Sheryl Crow “My Favorite Mistake” released

My Favorite Mistake Sheryl Crow

Writer(s): Sheryl Crow, Jeff Trott (see lyrics here) Released: August 31, 1998 First Charted: September 4, 1998 Peak: 20 BB, 9 BA, 6 RR, 2 A40, 15 AA, 26 MR, 9 UK, 6 CN, 87 AU, 7 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.5 US Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 25.7 video, 30.23 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: After Sheryl Crow’s success with debut album Tuesday Night Music Club she had a falling out with most of the collective behind the album. For her sophomore self-titled release, she was largely back to square one working with a new group of people. One of them was songwriter Jeff Trott, who returned as a co-songwriter for four songs on Crow’s third album, The Globe Sessions, including lead single “My Favorite Mistake.” Billboard’s Larry Flick called it “a simple rock song with smart, heartfelt lyrics” WK that “displays a laudable degree of growth.” WK The song showcased a different direction for Crow. Unlike the narrative songs of her first two albums, the songs for The Globe Sessions were written in the first person. Crow said she struggled with the honesty of the lyrics so much that she considered cancelling the album. However, she delayed the album’s release and wrote some new songs. WK “My Favorite Mistake,” which was “about a philandering ex-boyfriend,” WK was one of the song’s that invited speculation about Crow’s personal life. There was widespread speculation that the song was about Eric Clapton. The two were briefly linked romantically despite a 17-year age gap. Crow says, however, that the song is older than their relationship PP and that she can’t look at the relationship with Clapton as a mistake. SF Trott said he never asked her about it, but thought it could be Jakob Dylan from the Wallflowers. SF She compared the song to Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” a dig at a narcissistic ex who Simon refused to reveal for years. Crow said, “I’m the only person who will ever really know” WK although she has acknowledged that when she began the writing process for The Globe Sessions she was “really raw” from an aborted engagement. PP Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Sheryl Crow PP People (11/3/2023). “Sheryl Crow Admits ‘My Favorite Mistake’ Is Her ‘You’re So Vain’ Moment: ‘I Carly-ed It’ (Exclusive)” by Rachel DeSantis SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 2/8/2024.