What I Am

Edie Brickell said: On the "choke me in the shallow water" lyric, she said, "That's the part that was irritating about the class. Everybody was getting so deep in terms of making things up—'Does this mean this and does that mean that?' I was just irritated, like, just kill me now before I get out there and lose myself and my sense of who I am." ==Composition==

"What I Am" is written in the key of B minor in time with a tempo of 89 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of B–D–A, and the vocals span from G3 to B4. ==Critical reception==

Betty Page from Record Mirror wrote, "Like so many other singles this week, this is pleasantly quirky but not terribly inspiring. Edie's yet another female singer/songstress who sings and strums a guitar in a rustic fashion which makes you forget what the song sounds like before it's finished." Cash Box called it "one of the catchiest, anti-philosophical, tongue-in-cheek ditties since Peggy Lee's 'Is That All There Is? ==Track listings==

US, European, and Australian 7-inch single; US cassette single :A. "What I Am" (LP version) – 4:54 :B. "I Do" (LP version) – 2:00 Canadian and UK 7-inch single :A. "What I Am" (edit) – 3:43 :B. "I Do" (LP version) – 2:00 12-inch and UK mini-CD single • "What I Am" (LP version) • "I Do" (LP version) • "Walk on the Wild Side" – 5:52 ==Personnel==

New Bohemians • Edie Brickell – vocals • Kenny Withrow – guitar • Brad Houser – bass guitar • Brandon Aly – drums • John Bush – percussion Additional personnel • Robbie Blunt – guitar • Chris Whitten – drums • Paul "Wix" Wickens – keyboards • John Henry – background vocals ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Release history==

==Tin Tin Out and Emma Bunton version==

}} The song was covered by English electronic music duo Tin Tin Out and Spice Girls singer Emma Bunton. It was released on November 1, 1999, as the second single from Tin Tin Out's second studio album, Eleven to Fly (1999). It also appeared on Bunton's debut solo album, A Girl Like Me (2001). Bunton recorded her vocals at London's Sarm West Studios in June 1999. The collaboration was the first release for Bunton to appear as a solo artist. Tin Tin Out and Bunton's version debuted and peaked at No.2 on the UK Singles Chart, 29 places higher than the original version 11 years previously. It sold 106,300 copies during its first week of release and has sold over 234,000 copies in the UK. • "What I Am" (radio version) • "What I Am" (Gangstarr remix) • "Weird (Save Yourself)" (featuring Wendy Page) UK 12-inch single :A1. "T.W.M." (DJ Jam X & De Leon remix) :B1. "What I Am" (Gangstarr remix) :B2. "What I Am" (Groove Chronicles remix) European CD single • "What I Am" (radio version) • "What I Am" (Gangstarr remix) Personnel Personnel are taken from the UK CD single liner notes. • Edie Brickell – writing • Kenny Withrow – writing • Emma Bunton – vocals • John Jorgenson – guitars • Lindsay Edwards – guitars, keyboards • Marcus Cliffe – bass • Preston Heyman – percussion • Tin Tin Out – production • Stylorouge – design • Rankin – photography Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications and sales Release history ==References==