Congregation (song)

The song was recorded at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville, Tennessee and featured in the third episode of TV documentary Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways which documents the music history of Nashville.[https://www.stereogum.com/1715652/foo-fighters-congregation/mp3s/ Foo Fighters – “Congregation”] stereogum.com. Retrieved October 31, 2014. The third episode of Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways focuses on the country music scene of Nashville that is known as the Nashville sound.[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/foo-fighters-in-nashville-zac-brown-details-sonic-highways-visit-20141101 Foo Fighters in Nashville: Zac Brown Details 'Sonic Highways' Visit] rollingstone.com. Retrieved November 11, 2014. Foo Fighters' bassist Nate Mendel told NME that "The song 'Congregation' is a play on how a lot of the folks in the Nashville country music scene came together in church, in a sort of gospel environment, to learn their craft."{{Cite news | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/hear-foo-fighters-rowdy-nashville-inspired-song-congregation-39247/ | title=Hear Foo Fighters’ Rowdy, Nashville-Inspired Song ‘Congregation’ | first=KORY | last=GROW | work=Rolling Stone | date=October 31, 2014 | url-access=limited}}

Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl told Q: "Zac Brown is an enormous country star. I met him in a store and he asked me to produce an album. I'd never heard of him. I said to someone, 'Zac Brown has asked me to produce him' - they said, 'You should do it, he's huge' So I did the record without hearing any of his songs." Grohl also explained that the lyrics: "And they're singing like a bluebird in the round," references Nashville's iconic Bluebird Café, stating that "The Bluebird I knew a little bit about, but I learned a lot," explained Grohl. "In Nashville, it seems like there are these rites of passage that you have to go through to become a star, whether you're a singer or a songwriter, and the Bluebird is really one of those. If you can get down at the Bluebird, you've got a gig."

Upon release, Billboard stated that "Congregation" was "the best song from Sonic Highways yet" and that "despite the (Zac) Brown/Nashville connection, "Congregation" is less country and more '70s classic rock—this is the sound of souped-up car racing down the open highway.{{Cite news | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/foo-fighters-zac-brown-congregation-sonic-highways-6304237/ | title=Foo Fighters Tap Zac Brown for 'Congregation,' Best Song From 'Sonic Highways' Yet | first=Joe | last=Lynch | work=Billboard | date=October 31, 2014 }}

The music video appeared at the end of the Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways episode "Nashville". Taking place at Southern Ground Studios, the band along with an appearance by Zac Brown, perform the song in its entirety as 2D animated lyrics appear.

Personnel adapted from Sonic Highways liner notes{{Cite AV media notes |title=Sonic Highways |others=Foo Fighters |date=2014 |type=Vinyl liner notes}}

Foo Fighters

• Dave Grohl – lead vocals, guitar, producer
• Chris Shiflett – guitar, devil pickin', producer
• Pat Smear – guitar, producer
• Nate Mendel – bass, producer
• Taylor Hawkins – drums, producer

Additional Performers

• Rami Jaffee – piano, organ
• Zac Brown – devil pickin', backing vocals
• Drew Hester – percussion

Production

• Butch Vig – producer
• James Brown – recording engineer, mixing engineer
• Gavin Lurssen – mastering
• Brandon Bell – studio assistance
• Matt Mangano – studio assistance
• Ben Simoneti – studio assistance

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Category:2014 singles

Category:2014 songs

Category:Foo Fighters songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Butch Vig

Category:Songs written by Chris Shiflett

Category:Songs written by Dave Grohl

Category:Songs written by Nate Mendel

Category:Songs written by Pat Smear

Category:Songs written by Taylor Hawkins