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Ashes to Ashes (Faith No More song)

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"Ashes to Ashes"
Single by Faith No More
from the album Album of the Year
ReleasedMay 19, 1997
StudioBrilliant, San Francisco, California
Genre
Length3:37
LabelSlash
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Faith No More singles chronology
"Evidence"
(1995) 		"Ashes to Ashes"
(1997) 		"Last Cup of Sorrow"
(1997)

"Ashes to Ashes" is the seventh track on Faith No More's sixth studio album Album of the Year. It was the album's first single and was released on May 19, 1997. It was reissued on January 8, 1998.

Background

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When asked about the song, Billy Gould replied:

The bulk of that song was written the first week. We arranged it here, and then we sent Patton a tape. He was in Italy, but he came up with the lyrics and the singing right away. It was one of those songs that just clicked -- one of those songs that we do most naturally. That's our sound.

— Billy Gould[1]

Music video

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The music video for "Ashes to Ashes" was shot in Los Angeles during 1997, with British director Tim Royes.[2] It was the second video made for Album of the Year, after "Last Cup of Sorrow", even though "Ashes to Ashes" was the first single released. The video featured the band playing in a supernatural house, and in a 1997 interview, keyboardist Roddy Bottum claimed that this house was also used in the 1995 movie Seven.[2]

Reception

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In his June 1997 review for Album of the Year, Joshua Sindell of Phoenix New Times characterized the song as being a "Soundgarden stomp flirting with a New Romantic-like, arms-outstretched melody."[3]

The Guardian ranked it as the tenth best Faith No More song in 2014.[4] They wrote, "Album of the Year sounded unfinished and is barely listenable. But one track, 'Ashes to Ashes', stood out. It is a moody rocker, with a memorably anthemic chorus that soared thanks to one of the finest vocal performances of Patton's career."[4] When Consequence of Sound ranked all 126 Faith No More songs in 2015, they placed "Ashes to Ashes" at number ten.[5] They characterized the song as having "growling guitar distortion" and "soaring choral arrangements."[5] A July 1997 live version of the track from the "Stripsearch" single was also included in this list, and it was ranked towards the bottom.[5] Louder Sound listed it as the eighth best Faith No More song in 2018.[6] The order of their list was chosen by English funk metal band The Final Clause of Tacitus.[6]

Australian radio station Triple J ranked it 31st on their annual "Hottest 100" list for the year of 1997.[7]

Covers

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In 2021, the electronic duo Last Survivor released a synthwave cover of the song.[8] The following year, American progressive rock band Anova Skyway released a cover of the song on their EP Reset.[9]

Track lists

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Charts

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Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 8
European Hot 100 Singles (Music & Media)[11] 60
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 7
Germany (GfK)[13] 76
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 39
Norway (VG-lista)[16] 14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 50
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 15
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[19] 1
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] 23

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ While only one of DJ Icey & Maestro's "Ashes to Ashes" remixes appear on the UK single set, two remixes were recorded and released:
    1. The version on the UK "Maroon on Gold" single[22] (850 905-2) as well as Album of the Year bonus disc. This remix is titled "Ashes To Ashes (Automatic 5 Dub)" and DJ Icey and Maestro are given credits in the liner notes.
    2. A completely different remix which appears on the European[23] and Australian pressing[24] (London Records - 850 911-2) and on the promotional UK (London Records - Ashes-1[25] ) and French (Barclay 3594[26] ) pressings. This remix is titled "Ashes To Ashes (Icey and Mystro Mix)".
  2. ^ Live at the Phoenix Festival '97 on July 27, 1997.

References

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  1. ^ [1], "Faith No More - The Making of Album of the Year" (Keyboard Magazine, September 1997)
  2. ^ a b "FAITH NO MORE - MAKING OF ASHES TO ASHES". February 4, 2018 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ Phoenix New Times, June 1997.
  4. ^ a b Allen, Jeremy (September 10, 2014). "Faith No More: 10 of the best". Retrieved July 16, 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Ranking: Every Faith No More Song from Worst to Best". May 13, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  6. ^ a b January 2018, Tom Burden 25 (January 25, 2018). "The 10 best Faith No More songs, as chosen by The Final Clause Of Tacitus". loudersound. Retrieved July 16, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "The Hottest 100 of 1997: the full list". Double J. January 25, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  8. ^ "New electronic duo Last Survivor share their debut single 'Waste Away'".
  9. ^ "EP REVIEW: Reset - Anova Skyway". July 11, 2022.
  10. ^ "Faith No More – Ashes to Ashes". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  11. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. June 14, 1997. p. 15. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  12. ^ "Faith No More: Ashes to Ashes" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  13. ^ "Faith No More – Ashes to Ashes" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Faith No More". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  15. ^ "Faith No More – Ashes to Ashes". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  16. ^ "Faith No More – Ashes to Ashes". VG-lista. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  17. ^ "Faith No More – Ashes to Ashes". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  18. ^ "Faith No More: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  19. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  20. ^ "Faith No More Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  21. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  22. ^ "Faith No More - Ashes To Ashes". Discogs. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  23. ^ "Faith No More - Ashes To Ashes". Discogs. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  24. ^ "Faith No More - Ashes To Ashes". Discogs. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  25. ^ "Faith No More - Ashes To Ashes". Discogs. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  26. ^ "Faith No More - Ashes To Ashes". Discogs. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
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