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{{Short description|1999 single by Melissa Etheridge}}
{{Infobox single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
{{Infobox song
| Name = Angels Would Fall
| Cover = Angels would fall.jpg
| name = Angels Would Fall
| Artist = [[Melissa Etheridge]]
| cover = Angels would fall.jpg
| alt =
| from Album = [[Breakdown (Melissa Etheridge album)|Breakdown]]
| B-side =
| type = single
| Released = 1999
| artist = [[Melissa Etheridge]]
| Format = [[CD single]]
| album = [[Breakdown (Melissa Etheridge album)|Breakdown]]
| released = {{start date|1999|8|31}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Going for Adds|magazine=[[Radio & Records]]|issue=_|pages=139, 143, 154|date=August 27, 1999}}</ref>
| Recorded = [[Sunset Sound]]
| recorded =
| Genre = [[Modern rock|Rock]]
| studio = [[Sunset Sound]] (Hollywood, California)
| Length = 4:39
| Label = [[Island Records|Island]]
| length = 4:39
| label = [[Island Records|Island]]
| Writer = Melissa Etheridge<br/>[[John Shanks]]
| writer = Melissa Etheridge, [[John Shanks]]
| Producer = Melissa Etheridge<br/>[[John Shanks]]
| producer = Melissa Etheridge, John Shanks
| prev_title = Nowhere to Go
| Certification =
| Chart position =
| prev_year = 1996
| Last single = "[[Nowhere to Go (Melissa Etheridge song)|Nowhere to Go]]"<br/>(1996)
| next_title = [[Scarecrow (Melissa Etheridge song)|Scarecrow]]
| next_year = 1999
| This single = "'''Angels Would Fall'''"<br/>(1999)
}}
| Next single = "[[Scarecrow (Melissa Etheridge song)|Scarecrow]]"<br/>(1999)
|misc={{Extra album cover|Upper caption = Alternative covers
| Type = single
|Cover = Angels would fall alt.jpg
|Lower caption = Alternative cover
}}}}


"'''Angels Would Fall'''" is a [[1999 in music|1999]] [[Melissa Etheridge]] song and the first single from her album ''[[Breakdown (Melissa Etheridge album)|Breakdown]]''.
"'''Angels Would Fall'''" is a song by American musician [[Melissa Etheridge]], released as the first single from her sixth album, ''[[Breakdown (Melissa Etheridge album)|Breakdown]]'' (1999), on August 31, 1999.


== Song information ==
== Song information ==
The song was written by [[Melissa Etheridge]] with the main guitar [[loop (music)|loop]] contributed by [[John Shanks]]. It is one of her darkest songs as the singer says herself on the bonus DVD of her album ''Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled'':<ref>Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled at 00:48:40</ref>


{{cquote|''Breakdown'' was such a dark period in my life that all the songs were turning out so dark that I even had to go to John Shanks who was producing this album, which was one of his first producing projects [...] but it was a very artistic time and the songs were very moody, very dark, and I finally said: "Look, do you have any pieces of music maybe I can write to? Because I am scraping on the bottom of my soul."}}
The song was written by Melissa Etheridge with the main guitar [[loop (music)|loop]] contributed by [[John Shanks]]. It is one of her darkest songs as the singer says herself on the bonus DVD of her album ''Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled'':<ref>Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled at 00:48:40</ref>


"Angels Would Fall" is about a desperate crush Etheridge had on someone else's girlfriend during her shattered relationship with [[Julie Cypher]].<ref>''Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled'' at 00:50:10</ref> In the verses, she describes the pain she feels because she can tell nobody about her feelings ("The rope that's wrapped around me is cutting through my skin..."), while in the chorus she is singing the desired person's praises ("Angels never came down [...] but if they knew, if they knew you at all, angels would fall...").
{{cquote|''Breakdown'' was such a dark period in my life that all the songs were turning out so dark that I even had to go to John Shanks who was producing this album, which was one of his first producing projects [...] but it was a very artistic time and the songs were very moody, very dark, and I finally said: “Look, do you have any pieces of music maybe I can write to? Because I am scraping on the bottom of my soul.”}}


