Walking in My Blue Jeans explained

"Walking in My Blue Jeans" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, which was released in 2001 as the second and final single from her third studio album Timbre. The song was written and produced by Hawkins. "Walking in My Blue Jeans" peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.^[1]

Background

"Walking in My Blue Jeans" originally appeared as "Strange Thing", the opening track on Hawkins' third album Timbre, which was released by Columbia in 1999. At the time, the relationship between Hawkins and the label was strained owing to disagreements over Hawkins' musical direction and image. When the album and its promotional single "Lose Your Way" failed to meet commercial expectations, Hawkins left Columbia in 2000.^{[2] [3]} After buying back the rights to the album, Hawkins had Timbre re-released independently on her own Trumpet Swan Records and under a distribution agreement with Rykodisc in 2001. To promote the re-release, "Walking in My Blue Jeans" was issued as a promotional single.^[3] The song was also used that year by Calvin Klein to promote its latest line of women's jeans.^[4]

Speaking to the Gavin Report in 2001, Hawkins said of the song,

Critical reception

In a review of the original release of Timbre, Sandra Sperounes of The Edmonton Journal described the song as a "mid-tempo number featuring Hawkins' yearning voice, ghostly xylophones and a lonely guitar riff".^[5] In a review of the 2001 re-release of Timbre, Kim Curtis of the Associated Press wrote, "With its infectious optimism and catchy kettle drum chorus, the song is poised to become Hawkins' latest hit."^[6] On its release as a single, Todd Spencer of the Gavin Report described "Walking in My Blue Jeans" as a "made-for-summer record, with a languid melody and a breezy, open-tuned marimba that gives it a stone-washed 'relaxed fit' on Mainstream A/Cs across the country."

Track listing

CD single (US promo)^[7]

1. "Walking in My Blue Jeans" – 3:53
2. "Lose Your Way" – 4:03

CD single (European promo)^[8]

1. "Walking in My Blue Jeans" (Radio Edit) – 2:52

Personnel

Production

• Sophie B. Hawkins – producer, engineer
• Kevin Killen – mixing, engineer
• Chris Fuderich, Al Sanderson – assistant engineers
• Bob Ludwig – mastering

Other

• Gigi Gaston – photography

Notes and References

1. Sophie B. Hawkins - Walking in My Blue Jeans . . December 17, 2021.
2. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 2000. First. 0-7535-0427-8. 187/8.
3. Newman . Melinda . December 23, 2000 . Hawkins trumpets new deal with Rykodisc; Vertical Horizon, 3 Doors projects in works . . 12 . World Radio History . December 17, 2021.
4. News: Infusino . Divina . April 25, 2001 . Pop singer's walking in her Calvins . . C2.
5. News: Sperounes . Sandra . July 31, 1999 . Banjo does the trick on Hawkins' Timbre . . C5.
6. News: Curtis . Kim . May 4, 2001 . Hawkins makes brilliant return . Florida Today.
7. Walking in My Blue Jeans. Sophie B. Hawkins. 2001. US promotional CD. Rykodisc. PRCD V06092.
8. Walking in My Blue Jeans. Sophie B. Hawkins. 2001. European promotional CD. Rykodisc. RTD199.3834.3.