What I Am - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians (Drum Cover)

"What I Am" is a song written by Edie Brickell and Kenny Withrow and recorded by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians for their debut album, Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars (1988). The song is highlighted by a guitar solo that notably features an envelope filter. It peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100, topped the Canadian RPM 100 Singles chart, and became a top-20 hit in Australia and New Zealand. "What I Am" was ranked number 23 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s".
English music duo Tin Tin Out collaborated with Spice Girl Emma Bunton to release a cover of "What I Am" in November 1999. This version became the more successful one in the UK, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart and receiving a Silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry.
Background
Edie Brickell said:
The lyrics came from my one elective in my first year in college, world religions. From the time I could first think, I wondered, What does the rest of the world think? I know what these Texas folks think, but what’s going on in the rest of the world? So I took this world religions class, and I was immediately annoyed at the chatter going on in the classroom. To adopt behaviors, to adopt some sort of dogma, I felt defeated the purpose of evolution. That song just blossomed from irritation.
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 4
4 time with a tempo of 89 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of Bmsus2-Dsus2-Asus2, and the vocals span from G3 to B4.
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?.'"[6]
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[@KristinaSchiano]

Sick! You should enter the iRock Drum Contest!

[@earldrum]

Thanks for watching!

[@gregwonhoff7161]

What I am is enamored with that hat/snare groove and that single hit on the tom that you did every once in a while. Oh, don’t let me leave w/o giving a big round of applause to that fancy footwork on the bass drum and the extended Earlistic fade out. Epic performance, my friend.❤️🙏👏❤️🙏👏❤️

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Greg! I appreciate your excitement about tom hits! The tom hit is just a small part of the overall groove! But thanks for noticing!

[@drumico4507]

fabulous Earl. I've always liked this song. very, very beautiful!

[@earldrum]

Thanks for watching Gunter! 😎🙏🏻👍🏻🤘🏻

[@elaineprieto3474]

That was a really fun and excellent performance!! It transformed the original song and breathed life into it!! To me you always play the song better than the original !! Not only that it sounds better!! Your playing and kit are on a whole different level !! This was awesome!! ♥️🙏🥁🥰👍♥️

[@earldrum]

Thanks Elaine! I appreciate your kind words of encouragement! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🥁😎👍🏻🤘🏻💙

[@bryandrums32]

I absolutely love this song Earl!!!!!!! Incredible performance,,,,, you’re such a great player!!!!!!!!! This is my style!!!!!!! I really could get in this groove!!!!!!!! You rock!!!!! Have a beautiful weekend!!!!!!

[@earldrum]

Have a great weekend Bryan! Thanks for the feedback and awesome encouragement! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😎👍🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@bryandrums32]

@@earldrum no problem, my pal, you have a beautiful weekend yourself

[@PaulDes]

a beautiful song ! very nice drum accompaniment !!! nice work Earl ✨

[@earldrum]

Thanks for watching Paul! 🙏🏻😎👍🏻🤘🏻🥁

[@3L3V3NDRUMS]

Amazing cover man! That hi-hat sound fits perfect! Tasty🤘🤘🤘

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Toby! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👍🏻🤘🏻😎

[@mickeyf3730]

Terrific job Earl!!

[@earldrum]

Thanks Mickey! I appreciate your daily support!

[@shredlepzin1654]

Nice Mr. Hammer!

[@earldrum]

Thanks Shed! I appreciate the encouragement! 😎🙏🏻👍🏻🤘🏻

[@metzilla]

Super cool, quirky, funky tune! Nice job Earl! Loved all of th use on the 'effects' style cymbals here! Loving the red label Big Beat ride also! 😜 🥁👍😎

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Jeff … I thought the red ones were Big Beat 🤷🏻‍♂️? 😂😂😂😂🍰🍰🍰🍰

[@metzilla]

@@earldrum No biggie, you didn't touch it anyhow!🤣🤣

[@earldrum]

Yea, the song didn’t need ride cymbal! Funny how I forgot to take it off the kit! 😂😂😂😂👍🏻

[@metzilla]

@@earldrum I understand that! 🤣

[@jameslyons1661]

❤🥁❤️

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Jimmy! 🙏🏻😎👍🏻🤘🏻🥁

[@Ds_Drums]

Great job Earl. This one takes me back a bit. Especially enjoyed the HH work. Thanks.

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback D! Yes, late 80s! Good times!

[@The-Tired-Drummer]

Nice job Earl , nicely played and great sound 🥁 I like this song and checked back and I covered it as well a year ago.

[@earldrum]

I’ll have to check it out … it’s a fun song to play! Thanks for watching Ken!

[@MykeLewisMusic]

Chris Whitten (Paul McCartney/Dire Straits) was the drummer on this song. He got called in to play on this one specifically. Great drummer. Nice cover, Earl!

[@earldrum]

You are correct Myke! He became a favorite of mine in the late 80s after this song and the Swing Out Sister song Breakout! Besides playing with Paul! He is a great drummer … thanks for watching! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😎👍🏻🤘🏻

[@CCMDrummer]

🤜🤛👍

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Matthew!

[@shredlepzin1654]

Earl, if your taking requests, Burning down One Side by Robert Plant with Phil Collins on drums, was thinking your concert toms (single headed toms) would be perfect for a cover, Cozy Powell also appeared on the album, Cozy was a great drummer, there was a rumor that Cozy was considered to replace JB in LZ, CPs best work was with Deep Purple, but his work on Michael Schenker’s MSG Album was incredible, I also believe that Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records said Phil Collins saved Robert Plant’s career and possibly his life after John Bonham died and got him back into the studio and writing

[@earldrum]

Thanks for the feedback Shred! I’ll put it in the to do playlist … I’m a little backed up these days, but I’ll get to it one day! Thanks for the suggestion! 🙏🏻😎👍🏻🤘🏻🥁