Swan Songs (Hollywood Undead album)

Swan Songs is the debut studio album by American rap rock band Hollywood Undead. It was released through Octone Records and Polydor Records on September 2, 2008.[3] "Everywhere I Go" was the first single to be released, it was a web single and was available for download only on iTunes.[4] The band released four music videos for four songs on the album, "No. 5", "Undead", "Young", and "Everywhere I Go."[4] When purchased through Amazon.com and at some other retailers, the album includes a bonus track and an option to unlock music videos.[3]

Swan Songs
Studio album by
Hollywood Undead
ReleasedSeptember 2, 2008
RecordedJanuary–May 2008
Studio
  • Hammer & Sickle Studios, Hollywood, California
  • Castle Renholdër, Laurel Canyon, California
  • Perfect Circle Studios, Hollywood, California
  • NRG Studios, North Hollywood, California
Genre
Length49:35
Label
Producer
Hollywood Undead studio album chronology
Swan Songs
(2008)		 American Tragedy
(2011)
Singles from Swan Songs
  1. "No. 5"
    Released: March 18, 2006
  2. "Undead"
    Released: August 26, 2008
  3. "Young"
    Released: April 13, 2009
  4. "This Love, This Hate"
    Released: Late 2009
  5. "Everywhere I Go"
    Released: July 29, 2009
  6. "Black Dahlia"
    Released: September 13, 2010

Background

Swan Songs was supposed to be released on the band's original label, MySpace Records in 2007, however it was postponed by the record label when they requested to have some of the songs removed and others censored. The band declined and switched labels to Octone which wouldn't require them to censor their songs.[5] The song "Undead" is featured in the video games UFC Undisputed 2009 and Madden NFL 09.[4] The song "Young" is featured as downloadable content for Rock Band 2.[6]

Critical reception

Swan Songs received mostly mixed reviews. Dave Donnelly of AllMusic gave the album a 2 out of 5 stars, saying that the lyrics were uninteresting and that the album was "given over to ironic frat-boy party rap" (using the singles "Everywhere I Go" and "No. 5" as examples).[7]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Rock Sound[8]
Ultimate Guitar

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 22 on the US Billboard 200 selling 21,000 copies in its first week.[9]

Track listing

All tracks are written and performed by Hollywood Undead, with specific writers detailed for each track.

Standard Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Undead"
  • Matthew Busek
  • Jorel Decker
  • George Ragan
  • Aron Erlichman
  • Jordon Terrell
4:25
2."Sell Your Soul"
  • Erlichman
  • Decker
  • Ragan
  • Lohner
  • Erlichman
  • Lohner
3:14
3."Everywhere I Go"
  • Erlichman
  • Terrell
Don Gilmore3:30
4."No Other Place"
  • Erlichman
  • Dylan Alvarez
Erlichman3:16
5."No. 5"
  • Erlichman
  • Alvarez
  • Matthew Busek
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
Erlichman3:05
6."Young"
  • Erlichman
  • Lohner
  • Ragan
  • Lohner
3:16
7."Black Dahlia"
  • Erlichman
  • Decker
  • Ragan
Erlichman3:46
8."This Love, This Hate"
  • Erlichman
  • Jimmy Yuma
Erlichman3:57
9."Bottle and a Gun"
  • Alvarez
  • Erlichman
  • Terrell
Erlichman3:22
10."California"
  • Erlichman
  • Decker
  • Ragan
Gilmore3:17
11."City"
  • Erlichman
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
  • Erlichman
  • Lohner
3:34
12."The Diary"
  • Erlichman
  • Ragan
Erlichman4:35
13."Pimpin'"
  • Erlichman
  • Decker
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
Erlichman3:07
14."Paradise Lost"
  • Erlichman
  • Gilmore
  • Ragan
Gilmore3:11
Total length:49:35
Japanese and UK Bonus Tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Pain"
  • Erlichman
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
Erlichman2:41
16."Knife Called Lust"
  • Erlichman
  • Decker
  • Jeffrey Phillips
  • Terrell
Erlichman2:59
Total length:54:35
Indie Store Bonus Track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."The Loss"
  • Busek
  • Decker
3:15
Total length:52:50
Smartpunk Bonus Track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."The Natives"
  • Alvarez
  • Busek
  • Decker
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
3:40
Total length:53:15
iTunes Bonus Track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Pain"
  • Erlichman
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
Erlichman2:41
Total length:52:16
Collector's Edition Bonus Tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Pain" (Swan Songs B-Sides)
  • Erlichman
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
Erlichman2:41
16."The Natives" (Swan Songs B-Sides)
  • Alvarez
  • Busek
  • Decker
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
 3:40
17."Knife Called Lust" (Swan Songs B-Sides)
  • Busek
  • Decker
  • Jeffrey Phillips
  • Terrell
Erlichman2:59
18."The Loss" (Swan Songs B-Sides)
  • Busek
  • Decker
 3:15
19."Bitches" (Swan Songs Rarities)
  • Alvarez
  • Busek
  • Decker
  • Ragan
  • Terrell
 3:30
20."The Kids" (Swan Songs Rarities)
  • Decker
  • Erlichman
  • Phillips
 3:01
21."Circles" (Swan Songs Rarities)
  • Erlichman
  • Ragan
 3:33
22."Black Dahlia" (Buffalo Bill remix)
  • Decker
  • Ragan
 3:50
23."Black Dahlia" (Lo Fidelity Allstars remix)
  • Decker
  • Ragan
 4:32
24."Black Dahlia" (The Pharmacy remix)
  • Decker
  • Ragan
 3:46
Total length:84:27

