Adia

"Adia" is a song by Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan that originally appeared on her 1997 album Surfacing. It was co-written by McLachlan and her longtime producer, Pierre Marchand. McLachlan has said about the song, "...more than anything, it's about my problems in dealing with feeling responsible for everyone else".[1]

"Adia"
Single by Sarah McLachlan
from the album Surfacing
ReleasedMarch 1998 (1998-03)
Genre
Length4:05
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Pierre Marchand
Sarah McLachlan singles chronology
"Sweet Surrender"
(1997)
"Adia"
(1998)
"Angel"
(1998)
Audio sample
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The song starts with no musical introduction. The lyrics begin "Adia, I do believe I've failed you. Adia, I know I've let you down." The chorus says that "We are born innocent. Believe me Adia, we are still innocent." At times the music is simple and soft, with little more than a piano accompanying McLachlan. The song does not explain the exact relationship between the singer and Adia, whether they are friends, family, or lovers. The video shows McLachlan singing directly to the camera in various public places, including a busy intersection, an office lobby, a supermarket aisle and in front of a store that sells wedding dresses, where McLachlan kneels to grasp the hand of a child facing away from the camera.

"Adia" was McLachlan's first top-five song on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three. Though it only remained at the position for one week, the song spent six consecutive weeks at number four and seven consecutive weeks at number five, totaling fourteen weeks in the top five. "Adia" was the twentieth most successful song of 1998 in the US. The song also performed well in McLachlan's native Canada, peaking at number three for three non-consecutive weeks on the RPM Top Singles chart. It stayed in the top ten for sixteen weeks.

Releases

"Adia" was the third of four songs from Surfacing to be released as a single. It was her most successful US single, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The single contains four tracks: the radio mix of "Adia", the Surfacing mix of "Angel", the original studio version of "I Will Remember You" (as opposed to the live version included on the Mirrorball album, also released as a single), and a live version of "Building a Mystery".[2] McLachlan was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1999 for "Adia", losing to Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On".[3]

A live version of "Adia" appears on the Mirrorball album.

Track listing

  1. "Adia" – 4:03
  2. "Adia" (remix) – 4:01
  3. "Angel – 4:30
  4. "I Will Remember You – 4:22

Charts and certifications

Cover versions

"Adia" has been covered by Avril Lavigne on the Control Room – Live EP. She said she used to cover it when she was 15.

In 1999, saxophonist Richard Elliot covered the song from the release Chill Factor.[23][24]

On November 9, 2015, Korin Bukowski covered the song on season 9 of The Voice for the Live Playoffs.

References

  1. McLachlan, Sarah. "Adia on VH1 Storytellers". VH-1 Storytellers. VH-1 via YouTube.
  2. "Discography". Archived from the original on 29 December 2006. Retrieved 21 February 2007.
  3. The Envelope Awards Database from Los Angeles Times
  4. "Issue 972" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  5. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3567." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  6. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3562." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  7. "Canadian Singles Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  8. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 41. 10 October 1998. p. 16. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  9. "Offiziellecharts.de – Sarah McLachlan – Adia". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Sarah McLachlan – Adia" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  11. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  13. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  14. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  15. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  16. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  17. "Sarah McLachlan Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  18. "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63 no. 12. 14 December 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  19. "RPM's Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of '98". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  20. "1998: The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. 26 December 1998. pp. 42–96. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  21. "American single certifications – Sarah Mc Lachlan – Adia". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  22. "Best-Selling Records of 1998". Billboard. 111 (5): 75. 30 January 1999. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  23. "Chill Factor Overview". Allmusic.com.
  24. "Chill Factor – Richard Elliot". JazzTimes.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
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