A Small Victory (song)

"A Small Victory"
Single by Faith No More
from the album Angel Dust
Released August 3, 1992 (1992-08-03)
Format CD, Cassette, Vinyl
Recorded Coast Recorders and Brilliant Studios, San Francisco, California January – March 1992
Genre Experimental rock, alternative rock
Length 4:57
Label Slash
Writer(s)
Lyrics:
Mike Patton
Music:
Mike Bordin
Roddy Bottum
Billy Gould
Mike Patton
Producer Matt Wallace
Faith No More singles chronology
"Midlife Crisis"
(1992)		 "A Small Victory"
(1992)		 "Everything's Ruined"
(1992)
Angel Dust track listing
  1. "Land of Sunshine"
  2. "Caffeine"
  3. "Midlife Crisis"
  4. "RV"
  5. "Smaller and Smaller"
  6. "Everything's Ruined"
  7. "Malpractice"
  8. "Kindergarten"
  9. "Be Aggressive"
  10. "A Small Victory"
  11. "Crack Hitler"
  12. "Jizzlobber"
  13. "Midnight Cowboy"
  14. "Easy"
  15. "As the Worm Turns"
Remix Cover
Released: September 1, 1992

"A Small Victory" is the tenth track and the second single from Faith No More's fourth studio album Angel Dust. It was released as a single on August 3, 1992 in Europe and 16 days later, on August 19, 1992, in Japan. It was later remixed by Youth of Killing Joke and released on September 1, 1992 in Europe and almost two months later, on October 29, 1992, in the USA. It was their last single to chart in the Billboard Modern Rock charts, peaking at #11,[1] and one of their lowest charting singles in Australia, only making it to #84 on the ARIA Charts.[2] When asked about the song's meaning, Mike Patton said:

“ It's kind of about, well my dad was a coach, so I grew up and I always wanted to win. And well, I found out that I just can't win every game… darn it.[3] ”

Contents

Music video

At the time it was described as their "most radio-friendly song"[4] and stylistically more of a "dance song" than their other works.[5] For this reason the band wanted a music video "visual to complement it."[5]

On September 2, 1993 the music video was nominated for the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Art Direction, but lost to Madonna's song "Rain" off her album Erotica.[6]

Track lists

Standard track list
No. Title Lyrics Music Length
1. "A Small Victory" (Video edit) Patton Bordin, Bottum, Gould, Patton 4:23
2. "A Small Victory"   Patton Bordin, Bottum, Gould, Patton 4:58
3. "Let's Lynch The Landlord"   Biafra Biafra 2:58
4. "Malpractice"   Patton Patton 4:03
Remix track list
No. Title Length
1. "A Small Victory"   4:58
2. "A Small Victory" (R-evolution 23 (Full Moon) Mix) 7:21
3. "Malpractice"   4:03
4. "A Small Victory" (Sundown Mix) 5:27
5. "A Small Victory" (Sundown Instrumental) 6:05
6. "A Small Victory" (R-evolution 23 Edit) 3:53

Personnel

  • Martin Glover – remixes
  • John Brough – engineer on remixed tracks
  • Green Ink – sleeve artwork
  • Ross Halfin – band photo

Charts

Chart Peak
U.S. Modern Rock 11 [1]
UK Singles 29 [7]
AUS Singles 84 [2]

Release history

Region Date Format Label Catalogue # Tracks Notes [8]
Worldwide 12" vinyl Slash, London 869 823-1 1, 3, 4 Limited edition
United Kingdom 1992-08-03 12" vinyl Slash, London LASHX39 1, 3, 4 Limited edition [9]
Germany 1992-08-03 12" vinyl Slash, London 869 825-1 1, 3, 4
Worldwide 7" vinyl Slash, London 869 822-7 1, 3 Special edition with yellow vinyl
United Kingdom 1992-08-03 7" vinyl Slash, London LASH39 1, 3 Special edition with yellow vinyl [10]
Germany 1992-08-03 7" vinyl Slash, London 869 824-7 1, 3 [11]
Worldwide Cassette Slash, London 869 823-4 2, 3
United Kingdom 1992-08-03 Cassette Slash, London LASCS39 2, 3
Australia Cassette Slash, Liberation C11259 2, 3, 4
Worldwide CD Slash, London 869 823-2 All Limited edition
United Kingdom 1992-08-03 CD Slash, London LASCD39 All Limited edition [12]
Germany 1992-08-03 CD Slash, London 869 825-2 All
France 1992-08-03 CD Slash, London 869 822-2 All
Australia CD Slash, Liberation D11259 All
Japan 1992-08-19 Mini CD Slash, London PODD-1020 1, 3 Rectangular digipack

Remix release history

Region Date Format Label Catalogue # Tracks [8]
Worldwide 12" vinyl Slash, London 869 885-1 4, 5, 2
United Kingdom 1992-09-01 12" vinyl Slash, London LASHX40 4, 5, 2 [13]
United States 1992-10-29 Cassette Slash, Reprise 9 40626-4 1, 3
Worldwide Cassette Slash, London 869 885-4 4, 5, 2
United Kingdom 1992-09-01 Cassette Slash, London LASCS40 4, 5, 2
United States 1992-10-29 CD Slash, Reprise 9 40626-2 All [14]
Worldwide CD Slash, London 869 885-2 4, 5, 2
United Kingdom 1992-09-01 CD Slash, London LASCD402 4, 5, 2

References

  1. ^ a b "Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Faith No More". Nielsen Company, Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=4583&model.vnuAlbumId=6753. Retrieved 2008-06-03. 
  2. ^ a b "Discography Faith No More". Steffen Hung, australian-charts.com. http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Faith+No+More. Retrieved 2008-06-03. 
  3. ^ fnm.com, FAQ page q30
  4. ^ Nathan Ammons; Tim Newman (1993-01-27). "Talking music and zoning with Roddy Bottom of Faith No More". Public News, Houston, Texas. http://negele.org/db/index.php3?band=2&year=1993&month=1&day=27&id=815. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
  5. ^ a b "Faith No More: The Long & Dusty Road". 1992. http://negele.org/db/index.php3?band=2&year=1992&id=1285. Retrieved 2008-07-25. 
  6. ^ rockonthenet.com, page on the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards, retrieved on January 6, 2008
  7. ^ "UK Top 40 Chart Archive, British Singles & Album Charts". everyHit.com. http://www.everyhit.co.uk/index.html. Retrieved 2008-06-02. 
  8. ^ a b Faith No More discography, text alternative. FNM.com. Retrieved 2008-05-30
  9. ^ "Faith No More - A Small Victory (12". #LASHX39)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/385090. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
  10. ^ "Faith No More - A Small Victory (7". #LASH39)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/1126043. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
  11. ^ "Faith No More - A Small Victory (7". #869 824-7)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/383005. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
  12. ^ "Faith No More - A small Victory (CD. #LASCD39)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/377901. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
  13. ^ "Faith No More - A Small Victory (Remixed by Youth) (12". #LASHX40)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/430734. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
  14. ^ "Faith No More - A Small Victory (CD. #9 40626-2)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/release/309410. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
Faith No More
Mike Patton · Jon Hudson · Billy Gould · Roddy Bottum · Mike Bordin
Chuck Mosley · Jim Martin · Dean Menta · Trey Spruance
Joe Pye · Walter · Paula Frazer · Courtney Love · Jake Crucifix · Mark Stewart · Desmond Trial · Scott Colbertson · Mark Bowen
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