Angels of the Silences
{{Short description|1996 single by Counting Crows}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Angels of the Silences
| cover = Angel of Silence CC Single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Counting Crows
| album = Recovering the Satellites
| released = {{start date|1996|9|24}}
| recorded = Late 1996{{cite AV media notes|title=Recovering the Satellites|title-link=Recovering the Satellites|others=Counting Crows|year=1996|type=US CD album booklet|publisher=DGC Records|id=DGCD-24975}}
| studio = The Sound Factory (Los Angeles)
| genre = Rock{{cite web|title=Angels of the Silences| website=Amazon |url=https://www.amazon.com/Angels-The-Silences-Album-Version/dp/B000W102T6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375330051&s=dmusic&sr=1-1|accessdate=August 1, 2013}}
| length = 3:37
| writer = David Bryson, Adam Duritz, Charlie Gillingham, Matt Malley, Ben Mize, Dan Vickrey.
| producer = Gil Norton
| prev_title = A Murder of One
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = A Long December
| next_year = 1996
}}
"Angels of the Silences" is a song by American alternative rock band Counting Crows. It is the lead single and second track from their second album, Recovering the Satellites (1996). The song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, making it the highest-placing single from the album.
Background
Adam Duritz said about that song (from Storytellers):
{{Blockquote|I write quite a few songs where the sort of issue is faith–having faith, keeping faith. And this song in particular is about the difficulty in having faith in things, and finding things to have faith in, in yourself, in God, in like he said, a woman. Faith is a weird thing, it in a sense it is all about waiting. It's not actually about getting anything, you know, faith is about the wait, because once you get something there is no need anymore. So a lot about faith is just the willingness to sort of throw yourself on a fence and hang there for a while. That's a very difficult and bitter thing, you know. In this song, I keep saying the main character, *I*, I said, "All my sins, I would pay for them if I could come back to you." It's not just about finding things to believe in, it's about wanting to be able to believe in anything too. And it's about all the voices that get inside your head and whisper for you to do it or not to do it as well. And it's called "Angels of the Silences."}}
Composition
Similar to the content of the rest of Recovering the Satellites, the song has a heavier sound than that of Counting Crows' debut, August and Everything After, incorporating distorted guitar riffs, blearier production, and higher emphasis on percussion to create a driving and dirty instrumental. The song is in the key of A-flat Minor, with a chord structure of i-(b)II-VI-III and a tempo of 160 BPM.{{cite web |title=Counting Crows: Angels of the Silences |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO3kWNHyZOE |website=Youtube |access-date=3 October 2022}}
Track listing
{{tracklist
| headline = CD single
| extra_column =
| total_length =
| writing_credits =
| title1 = Angels of the Silences
| note1 =
| writer1 =
| length1 = 3:39
| title2 = Recovering the Satellites
| note2 =
| writer2 =
| length2 = 5:23
| title3 = Round Here
| note3 = live
| writer3 =
| length3 = 11:53
}}
Personnel
- David Bryson – guitar
- Adam Duritz – lead vocals
- Charlie Gillingham – Hammond B-3, background vocals
- Matt Malley – electric bass
- Ben Mize – drums
- Dan Vickrey – guitar
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1996) !Peak |
| scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia}}
|77 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|8|chartid=9720|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Canadarock|8|chartid=9924|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
| scope="row"|European Alternative Rock (Music & Media){{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-10-19.pdf|title=European Alternative Rock Radio Top 25|magazine=Music & Media|volume=13|issue=42|page=25|date=October 19, 1996|access-date=April 5, 2025}}
|7 |
| {{single chart|Scotland|30|date=19961019|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
| scope="row"|Spain Airplay (Music & Media){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-10-18.pdf|title=Major Market Airplay|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=29|page=25|date=October 19, 1996|access-date=August 28, 2023}}
|8 |
| {{single chart|Sweden|55|artist=Counting Crows|song=Angels of the Silences|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|41|artist=Counting Crows|artistid=13834|rowheader=true|access-date=April 5, 2025}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardradiosongs|45|artist=Counting Crows|artistid=13834|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|19|artist=Counting Crows|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|3|artist=Counting Crows|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|4|artist=Counting Crows|rowheader=true|access-date=November 28, 2022}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1996) !Position |
| scope="row"|US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Mainstream Rock Tracks|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=4|issue=53|page=23|date=December 27, 1996}}
|64 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Modern Rock Tracks|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=4|issue=53|page=24|date=December 27, 1996}}
|68 |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1997) !Position |
| scope="row"|US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Best of '97: Mainstream Rock Tracks|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=5|issue=52|page=28|date=December 26, 1997}}
|85 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States
|September 24, 1996 |rowspan="2"|DGC |{{cite magazine|title=Selected New Releases|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1164|page=43|date=September 20, 1996}} |
|---|
| September 30, 1996
|{{cite magazine|title=Be on the Lookout|magazine=Gavin Report|issue=2123|page=28|date=September 20, 1996}} |
| scope="row"|Japan
|October 2, 1996 |CD |rowspan="2"|Geffen |{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/53878/products/160507/1/|title=エンジェルズ・オブ・ザ・サイレンシズ {{!}} カウンティング・クロウズ|trans-title=Angels of the Silences {{!}} Counting Crows|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=September 26, 2023}} |
| scope="row"|United Kingdom
|October 7, 1996 |{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=37|date=October 5, 1996}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Counting Crows}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Angels Of The Silences}}
Category:Geffen Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Gil Norton
Category:Songs written by Adam Duritz
Category:Songs written by Charlie Gillingham