==Accolades==
"Angels Would Fall" is about a desperate crush Etheridge had on someone else's girlfriend during her shattered relationship with [[Julie Cypher]].<ref>''Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled'' at 00:50:10</ref> In the verses, she describes the pain she feels because she can tell nobody about her feelings (“The rope that's wrapped around me is cutting through my skin...”), while in the chorus she is singing the desired person's praises (“Angels never came down [...] but if they knew, if they knew you at all, angels would fall...”).
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! | Year
! | Award
! | Category
! | Result
! | Ref.
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2000
| rowspan="2"| [[42nd Annual Grammy Awards|Grammy Award]]
| [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song]]
| {{nom}}
| rowspan="2" align="center"| <ref name="Gram">{{cite web |title=Melissa Etheridge |url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/melissa-etheridge/12402 |publisher=[[The Recording Academy]] |access-date=October 15, 2022 |archive-date=August 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824213416/https://www.grammy.com/artists/melissa-etheridge/12402 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Female Rock Vocal Performance]]
| {{nom}}
|}


== Music video ==
== Music video ==
The [[music video]] was shot in 1999 and shows Etheridge playing her song in a dark, empty, saloon-styled bar where the furniture is destroyed like after a fight. In retrospective scenes, nebulous images of people in white dresses come down from the ceiling symbolising the fallen angels. While they fall down, they cause the damage described above. These angels find love in each other, both homosexual and heterosexual couples are formed. Towards the end, the door of the bar opens and the angels go into the light.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ0IiYJGz9Y The music video on YouTube, published by Universal Music Group]</ref>
[[Image:Angels would fall vid.jpg|thumb|left|Etheridge in the music video.]]
The [[music video]] was shot in 1999, and showed Melissa Etheridge playing her song in a dark, empty, saloon-styled bar where the furniture is destroyed like after a fight. In retrospective scenes, nebulous images of people in white dresses come down from the ceiling symbolising the fallen angels. While they fall down, they cause the damage described above. These angels find love in each other, both homosexual and heterosexual couples are formed. Towards the end, the door of the bar opens and the angels go into the light.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ0IiYJGz9Y The music video on youtube, published by universalmusicgroup]</ref>


== Charts ==
== Track listings ==
All song were written by Melissa Etheridge except "Angels Would Fall", written by Etheridge and John Shanks.


'''US and Australian CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Angels Would Fall|others=[[Melissa Etheridge]]|year=1999|type=US CD single liner notes|publisher=[[Island Records]]|id=314 562 345-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Angels Would Fall|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1999|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Island Records|id=562 345 2}}</ref>
"Angels Would Fall" was the most successful single of ''Breakdown''. It reached the US Billboard Hot 100, was Etheridge's third consecutive single peaking at #9 on the Adult Top 40 and her fourth consecutive top 10 hit in the Canadian single charts.
# "Angels Would Fall"
# "Into the Dark"
# "Beloved"


'''US 7-inch single and European CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Angels Would Fall|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1999|type=US 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Island Records|id=314-562 344-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Angels Would Fall|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1999|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Island Records|id=562 344-2}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
# "Angels Would Fall" – 4:17
!align="center"|Chart (1999)
# "Into the Dark" – 4:58
!align="center"|Peak<br>position

== Personnel ==
{{div col}}
* Melissa Etheridge – acoustic guitar, vocals
* Kenny Aronoff – drums, [[marimba]], shaker
* Jon Brion – guitar
* Mark Browne – bass
* Matt Chamberlain – drums
* Steve Ferrone – percussion, drums
* Rami Jaffee – keyboard
* Jim Keltner – drums
* Greg Leisz – guitar, [[mandolin]], [[lap steel guitar]], pedals
* [[Brian MacLeod (U.S. musician)|Brian MacLeod]] – percussion, [[Music loop|drum loop]]
* Pino Palladino – bass
* John Shanks – [[Appalachian dulcimer|dulcimer]], guitar, harp, marimba, background vocals
* Patrick Warren – keyboard
* Gota Yashiki – drum loop
{{div col end}}