Personnel

Credits for Swan Songs adapted from Allmusic.[7]

Hollywood Undead

  • Aron "Deuce" Erlichman – lead vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, executive production, engineering (tracks: 1–2, 4–9 and 11-13, bonus tracks 15-21), programming (tracks: 1–2, 4–9 and 11-13, bonus tracks 15-21), mixing (track: 13, bonus tracks 15-21), guitar (track 8)
  • Jordon "Charlie Scene" Terrell – vocals (tracks: 1, 3–5, 7, 9-11, and 13, bonus tracks 15-19), guitars (on all tracks except on track 8)
  • Jorel "J-Dog" Decker – vocals (tracks: 1-2, 5–7, and 9-11, bonus tracks 16-20), keyboards (tracks: 1, 6-7, and 11, bonus track 20)
  • George "Johnny 3 Tears" Ragan – vocals (tracks: 1-2, 5-7, and 9-14, bonus tracks 15-16, 18-19, and 21)
  • Dylan "Funny Man" Alvarez – vocals (tracks: 1, 4–5, 9, and 13, bonus tracks 16 and 19)
  • Matthew "Da Kurlzz" Busek – vocals (tracks: 1-3, 5-6, and 9-11, bonus tracks 16-17 and 19), drums (tracks: 5, 7, 9, and 11, bonus tracks 16-19), percussion (tracks: 5, 7, 9, and 11, bonus tracks 16-19)
  • Jeffrey "Shady Jeff" Phillips – vocals (bonus tracks 17 and 20)

Production

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[20] Platinum 80,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 60,000‡
United States (RIAA)[22] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Label Format Catalog Ref
United States September 2, 2008 A&M/Octone CD, Digital download 001133102 [23]
CD with Bonus Tracks 001199002 [24]
Japan May 6, 2009 CD, Digital download B001133102 [25]
European Union May 18, 2009 Polydor Group B002436WEE [26]
Germany July 31, 2009 A&M/Octone
European Union December 1, 2009 Polydor Group Vinyl B002M81UA2 [27]
United States May 11, 2018 A&M/Octone B0027938-01 [28]

References
  1. Grierson, Tim. "Top 10 Essential Rap-Rock Songs". About.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  2. "10 Albums That Remind Us Why Nü Metal F*cking Sucked". MetalSucks. April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  3. "Swan Songs: Hollywood Undead". Amazon. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  4. "Hollywood Undead Official Website". Hollywoodundead.com. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
  5. "ARTISTdirect Interview: Hollywood Undead". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved September 2, 2008.
  6. Official song listing Archived December 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine for the Rock Band series.
  7. Dave Donnelly. "Swan Songs — Hollywood Undead". Allmusic.
  8. Lewis, Faye (June 2009). "Hollywood Undead – Swan Songs." Rock Sound (123): 83. ISSN 1465-0185.
  9. "Young Jeezy Nets Second Album Chart-Topper.". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Hollywood Undead – Swan Songs" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  11. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  12. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  13. "Hollywood Undead Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  14. "Hollywood Undead Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  15. "Hollywood Undead Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  16. "Hollywood Undead Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  17. "Hollywood Undead Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  18. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  19. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  20. "Canadian album certifications – Hollywood Undead – Swan Song". Music Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  21. "British album certifications – Hollywood Undead – Swan Song". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  22. "American album certifications – Hollywood Undead – Swan Song". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  23. "Overview: Swan Songs - Hollywood Undead". Allmusic. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  24. "Overview: Swan Songs (Bonus Tracks) - Hollywood Undead". Allmusic. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  25. "Swan Songs (CD) - Hollywood Undead - HMV Online Shopping & Information Site". HMV Online Japan. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  26. "Swan Songs: Hollywood Undead: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon (UK). Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  27. "American Tragedy (Deluxe Edition): Hollywood Undead: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon (UK). Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  28. "Hollywood Undead - Swan Songs 10th Anniversary 2LP - Limited Edition Blue Vinyl". uDiscover. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
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