Suzanne Vega (album)

Suzanne Vega exceeded both A&M and Vega's expectations by selling over 200,000 copies in the US. The album would peak at number 91 on the Billboard 200.{{cite web |url= https://www.billboard.com/artist/suzanne-vega/chart-history/hsi/ |website=Billboard |title=Suzanne Vega Chart History |access-date=5 June 2023}} It was even more successful in the UK, where sales numbers exceeded 300,000 and the album reached number 11.{{cite web |url= https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/22859/suzanne-vega/ |website=Official Charts Company |title=Suzanne Vega Chart History |access-date=5 June 2023}}

"Marlene on the Wall" was released as the album's first single. Upon its original release, the song stalled at number 83 on the UK Singles Chart. However, after being re-released in 1986, it reached a new peak of number 21, becoming her highest-charting song in that country and one of her biggest hits. The album's second single, "Small Blue Thing", peaked at number 65 in the UK.

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/suzanne-vega-mw0000650930 |title=Suzanne Vega – Suzanne Vega |website=AllMusic |access-date=October 1, 2006 |last=Ruhlmann |first=William}}

| rev2 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin (writer) |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}

| rev3 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Suzanne Vega |last1=Evans |first1=Paul |last2=Berger |first2=Arion |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/845 845–46]}}

| rev4 = The Village Voice

| rev4Score = B−{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv7-85.php |title=Consumer Guide |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=July 30, 1985 |access-date=November 20, 2011 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

Spin wrote, "Vega can get a bit pretentious, but what singer-songwriter worth a damn doesn't? It's the price you pay for taking risks. Suzanne Vega is a flattering and very substantial introduction."{{cite magazine| magazine= Spin | title=Spins|author=Gary Kenton| date=July 1985|issue=3|page=31}}

All tracks written by Suzanne Vega.

Side one

1. "Cracking" – 2:49
2. "Freeze Tag" – 2:36
3. "Marlene on the Wall" – 3:40
4. "Small Blue Thing" – 3:54
5. "Straight Lines" – 3:49

Side two

1. "Undertow" – 3:26
2. "Some Journey" – 3:38
3. "The Queen and the Soldier" – 4:48
4. "Knight Moves" – 3:36
5. "Neighborhood Girls" – 3:21

Credits adapted from the album liner notes:

• Suzanne Vega – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Steve Addabbo — background vocals (4, 5, 7), Synclavier guitar (6), 12-string acoustic guitar (8), electric guitar (10)
• Darol Anger – electric violin (7)
• Frank Christian – acoustic guitar (2, 9), electric slide guitar (10)
• Paul Dugan – bass (1, 4, 6, 8, 9), vertical bass (2)
• Sue Evans – drums (3, 5, 6, 10), percussion (4, 10)
• Jon Gordon – electric guitar (1–7)
• Peter Gordon – string arrangement (6)
• Frank Gravis – bass (3, 5, 10)
• Shem Guibbory – violin (6)
• Mark Isham – synthesizers (7)
• John Mahoney – Synclavier programming (6)
• Maxine Neuman – cello (6)
• C.P. Roth – synthesizers (1–5, 9), piano (8), organ (8)
• Roger Squitero – percussion (7)

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Suzanne Vega}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Suzanne Vega|title=Suzzane Vega|award=Gold|type=album|id=1987-10-02|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=1985}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Suzanne Vega|title=Suzzane Vega|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=1985|certyear=1988|id=6403-3795-2|date=October 19, 1988|access-date=January 28, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|nocert=yes|salesamount=250,000|salesref={{cite magazine|last=Pooley|first=Eric|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KeUCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54|title=Songwriter Suzanne Vega Gets Set for Stardom|magazine=New York|volume=20|issue=17|date=April 27, 1987|page=54|issn=0028-7369|via=Google Books}}}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|nocert=yes|salesamount=2,000,000|salesref={{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/reviews/34459/|work=New York|title=Lady of the Canyons|first=Jonathan van|last=Meter|date=July 9, 2007|access-date=August 17, 2018}}}}

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• {{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |edition=illustrated |location=St Ives, New South Wales |publisher=Australian Chart Book |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}

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• {{Discogs master|31638}}

{{Suzanne Vega}}

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Category:1985 debut albums

Category:A&M Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Lenny Kaye

Category:Albums produced by Steve Addabbo

Category:Suzanne Vega albums