The Corrs Unplugged

The Corrs Unplugged is the third album (and the first visual recording) by Irish band The Corrs, filmed and released in the fall of 1999. The album is part of the iconic MTV Unplugged series, which features musicians performing in a more acoustic, “stripped-down” concert setting. Initially, the album was released internationally, albeit not in the United States until a year later, after the band had experienced further success with their single “Breathless” and their fourth album In Blue, with both releases earning them their highest chart positions to-date in the US.

The “MTV Unplugged” session was recorded with a small, invitation-only audience, and features the Irish Film Orchestra accompanying the band on most of their songs. The album was recorded live on 5 October 1999 at Ardmore Studios, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, and was released on CD, MiniDisc, DVD, VCD and VHS. The compact-disc version features the songs in a somewhat different order to that in which they were actually performed, and the Fleetwood Mac cover “Dreams” was strangely omitted from the CD (but featured as a bonus track on some releases). The DVD and VHS retains the original song order, and is mostly unedited, while the CD edits out almost all of the talking and introductions between songs.

In addition to The Corrs’ familiar songs, plus two Irish tunes from their debut album (“Toss the Feathers”, “Lough Erin Shore”), the “Unplugged” album features several new songs. The band performed a heartfelt version of the R.E.M. song “Everybody Hurts”, as well as debuting two unreleased compositions: the songs “Radio” and “At Your Side”, with lyrics by Sharon Corr, would eventually go on to be re-recorded and featured on their album In Blue, the following year. The Jimi Hendrix song “Little Wing” features a stellar steel guitar solo by the band’s longtime guitarist, Anto Drennan. The Irish peace-themed duet "No Frontiers" was sung by Sharon and Caroline—who typically play violin and drums, respectively—during their Talk on Corners World Tour European leg in 1998 and 99, and subsequently included on “Unplugged”. The song was originally recorded by Mary Black on her album of the same name (written by Jimmy MacCarthy). The band also performed a rendition of “Old Town” by Phil Lynott.