Natalie Merchant - Ophelia (Jewel)

Ophelia is the title of a 1998 album, film, and song by Natalie Merchant. As evidenced in the pictures in the booklet that comes with the album, Merchant seems to see Shakespeare's Ophelia as a figure encompassing many important feminine archetypes. The album and film explore several of these. "Kind & Generous" was the most successful single of the album, reaching the Top 10 in the U.S. whilst Merchant was on tour with Lilith Fair. "Break Your Heart" also received single and video treatment. These and the other videos from the album, plus three from Tigerlily, were gathered on a Warner Music Vision home video, also entitled Ophelia. "I love the opportunity to flex my thespian muscle," Merchant quote. The song "King of May" is a tribute to poet Allen Ginsberg. In 2009, a line from "My Skin," accompanied by images of animal abuse, served as the basis for an ASPCA commercial. It was also featured in the television series Alias some years earlier. "Kind & Generous", "The Living", "Break Your Heart" and "Life is Sweet" appeared on Merchant's best-of collection, Retrospective: 1995-2005.

1) Ophelia
2) Life Is Sweet
3) Kind ; Generous
4) Frozen Charlotte
5) My Skin
6) Break Your Heart
7) King of May
8) Thick As Thieves
9) Effigy
10) The Living
11) When They Ring the Golden Bells