== Charts ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

=== Weekly charts ===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1999)
!Peak<br/>position
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Australia ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia}}</ref>
|align="left"|US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref name="charts-surfer.de">[http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php Charts-Surfer: Suchergebnis<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628000000/http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php |date=June 28, 2009 }}</ref>
|59
|align="center"|51
|-
|-
!scope="row"|Canada (''[[The Record (magazine)|The Record]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Hits of the World: Canada|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=111|issue=38|page=74|date=September 18, 1999}}</ref>
|align="left"|US [[Adult Contemporary|Adult Top 40]]
|16
|align="center"|9
|-
|-
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|6|chartid=7338|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|align="left"|US [[Top 40 Mainstream]]
|align="center"|32
|-
|-
{{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|28|chartid=7285|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|align="left"|[[Canada|Canadian single charts]]
|align="center"|6
|-
|-
{{single chart|Canadarock|5|chartid=8435|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|align="left"|[[Netherlands|Dutch single charts]]<ref>[http://dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=Melissa+Etheridge&cat=s dutchcharts.nl - Dutch charts portal<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
|align="center"|61
|-
|-
{{single chart|Germany|88|artist=Melissa Etheridge|song=Angels Would Fall|songid=16900|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|align="left"|[[Germany|German single charts]]<ref name="charts-surfer.de"/>
|align="center"|88
|-
|-
{{single chart|Dutch100|61|artist=Melissa Etheridge|song=Angels Would Fall|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|align="left"|[[New Zealand|New Zealand single charts]]<ref>[http://charts.org.nz/search.asp?search=Melissa+Etheridge&cat=s charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210180033/http://charts.org.nz/search.asp?search=Melissa+Etheridge&cat=s |date=February 10, 2012 }}</ref>
|align="center"|48
|-
|-
{{single chart|New Zealand|48|artist=Melissa Etheridge|song=Angels Would Fall|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|51|artist=Melissa Etheridge|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|1|artist=Melissa Etheridge|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|9|artist=Melissa Etheridge|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|32|artist=Melissa Etheridge|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2023}}
|}
|}
{{col-2}}


== Track listing ==
=== Year-end charts ===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1999)
#"Angels Would Fall" <small>(Melissa Etheridge, John Shanks)</small> - 4:39
!Position
#"Into the Dark" <small>(Etheridge)</small> - 4:59
|-
#"Beloved" <small>(Etheridge)</small> - 7:54
!scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9952&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9952.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9952|title=RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks|magazine=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|via=[[Library and Archives Canada]]|access-date=August 16, 2023}}</ref>

|43
== Credits and personnel ==
|-
*Melissa Etheridge - [[steel-string acoustic guitar|acoustic guitar]], [[Singing|vocals]]
!scope="row"|Canada Rock/Alternative (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9960&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9960.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9960|title=RPM 1999 Top 50 Rock Tracks|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=August 16, 2023}}</ref>
*Kenny Aronoff - [[Drum kit|drums]], [[marimba]], shaker
|33
*Jon Brion - [[guitar]]
|-
*Mark Browne - [[bass guitar|bass]]
!scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1999|magazine=[[Airplay Monitor]]|volume=7|issue=52|page=47|date=December 24, 1999}}</ref>
*Matt Chamberlain - drums
|52
*Steve Ferrone - [[Percussion instrument|percussion]], drums
|-
*Rami Jaffee - [[keyboard instrument|keyboard]]
!scope="row"|US Triple-A (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Best of '99: Most Played Triple-A Songs|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=7|issue=52|page=38|date=December 24, 1999}}</ref>
*Jim Keltner - drums
|19
*Greg Leisz - guitar, [[mandolin]], [[lap steel guitar]], pedals
|}
*[[Brian MacLeod (U.S. musician)|Brian MacLeod]] - percussion, [[Music loop|drum loop]]
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
*Pino Palladino - bass
!Chart (2000)
*John Shanks - [[Appalachian dulcimer|dulcimer]], guitar, harp, [[marimba]], background vocals
!Position
*Patrick Warren - keyboard
|-
*Gota Yashiki - drum loop
|-
!scope="row"|US Adult Top 40 (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 2000|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=8|issue=51|page=48|date=December 22, 2000}}</ref>
|84
|}
{{col-end}}


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* Melissa Etheridge and Laura Morton: ''The truth is...'', Random House 2002

* Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled bonus DVD
*Melissa Etheridge and Laura Morton: ''The truth is...'', Random House 2002
* [http://www.golyr.de/index.php?view_site=display&view_id=57564 Lyrics]
*Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled bonus DVD
*[http://www.golyr.de/index.php?view_site=display&view_id=57564 Lyrics]

==External links==
* {{MetroLyrics song|melissa-etheridge|angels-would-fall}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->


{{Melissa Etheridge}}
{{Melissa Etheridge}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:1999 singles]]
[[Category:1999 singles]]
Line 110: Line 161:
[[Category:Songs written by John Shanks]]
[[Category:Songs written by John Shanks]]
[[Category:1999 songs]]
[[Category:1999 songs]]
[[Category:LGBTQ-related songs]]
[[Category:Island Records singles]]
[[Category:Island Records singles]]

Latest revision as of 14:49, 10 December 2024

"Angels Would Fall"
Single by Melissa Etheridge
from the album Breakdown
ReleasedAugust 31, 1999 (1999-08-31)[1]
StudioSunset Sound (Hollywood, California)
Length4:39
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)Melissa Etheridge, John Shanks
Producer(s)Melissa Etheridge, John Shanks
Melissa Etheridge singles chronology
"Nowhere to Go"
(1996) 		"Angels Would Fall"
(1999) 		"Scarecrow"
(1999)

"Angels Would Fall" is a song by American musician Melissa Etheridge, released as the first single from her sixth album, Breakdown (1999), on August 31, 1999.

