Hallowed Ground (Violent Femmes album)

Updated on Nov 22, 2024

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Released June 1984 Length 38:57 Artist Violent Femmes Label Slash Records		Recorded January, 1984 Producer Mark Van Hecke Release date June 1984

Studio Secret Sound Studio, NYC Hallowed Ground(1984) The Blind Leading the Naked(1986) Genres Alternative rock, Folk punk Similar Violent Femmes, The Blind Leading the Naked, Why Do Birds Sing?, New Times, Freak Magnet

Violent femmes hallowed ground 1984 full album hq

Hallowed Ground is the second album by Violent Femmes, released in June 1984. Like the band's first album, the songs were mostly written by singer/guitarist/lyricist Gordon Gano when he was in high school. "Country Death Song", for example, was based on a true story from an 1862 news article about a man who intentionally threw his daughter into a well and then hanged himself in his barn. It was written by Gano during his 10th grade study hall. The Christian-related lyrics on Hallowed Ground were thought by some to be sarcastic, but Gano is a devout Christian. The other two members of Violent Femmes were atheists, and initially refused to perform those songs, but after their debut had been recorded, they relented and several of Gano's religion-themed songs were recorded for Hallowed Ground.

Violent femmes hallowed ground

Track listing

All tracks written by Gordon Gano.

Violent Femmes

Gordon Gano – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, fiddle

Brian Ritchie – mariachi bass, electric bass, slide bass, celesta, marimba, jew's harp, vocals

Victor DeLorenzo – tranceaphone, trap and electric drum sets, stompatron, percussion, vocals

Additional musicians

Mark Van Hecke – piano on "Hallowed Ground" and "It's Gonna Rain", organ on "I Know That It's True But I'm Sorry To Say"

Tony Trischka – banjo on "Country Death Song" and "It's Gonna Rain"

Christina Houghton – autoharp on "Jesus Walking On The Water"

Peter Balestrieri – vocals on "Jesus Walking On The Water", saxophone on "Black Girls", harmonica on "It's Gonna Rain"

Cynthia Gano Lewis – vocals on "Jesus Walking On The Water"

Drake Scott – cornetto on "Black Girls", sackbut on "Sweet Misery Blues"

John Zorn – alto saxophone, clarinet & game calls on "Black Girls"

John Tanner – clarinet on "Sweet Misery Blues"

Production

Producer – Mark Van Hecke

Engineers – John Tanner, Warren Bruleigh

Charts

Album

Songs

1Country Death Song5:03
2I Hear the Rain1:32
3Never Tell7:10

References

Hallowed Ground (Violent Femmes album) Wikipedia

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