The Garden is the first album by Australian singer Merril Bainbridge, released in Australia on July 31, 1995 (see 1995 in music) by Gotham Records. The album is a mix between an alternative pop songs — written by Bainbridge herself, Owen Bolwell, Stan Paulzen and Siew. The album features a cover of the Pet Shop Boys song "Being Boring", but was changed into a ballad and the chorus of the Bee Gees song "I Started a Joke" was used for the bridge of the track "Sleeping Dogs". The album produced Bainbridge's first number-one single on the ARIA Charts, giving her the record of being the longest running number-one by a Australian female in the 90's. The album also generated another top five single. In 1996, the album was nominated for two ARIA Awards which were "Highest Selling Album" for 1996 and "Breakthrough Artist Album" for 1996. The album did not win any of these awards but was the twenty-seventh highest selling album in Australia for 1995. The Garden was certified double platinum by ARIA selling 140 thousand copies around Australia.
By 1996 Bainbridge was signed the U.S. Universal Music record label and the album was released on September 24, 1996 (see 1996 in music). It made its debut on the Billboard 200 on October 26, 1996 at number one hundred and sixty-one, making Bainbridge's debut to the U.S. charts. On its second week it move up twenty-seven spots to number one hundred and thirty-four, and by its sixth week in the chart it rose to its peak position in the U.S. at one hundred and one just missing the top one hundred. It fell down the chart slowely from then on rising only three times. It spent a total of twenty weeks in the chart. The singles released from The Garden were successful in most music markets and became very popular in Australia, making Bainbridge a star there. "Mouth" was the first song released from the album and topped the Australian ARIA Singles Chart for six weeks and the Canadian Singles Chart for one week and was accredited platinum by ARIA. It also charted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at number four, accrediting gold by RIAA and in the UK at number fifty-one. "Under the Water" was the second song released and is a song about a lover drowning. It peaked in the top ten in Australia at number four also accrediting platinum by ARIA. It also peaked at number ninety-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. "Power of One" the third song released, a ballad that peaked at number twenty-one in Australia. "Sleeping Dogs" was the final and fourth song released and hit number fifty-five in Australia. In 1995 "Mouth" received ARIA Award nominations in the categories of "Single of the Year", "Best Female Artist", "Best New Talent", "Breakthrough Artist - Single" and "Best Pop Release". "Under the Water" only received one nomination in 1996 which was "Highest Selling Single" but lost to "Tomorrow" by Silverchair.
Track listing
"Garden in My Room" (Bainbridge) – 4:32
"Under the Water" (Bainbridge, Owen Bolwell, Stan Paulzen) – 4:13
