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Lullabies to Paralyze

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Lullabies to Paralyze
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 22, 2005 (2005-03-22)
RecordedMay – July 2004
StudioSound City (Van Nuys)
Genre
Length59:26
LabelInterscope
Producer
Queens of the Stone Age chronology
Stone Age Complication
(2004)
Lullabies to Paralyze
(2005)
Over the Years and Through the Woods
(2005)
Alternative cover
Cover of the LP release
Singles from Lullabies to Paralyze
  1. "Little Sister"
    Released: December 2004
  2. "In My Head"
    Released: June 27, 2005
  3. "Burn the Witch"
    Released: January 10, 2006

Lullabies to Paralyze is the fourth studio album by American rock band Queens of the Stone Age, released on March 22, 2005.[3] The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200,[4] and sold 97,000 copies in America during its first week of release,[4] eventually topping over 342,000 copies as of March, 2007 according to Nielsen Soundscan.[5] The album has been certified gold in the UK, where it has sold over 100,000 units. It is also the band's first album to be released after bassist Nick Oliveri was fired from the band. Singer/guitarist Josh Homme and singer Mark Lanegan are the only members from the previous album, Songs for the Deaf, to play on this album and it is the first album to feature drummer Joey Castillo and guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen.

Background

[edit]

The album title Lullabies to Paralyze was intended to bridge Lullabies with its predecessor Songs for the Deaf by naming it after a line in "Mosquito Song", the final track on Songs for the Deaf.[6] The "deluxe limited edition" of the album includes a bonus track and a bonus DVD containing "a look behind the scenes and special bonus footage". Videos were produced for singles "Little Sister", "In My Head" and "Burn the Witch", and the song "Someone's in the Wolf".[7] The video for "Someone's in the Wolf" was featured on the bonus DVD of Lullabies to Paralyze.

The album was delayed during 2004 because of some changes to the line-up: bassist, vocalist, and co-songwriter Nick Oliveri was fired and on-off vocalist Mark Lanegan went on tour with his own band.[8] Lanegan can still be heard singing on several songs of the album as well as contributing lyrics. Because of this turmoil, there had been rumours that Lanegan had left the band, which Josh Homme eventually clarified in several interviews was never the case.[citation needed] Nevertheless, he encouraged these rumours to draw the attention off the band by giving the press "something to focus on while I was just making the record".[citation needed]

And at the time, I was like, "Fuck, no one's even listening to this. It's too much about other stuff." And it would have been easy to make Songs for the Deaf 2, which is basically all I heard in my own head. But I can't do that. You've got to shake all that shit away.[9]

— Josh Homme, Pitchfork interview, April 13, 2007

LP versions

[edit]

The album has three LP pressing runs. The first pressing was released by AntAcidAudio and contains a different cover to the CD version. The sides are named Once, You, Were & Lost, after a line from "Someone's in the Wolf", with each containing a mixture of the CD's album and bonus tracks (with the exception of Once, only the standard tracks are present).

The second pressing is a reissue by Dutch record label Music On Vinyl, released on September 22, 2011. The reissue is different from the first pressing in that it does not have its sides named after the line from "Someone's in the Wolf," and it uses the cover art from the CD release. The reissue omitted bonus tracks "Infinity" and "Precious and Grace" from the track listing, and listed "Like a Drug" as the last track. Side four contains an etching of one of the album's artwork.[10]

The third pressing was released in November 2019 and features the tracklist from the original 2005 LP release and the cover art from the original CD release.

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Entertainment WeeklyB[13]
The Guardian[14]
Los Angeles Times[15]
NME8/10[1]
Pitchfork7.5/10[16]
Q[17]
Rolling Stone[18]
SpinB[19]
Uncut[20]

The album received generally positive reviews, although slightly lower than its predecessor, the average score being 78 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 31 professional reviews.[21]

Kevin Forest Moreau awarded it 3rd best album of the year 2005, Billboard magazine ranked it 7th best album, Magnet magazine ranked it 9th, and Filter magazine considered it 10th best album of the year 2005.[22] JustPressPlay ranked it #31 on its list of the Top 100 Albums of the 2000s[23] and named "Tangled Up in Plaid" the 19th best song of the decade.[24]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Lullabies to Paralyze peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart and was certified gold in the UK on April 15, 2005 with sales exceeding 100,000 copies.[25] It also became the band's first album to reach the top ten on the US Billboard 200, where it peaked at number five.

