Chocolate and Cheese
| Chocolate and Cheese | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Ween | ||||
| Released | September 27, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1994 | |||
| Genre |
Alternative rock Experimental rock Psychedelic pop | |||
| Length | 54:47 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Andrew Weiss | |||
| Ween chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Q |  link |
| Robert Christgau |  link |
| Rolling Stone | (Not Rated) link |
Chocolate and Cheese is Ween's fourth studio album, originally released by Elektra Records in 1994. It was the first Ween album to eschew the crude four-track home recordings of their first three albums and utilize a professional recording studio. However, most of the instruments were still played by Dean and Gene Ween, including their drum machine.
Track listing
All tracks by Ween
| No. | Title | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Take Me Away" | 3:01 | |
| 2. | "Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)" | 2:53 | |
| 3. | "Freedom of '76" | 2:51 | |
| 4. | "I Can't Put My Finger on It" | 2:48 | |
| 5. | "A Tear for Eddie" | 4:50 | |
| 6. | "Roses Are Free" | 4:35 | |
| 7. | "Baby Bitch" | 3:04 | |
| 8. | "Mister, Would You Please Help My Pony?" | 2:55 | |
| 9. | "Drifter in the Dark" | 2:32 | |
| 10. | "Voodoo Lady" | 3:48 | |
| 11. | "Joppa Road" | 3:03 | |
| 12. | "Candi" | 4:03 | |
| 13. | "Buenas Tardes Amigo" | 7:07 | |
| 14. | "The HIV Song" | 2:10 | |
| 15. | "What Deaner Was Talkin' About" | 2:00 | |
| 16. | "Don't Shit Where You Eat" | 3:20 |
Background
The album is dedicated to comedian John Candy, who died while Ween was putting the album together. "A Tear for Eddie" was dedicated to the funk/psychedelic guitar pioneer Eddie Hazel, who died December 23, 1992. In a 2011 interview, Gene Ween credited a Spanish lesson on Sesame Street with inspiring Buenas Tardes Amigo.[1]
Album cover
Ween originally wanted the cover to have a "gay sailor theme" but the studio thought it politically incorrect (possibly because of "The HIV Song", which is ironically cheery and upbeat). Instead, they opted for a woman's body on the cover. The band say that they never got to meet the cover model, Ashley Savage. Additionally, the cover pays homage to The Commodores' 1982 album All the Great Hits, which features a boxer with a championship belt around his waist that has the band's name on it.
Related releases
"I Can't Put My Finger on It" is an EP released by Elektra Records in 1994, and including the tracks "I Can't Put My Finger on It", "A Tear for Eddie", "Now I'm Freaking Out" and "Bakersfield".
"Voodoo Lady EP" was released by Flying Nun Records (as a 7") and White Records (as a CD) in 1994, and included the tracks "Buenas Tardes Amigo", "There's a Pig" (CD version only), and "Vallejo" (CD version only). The EP's title track can be heard in the films Road Trip and Dude, Where's My Car?, as well as the original version of "In The Bathroom," a skit from the sketch comedy show The State, while the album track "Buenas Tardes Amigo" was featured in the German films Lammbock and Herr Lehmann.
"Freedom of '76" is an EP released by Flying Nun Records in 1995, and included two versions of the title track plus "Now I'm Freaking Out" and "Pollo Asado". CKY guitarist (and dedicated Ween fan) Chad Ginsburg appeared in the "Freedom of '76" promo video as an extra shouting at Gene and Dean after they stole the Liberty Bell. According to Chad, he was screaming, "You stole my song!", referring to the similarities of his song (Rudy + Blitz "Loaf") and Ween's "Spinal Meningitis".
Original Vinyl Pressings : On top of the elektra records release ( Elektra 61639-2 US 1994), it was pressed distributed by Grand Royal records in the USA in 1994 with a 2 LP non-gatefold version (Chocolate And Cheese (2xLP) Grand Royal GR 010 US 1994) and also overseas in New Zealand with two editions, on Flying Nun records also in 1994, one with a bonus 7" single(Chocolate And Cheese (2xLP) Flying Nun Records FN314 UK 1994 Chocolate And Cheese (2xLP + 7") Flying Nun Records FNSP314)
Note that there is a catalogue number for the vinyl issue by Elektra records, but there is no confirmation it was pressed on vinyl at this time, possibly only in promo edition.
- Cover versions
- "Roses Are Free" has been played several times by Phish, notably as a 35 minute jam during their Millennium New Year's Eve event at Big Cypress Indian Reservation, an all-night concert in which "Roses are Free" appeared in the wee hours of the morning on January 1, 2000.
- Ash recorded a version of "What Deaner Was Talkin' About", released as a B-side on their 1997 single "A Life Less Ordinary". This track also features on their limited edition live album, Live at the Wireless.
- Amos Lee performed "Buenas Tardes Amigo" on an iTunes exclusive live album entitled "iTunes Live From SoHo".
Personnel
- The band
- Dean Ween - Guitar, Vocals
- Gene Ween - Vocals
- Mean Ween - Bass
- Claude Coleman - Drums
- Additional personnel
- Greg Frey - Engineer
- Howie Weinberg - Mastering
- Andrew Weiss - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
- Kirk Miller - Live Sound
- Danny Clinch - Photography
- John Kuezala - Photography
- Reiner Design Consultants - Design
- Patricia Frey Stephan
- Scott Lowe
- Stephen Said
Chart performance
Album
- 1994 Chocolate and Cheese, Heatseekers No. 10
Singles
- 1994 "Voodoo Lady", Modern Rock Tracks No. 32
References
- ↑ "Lollapalooza 2011: Q&A with Ween". Usatoday.Com. August 3, 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
External links
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