Song information

[edit]

The song was written by Melissa Etheridge with the main guitar loop contributed by John Shanks. It is one of her darkest songs as the singer says herself on the bonus DVD of her album Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled:[2]

Breakdown was such a dark period in my life that all the songs were turning out so dark that I even had to go to John Shanks who was producing this album, which was one of his first producing projects [...] but it was a very artistic time and the songs were very moody, very dark, and I finally said: "Look, do you have any pieces of music maybe I can write to? Because I am scraping on the bottom of my soul."

"Angels Would Fall" is about a desperate crush Etheridge had on someone else's girlfriend during her shattered relationship with Julie Cypher.[3] In the verses, she describes the pain she feels because she can tell nobody about her feelings ("The rope that's wrapped around me is cutting through my skin..."), while in the chorus she is singing the desired person's praises ("Angels never came down [...] but if they knew, if they knew you at all, angels would fall...").

Accolades

[edit]
Year Award Category Result Ref.
2000 Grammy Award Best Rock Song Nominated [4]
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance Nominated

Music video

[edit]

The music video was shot in 1999 and shows Etheridge playing her song in a dark, empty, saloon-styled bar where the furniture is destroyed like after a fight. In retrospective scenes, nebulous images of people in white dresses come down from the ceiling symbolising the fallen angels. While they fall down, they cause the damage described above. These angels find love in each other, both homosexual and heterosexual couples are formed. Towards the end, the door of the bar opens and the angels go into the light.[5]

Track listings

[edit]

All song were written by Melissa Etheridge except "Angels Would Fall", written by Etheridge and John Shanks.

US and Australian CD single[6][7]

  1. "Angels Would Fall"
  2. "Into the Dark"
  3. "Beloved"

US 7-inch single and European CD single[8][9]

  1. "Angels Would Fall" – 4:17
  2. "Into the Dark" – 4:58

Personnel

[edit]
  • Melissa Etheridge – acoustic guitar, vocals
  • Kenny Aronoff – drums, marimba, shaker
  • Jon Brion – guitar
  • Mark Browne – bass
  • Matt Chamberlain – drums
  • Steve Ferrone – percussion, drums
  • Rami Jaffee – keyboard
  • Jim Keltner – drums
  • Greg Leisz – guitar, mandolin, lap steel guitar, pedals
  • Brian MacLeod – percussion, drum loop
  • Pino Palladino – bass
  • John Shanks – dulcimer, guitar, harp, marimba, background vocals
  • Patrick Warren – keyboard
  • Gota Yashiki – drum loop

Charts

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. _. August 27, 1999. pp. 139, 143, 154.
  2. ^ Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled at 00:48:40
  3. ^ Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled at 00:50:10
  4. ^ "Melissa Etheridge". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  5. ^ The music video on YouTube, published by Universal Music Group
  6. ^ Angels Would Fall (US CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1999. 314 562 345-8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Angels Would Fall (Australian CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1999. 562 345 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Angels Would Fall (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1999. 314-562 344-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Angels Would Fall (European CD single liner notes). Melissa Etheridge. Island Records. 1999. 562 344-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  11. ^ "Hits of the World: Canada". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 38. September 18, 1999. p. 74.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7338." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7285." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  14. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 8435." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  15. ^ "Melissa Etheridge – Angels Would Fall" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  16. ^ "Melissa Etheridge – Angels Would Fall" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  17. ^ "Melissa Etheridge – Angels Would Fall". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  18. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  19. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  20. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  21. ^ "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  22. ^ "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  23. ^ "RPM 1999 Top 50 Rock Tracks". RPM. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  24. ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 47.
  25. ^ "The Best of '99: Most Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 38.
  26. ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 2000". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 48.

Sources

[edit]
  • Melissa Etheridge and Laura Morton: The truth is..., Random House 2002
  • Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled bonus DVD
  • Lyrics
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