"Velouria" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Pixies | ||||
from the album Bossanova | ||||
A-side | "Velouria" | |||
B-side |
| |||
Released | July 16, 1990 | |||
Recorded | 1989–1990, Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, California, United States and Hansa Ton, Berlin, Germany | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | 4AD/Elektra | |||
Songwriter(s) | Black Francis | |||
Producer(s) | Gil Norton | |||
Pixies singles chronology | ||||
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"Velouria" is a song by the American alternative rock band Pixies, written and sung by the band's frontman Black Francis. "Velouria" was released as a single in July 1990 and was the band's first UK Top 40 hit. It was included as the third track on their album Bossanova released a month later. The song features extensive use of theremin. It featured on the influential 1990 Madchester compilation album Happy Daze .
Black Francis said of the lyrics to the song in an interview with SongFacts, "It's folklore based; the Rosicrucians of 1920s San Jose California had some pretty interesting ideas." [1]
The song has been labeled as punk rock and surf rock by critics. [2]
As "Velouria" was climbing up the UK Top 40, the band was offered a spot on Top of the Pops . However, a BBC rule stated that only singles with videos could be performed on the show. To counter this, a cheap video was made with the band being filmed running down a quarry. [3]
In the video, 23 seconds of footage (the time needed for the band members to reach the camera) is slowed in order to last for the duration of the song. [4] However, the effort in filming the video was in vain; Pixies did not play "Velouria" on Top of the Pops while the single was in the charts. [5]
"Velouria" is played in the AMC show Halt and Catch Fire during season 3, episode 9, 'NIM'. [6]
All tracks are written by Black Francis, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Velouria" | 3:40 | |
2. | "Make Believe" | 1:54 | |
3. | "I've Been Waiting for You" | Neil Young | 2:45 |
4. | "The Thing" | 1:58 |
Chart (1990) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC) [8] | 28 |
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [9] | 4 |
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Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black. After releasing two albums with record label 4AD and one with American Recordings, he left the label and formed a new band, Frank Black and the Catholics. He re-adopted the name Black Francis in 2007.
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