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Strong Enough (Sheryl Crow song)

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"Strong Enough"
U.S. CD single cover art
Single by Sheryl Crow
from the album Tuesday Night Music Club
B-side
ReleasedNovember 15, 1994
GenreFolk[1]
Length3:10
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bill Bottrell
Sheryl Crow singles chronology
"All I Wanna Do"
(1994) 		"Strong Enough"
(1994) 		"Can"t Cry Anymore"
(1995)
Audio sample
Music video
"Sheryl Crow - Strong Enough (Official Music Video)" on YouTube

"Strong Enough" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow from her debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club (1993). It was released in November 1994 by A&M Records, reaching number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks, number three in Australia, and number one in Canada, becoming her second chart-topper there following "All I Wanna Do". In Australia, the song received a double-platinum certification for sales and streams exceeding 140,000 units. Its music video was directed by Martin Bell, and filmed in black-and-white.

Crow performed the song on her live album Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park alongside the Dixie Chicks. The song was later included on Crow"s greatest hits album, The Very Best of Sheryl Crow.

Background and composition

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"Strong Enough" is an acoustic folk-pop song. In live performances, Crow often plays the accordion to it, although this instrument was not featured on the original recording. The song is written in the key of D major with a moderately slow tempo of 79 beats per minute in the unusual 6
4 time signature.[citation needed] It follows a chord progression of D–G5–Bm♭6–A, and Crow"s vocals span from A3 to B4.[2] Lyrically, the song finds the narrator in a frustrated relationship, looking for solace from her partner, despite the fact that his commitments may not be as true as her own.

Critical reception

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Steve Baltin from Cash Box wrote, "On the heels of her good-time up-tempo number "All I Wanna Do", Crow comes back with a ballad, which was co-written by David Baerwald, formerly of David & David, along with five other people. And yet, even with all those helping hands, the song is a very straight-forward love song. Simple in arrangement though somewhat lush in melody, the real point is to showcase Crow’s vocal talents—which she has. Though the song may not be as big a hit as her first two singles, it sets Crow up for the long haul and is likely to be an adult/contemporary monster."[3] Alan Jones from Music Week described "Strong Enough" as "another pleasing, though less commercial [than "All I Wanna Do"], song – a lilting, understated folksy piece. Not a huge single, but it will direct further attention to her album, Tuesday Night Music Club."[4] Emma Cochrane from Smash Hits gave it two out of five, naming it "a gentle, acoustic number from Miss Crow to follow up her surprisingly huge hit, "All I Wanna Do". This is a pleasant ditty, sung from the heart, but it"s hardly a stand-out single."[5]

Music video

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A simple black-and-white music video for "Strong Enough" was directed by Martin Bell. It features Crow in a largely empty room alternatively singing the song into a microphone and pacing anxiously through the room.

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[39] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
United States (RIAA)[40] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States November 15, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 A&M [citation needed]
Japan January 25, 1995 Mini-CD [41]
United Kingdom January 30, 1995
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [42]

Covers and interpolations

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Travis Tritt wrote and released an answer song called "Strong Enough to Be Your Man" in 2002.[43]

References

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  1. ^ "Tuesday Night Music Club by Sheryl Crow". Classic Rock Review. April 28, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "Strong Enough". www.musicnotes.com. September 10, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Baltin, Steve (November 26, 1994). "Pop Singles — Reviews: Pick of the Week" (PDF). Cash Box. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Jones, Alan (February 4, 1995). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 30. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Cochrane, Emma (February 1, 1995). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 55. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  6. ^ Strong Enough (US CD single liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1994. 31458 0866 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Strong Enough (Australian CD single liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records, Polydor Records. 1994. 580 883-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Strong Enough (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1994. 31458 0932 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Strong Enough (US cassette single sleeve). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1994. 31458 0798 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Strong Enough (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1995. 580 918-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Strong Enough (UK CD1 liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1995. 580 921-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Strong Enough (UK CD2 liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1995. 580 919-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Strong Enough (European CD single liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1995. 580 919-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Strong Enough (Australian cassette single sleeve). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records, Polydor Records. 1994. 580866-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Strong Enough (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1995. PODM-1050.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  17. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9071." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7750." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  19. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 8. February 25, 1995. p. 15. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  20. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  21. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (11.3. "95 – 17.3 "95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 11, 1995. p. 26. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  22. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  23. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  24. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  25. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  26. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  27. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  28. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  29. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  30. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  31. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  32. ^ "1995 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  33. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved October 27, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  34. ^ "RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved October 27, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  35. ^ "Árslistinn 1995". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1996. p. 25. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  36. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  37. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Contemporary Singles & Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-80. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  38. ^ "The Year in Music 1995: Top 40/Mainstream Top Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 3, no. 51. December 15, 1995. p. 8.
  39. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  40. ^ "American single certifications – Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  41. ^ "ストロング・イナフ | シェリル・クロウ" [Strong Enough | Sheryl Crow] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  42. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. January 28, 1995. p. 27.
  43. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Strong Enough review". Retrieved September 23, 2010.
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