milikan (Trumpet), Bob Milikan (Flugelhorn), Jan Mullen (Violin), Gerry Niewood (Clarinet), Gerry Niewood (Sax (Tenor)), Sinéad O'Connor (Arranger), Sinéad O'Connor (Vocals), Sinéad O'Connor (Producer), Sinéad O'Connor (Main Performer), Brian O'Flaherty (Trumpet), Brian O'Flaherty (Flugelhorn), Keith O'Quinn (Trombone), Jerry O'Sullivan (Pipe), Chris Parker (Drums), John Pintavalle (Violin), Jim Pugh (Trombone), Matthew Raimondi (Violin), Sid Ramin (Arranger), Sid Ramin (Conductor), Phil Ramone (Producer), Phil Ramone (Mixing), John Reynolds (Drums), Alan Rubin (Trumpet), Alan Rubin (Flugelhorn), Laura Seaton (Violin), Joseph J. Shepley (Trumpet), Joseph J. Shepley (Flugelhorn), Ira Siegel (Guitar), Frederick Slotkin (Cello), Richard Sortomme (Violin), Marti Sweet (Violin), Donna Tecco (Violin), Richard Tee (Piano), David Tofani (Flute), David Tofani (Sax (Alto)), Shelley Woodworth (Horn (English)), Shelley Woodworth (Oboe), Torrie Zito (Arranger), Torrie Zito (Conductor), Jerry Niewood (Clarinet), Jerry Niewood (Sax (Tenor)), Joe Shepley (Trumpet), Joe Shepley (Flugelhorn), Tommy Civello (Assistant Engineer), Kate Garner (Photography), Yvonne Yedibalian (Assistant Engineer), Ted Nash (Clarinet), Ted Nash (Sax (Tenor)), Gary Chester (Engineer), Gary Chester (Mixing), George Flynn (Trombone), George Flynn (Trombone (Bass))
Am I Not Your Girl? is the third album by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor and the follow up to the hugely successful I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. It is a collection of covers of mostly jazz standards, which Sinead describes as "the songs that she grew up listening to and that made me want to become a singer".
The album did not gain much critical acclaim, perhaps because Sinéad had become a major artist in the modern pop genre due to her previous album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got and this album was composed of songs written from 1936 to 1978. This, coupled with the Garden State Arts Center controversy and an introduction in the album in which she mentions sexual abuse, addiction, emotional abuse, and asks "Où est le roi Perdu? [translation: "Where is the lost king?"] If you're out there - I want to see you." [1], led to Sinéad losing much of the commercial momentum her career had built up until then.
Some copies of original Japanese release of this album include three additional bonustracks; "My Heart Belongs to Daddy", "Almost in Your Arms" and "Fly Me to the Moon." These songs only appear on some Japanese copies and quite rare to find.