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo, except where noted. All lyrics written by Homme, except additional lyrics on "Medication", "Tangled Up in Plaid" and "Long Slow Goodbye" by Mark Lanegan.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."This Lullaby" 1:22
2."Medication"Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Joey Castillo, Mark Lanegan1:54
3."Everybody Knows That You Are Insane" 4:14
4."Tangled Up in Plaid"Homme, Van Leeuwen, Castillo, Lanegan4:13
5."Burn the Witch" 3:35
6."In My Head"Homme, Van Leeuwen, Josh Freese, Castillo, Alain Johannes4:01
7."Little Sister" 2:54
8."I Never Came" 4:48
9."Someone's in the Wolf" 7:15
10."The Blood Is Love" 6:37
11."Skin on Skin" 3:42
12."Broken Box" 3:02
13."You Got a Killer Scene There, Man..." 4:56
14."Long Slow Goodbye" (Includes a "Hidden Outro" which comes up at 5:16)Homme, Van Leeuwen, Castillo, Lanegan6:50
Total length:59:26
Deluxe edition
No.TitleLength
15."Like a Drug"3:15
UK bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
15."Like a Drug"3:16
16."Precious and Grace" (ZZ Top cover)3:23
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
15."Like a Drug"3:15
16."Precious and Grace" (ZZ Top cover)3:23
17."Infinity"3:59
Bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."The Way Finds You" (DVD-Video)27:20
2."Someone's in the Wolf" (DVD-Video)7:24
3."Josh's Session" (DVD-Video)10:24
Limited Tour Edition Bonus UK CD (listed in the liner notes as "Live from Earthlink in Atlanta, GA March 19, 2005" but the songs are actually from the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC March 27, 2005)
No.TitleLength
1."The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret"3:54
2."Little Sister"2:56
3."In My Head"3:56
4."No One Knows"6:48
5."Song for the Dead"6:24
6."Regular John"9:48
AntAcidAudio LP track listing
No.TitleVinyl sideLength
1."Lullaby"Once1:22
2."Medication"Once1:54
3."Everybody Knows That You Are Insane"Once4:14
4."Tangled Up in Plaid"Once4:13
5."Burn the Witch"Once3:35
6."In My Head"You4:01
7."Little Sister"You2:54
8."I Never Came"You4:48
9."Someone's in the Wolf"You7:16
10."Infinity"Were3:59
11."The Blood Is Love"Were6:38
12."Like a Drug"Were3:18
13."Skin on Skin"Were3:43
14."Broken Box"Lost3:00
15."Precious and Grace" (ZZ Top cover)Lost3:24
16.""You Got a Killer Scene There, Man...""Lost4:58
17."Long Slow Goodbye" (Includes a "Hidden Outro" which comes up at 5:16)Lost6:54

Notes

[edit]
  • The "Hidden Outro" later appears as the main riff in the song "Running Joke", a b-side that appears on Era Vulgaris.
  • The final item on the track list, "The Fun Machine Took a Shit and Died" (located behind the CD in the normal version, or inside the booklet in the deluxe edition), below "Long Slow Goodbye" reads; "The Fun Machine took a shit and died – Was lost or misplaced. (There is a reward for the return of said tapes)". During that time, the band assumed that the tapes of that song were either lost or stolen. A live version of this song can be found on the DVD release Over the Years and Through the Woods. Homme commented, "The tapes got lost. Actually, they were just at another studio, but we falsely accused everyone in the world of theft."[26] The song was later rerecorded as a single and featured as a bonus track on Era Vulgaris.

