Bossanova

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This article is about the album by the Pixies. For the Brazilian music style, see bossa nova.

Professional reviews
Bossanova

Studio album by Pixies
Released	August 13, 1990
Recorded	1989 - 1990
Genre	Alternative, College rock
Length	39:45
Label	4AD/Elektra Records
Producer(s)	Gil Norton
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (A) link
Pixies chronology
Doolittle (1989)	Bossanova (1990)	Trompe le Monde (1991)

Bossanova was the Pixies' third studio album, released in 1990 through 4AD Records. The title comes from the "Hang Wire" lyric "Every morning and every day / I'll bossanova with ya". Artistically, the album was a further move from the rough-edged, punk sound of the band's first two albums, and continued the mainstream approach apparent through much of Doolittle, while notably introducing an element of surf rock, a genre of which members Black Francis and Joey Santiago were fans.

Only featuring compositions by Francis, the album marked the point where the frontman's artistic control became absolute, and bassist Kim Deal began to become sidelined. Furthermore, it is also the first release (with the exception of "Monkey Gone To Heaven" B-side "Manta Ray") to deal with Francis' growing obsession with UFOs and outer space, evident on tracks such as "The Happening" and also the cover art. The theme would continue on the Pixies' follow up Trompe le Monde, and last long into his solo career as Frank Black.

1 Track listing
2 Credits
3 Acclaim
4 Miscellanea
5 Charts
6 Sample
7 External links

[edit] Track listing

"Cecilia Ann" (Surftones cover) – 2:05
"Rock Music" – 1:52
"Velouria" – 3:40
"Allison" – 1:17
"Is She Weird" – 3:01
"Ana" – 2:09
"All Over the World" – 5:27
"Dig for Fire" – 3:02
"Down to the Well" – 2:29
"The Happening" – 4:19
"Blown Away" – 2:20
"Hang Wire" – 2:01
"Stormy Weather" – 3:26
"Havalina" – 2:33

[edit] Credits

[edit] Acclaim

In 2003, Pitchfork Media has listed Bossanova as the 28th greatest album of the 1990s. In 2006, "Bossanova" was listed as one of the 1001 albums you must hear before you die.

[edit] Miscellanea

In the song "Ana", taking the first letter of each line in the song spells out the word "surfer". Thus "Ana" is believed to be short for anagram, although the name for this type of lyric is actually an acrostic.
"Hang Wire" is based on the Rolling Stones' "Hang Fire". The first two verses are written in the Japanese haiku form.
Havalina is the Mexican name for a wild boar, and the Sedona mentioned is a city in Arizona.
"Allison" is about the jazz musician Mose Allison.