Calling All Angels
Encyclopedia
"Calling All Angels" is the title of a 2003 song by the rock band Train
. It was included on the band's third studio album, My Private Nation
, and produced by Brendan O'Brien
.
The song was the first to be released from My Private Nation in 2003 and peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. It also spent three weeks atop the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
chart that same year. The song features Greg Leisz
on pedal steel guitar.
"Calling All Angels" was nominated for two Grammy Award
s at the ceremony held in February 2004. In the category Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group
, the song lost out to "Disorder in the House" by Bruce Springsteen
and Warren Zevon
; in the category Best Rock Song
, the winner was "Seven Nation Army
" by The White Stripes
. The song has also been prominent in pop culture appearing in several television shows including One Tree Hill
and as the theme song in the intro for the short lived medical drama 3 lbs
. Train also performed the song at the 2006 Pepsi Super Bowl Smash. The song is also played at Angel Stadium
before every Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
game while the video screen shows a montage of the team's history. This song was performed on the CSI:NY episode "Second Chances." and during the season three premiere on "Smallville
".
Mexican Promo:
giving the song a B+ and calling it "an anthemic hymn to commitment...that builds steadily to a gloriously clanging climax." Matt Lee of the BBC
was less impressed, describing the track as "pedestrian, the vocals soulless, even more so than" the band's biggest hit single, "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)
".
Train (band)
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
. It was included on the band's third studio album, My Private Nation
My Private Nation
My Private Nation is San Francisco-based rock band Train's third studio album, which was released June 3, 2003. Charting at #6 on the Billboard 200, it, along with their 2001 release Drops of Jupiter, is their joint highest-charting album in the U.S. to date. The album was reissued February 8,...
, and produced by Brendan O'Brien
Brendan O'Brien (music producer)
Brendan O’Brien is a record producer, mixer, engineer, and musician.At age 14, O'Brien played guitar for the Atlanta-based cover band Pranks. In the late 1970s, he moved on to writing, performing and recording with the Samurai Catfish band...
.
The song was the first to be released from My Private Nation in 2003 and peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. It also spent three weeks atop the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
chart that same year. The song features Greg Leisz
Greg Leisz
Greg Leisz is an American multi-instrumentalist, playing lap and pedal steel guitars, guitar, mandolin, and bass.- Biography :Leisz was influenced early on by the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers, especially pedal steel player "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow...
on pedal steel guitar.
"Calling All Angels" was nominated for two Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s at the ceremony held in February 2004. In the category Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011.The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...
, the song lost out to "Disorder in the House" by Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
and Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...
; in the category Best Rock Song
Grammy Award for Best Rock Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre...
, the winner was "Seven Nation Army
Seven Nation Army
"Seven Nation Army" is the first track on the album Elephant by American alternative rock band The White Stripes. It was released as a single in 2003. "Seven Nation Army" reached #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks for three weeks and won 2004's Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The song is known for its...
" by The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
. The song has also been prominent in pop culture appearing in several television shows including One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
and as the theme song in the intro for the short lived medical drama 3 lbs
3 lbs
3 lbs is a drama that aired on CBS from November 14 to 28, 2006, replacing the cancelled series Smith. The show itself was then canceled three weeks later due to poor ratings....
. Train also performed the song at the 2006 Pepsi Super Bowl Smash. The song is also played at Angel Stadium
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. It is the home ballpark to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League, and was previously home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
before every Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
game while the video screen shows a montage of the team's history. This song was performed on the CSI:NY episode "Second Chances." and during the season three premiere on "Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
".
Track listing
2003 Single:- "Calling All Angels"
- "Fascinated"
- "Landmine"
- "Calling All Angels" (Video)
Mexican Promo:
- Calling All Angels (Radio Version)
- Calling All Angels (Album Version)
Reviews
The song received mixed reviews from rock critics, with Ken Tucker of Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
giving the song a B+ and calling it "an anthemic hymn to commitment...that builds steadily to a gloriously clanging climax." Matt Lee of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
was less impressed, describing the track as "pedestrian, the vocals soulless, even more so than" the band's biggest hit single, "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)
Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)
"Drops of Jupiter " is the title of a song written and recorded by American rock band Train. It was released in February 2001 as the lead single from their second album Drops of Jupiter . The song hit the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and also charting in the Top 40 for 29 weeks...
".
Charts
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Mainstream Rock | 40 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 19 |
| Top 40 Mainstream | 24 |
| Top 40 Tracks | 13 |
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
| Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| Adult Top 40 | 1 |
| Top 40 Adult Recurrents | 1 |