Personnel

[edit]

Queens of the Stone Age

[edit]
  • Josh Homme – lead vocals (all but 1), guitar (all but 6), bass (5, 6, 8 (chorus), 12–14), piano (12), drums (8, 12), percussion (8, 10, 12), handclaps (13), whispers (1)
  • Troy Van Leeuwen – guitar (4, 6, 9, 11–14), bass (2, 7, 8, 11), lap steel (2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11, 14), piano (4), keyboards (11), handclaps (13), backing vocals (6)
  • Alain Johannes – guitar (5–7, 11), bass (3, 4, 9, 10), flute & marxophone (9), backing vocals (12), phone (14)
  • Mark Lanegan – lead vocals (1), co-lead vocals ("Precious and Grace"), backing vocals (5, 13)
  • Joey Castillo – drums (all but 1), piano (6, 8, 14), percussion (3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14), handclaps (13)

Guest appearances

[edit]
  • Chris Goss – backing vocals on "You Got a Killer Scene There Man...", "Someone's in the Wolf" and "Burn the Witch"
  • Billy Gibbons – guitar and backing vocals on "Burn the Witch", guitar and co-lead vocals "Precious and Grace", guitar on "Like a Drug"
  • Dave Catching – opening guitar on "The Blood Is Love"
  • Jack Black – handclaps and stomps on "Burn the Witch", and is also seen contributing the same for "Broken Box" during the bonus DVD
  • Jesse Hughes – flute on "Someone's in the Wolf"
  • Shirley Manson – backing vocals on "You Got a Killer Scene There, Man..."
  • Brody Dalle – backing vocals on "You Got a Killer Scene There Man..."
  • Joe Barresi – triangle on "Tangled Up in Plaid"
  • The Main Street Horns – tubas and baritone trombone on "I Never Came", "Someone's in the Wolf" and "Skin on Skin"

Charts and certifications

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Martin, Dan (March 15, 2005). "Queens Of The Stone Age : Lullabies To Paralyze". NME. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  2. ^ Long, Chris. "Queens Of The Stone Age Lullabies To Paralyze Review". BBC. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  3. ^ "10 Years Ago: Queens of the Stone Age Release 'Lullabies to Paralyze'". Loudwire. March 22, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "50 Still Attacking Chart". Rolling Stone. 2005-03-30. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  5. ^ "QOTSA Rocks Hard, Fast On 'Era Vulgaris'". Billboard. 2005-03-15. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  6. ^ "Queens Of The Stone Age Interview". Vertigo. Retrieved 2005-05-18. I also like that the title bridges this record and the last record in that it's a lyric from "Mosquito Song". (Homme)
  7. ^ "QOTSA Yahoo videos". Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  8. ^ "Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan Leave Queens Of The Stone Age". VH1. 2004-02-12. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  9. ^ "QOTSA's Homme Talks New LP, Motivations, Pirates: interview with Joshua Homme, April 13, 2007". Archived from the original on April 16, 2007.
  10. ^ Vinyl, Music On. "Music On Vinyl". www.musiconvinyl.com. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Reviews for Lullabies to Paralyze by Queens of the Stone Age". Metacritic. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  12. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lullabies to Paralyze – Queens of the Stone Age". AllMusic. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  13. ^ Sinclair, Tom (March 21, 2005). "Lullabies to Paralyze". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  14. ^ Simpson, Dave (March 18, 2005). "Queens of the Stone Age, Lullabies to Paralyse". The Guardian. London. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  15. ^ Appleford, Steve (April 24, 2005). "Metal that's heavy but deft". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  16. ^ Petrusich, Amanda (March 20, 2005). "Queens of the Stone Age: Lullabies to Paralyze". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
  17. ^ "Queens of the Stone Age: Lullabies to Paralyze". Q (225): 112. April 2005.
  18. ^ Walters, Barry (March 24, 2005). "Lullabies To Paralyze". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  19. ^ Hermes, Will (April 2005). "Queens of the Stone Age: Lullabies to Paralyze". Spin. 21 (4): 99. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  20. ^ Long, April (April 2005). "Queens Of The Stone Age – Lullabies To Paralyze". Uncut (95): 98. Archived from the original on March 8, 2005. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  21. ^ "Lullabies To Paralyze by Queens Of The Stone Age". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  22. ^ "Best of 2005: The 30 best reviewed albums of the year". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  23. ^ "Fifty Years of Great Music: The Top 100 Albums of the 2000s". Justpressplay.net. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  24. ^ "Fifty Years of Great Music: The Top 100 Songs of the 2000s". Justpressplay.net. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  25. ^ "QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE , LULLABIES TO PARALYZE , Gold , Fri Apr 15 2005". British Phonographic Industry. 2005-04-15. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  26. ^ Josh Homme, 09/2005 interview with RollingStone.com
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