"Calling All Angels"
Single by Train
from the album My Private Nation
B-side
  • "For You"
  • "Fascinated"
  • "Landmine"
ReleasedApril 14, 2003 (2003-04-14)
Length
  • 4:01
  • 3:51 (radio edit)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Brendan O'Brien
Train singles chronology
"She's on Fire"
(2002) 		"Calling All Angels"
(2003) 		"When I Look to the Sky"
(2004)
Audio sample
Music video
"Calling All Angels" on YouTube

"Calling All Angels" is a song by American rock band Train. It was included on the band's third studio album, My Private Nation, and produced by Brendan O'Brien. On April 14, 2003, the song was the first single to be released from My Private Nation, peaking at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping three other Billboard charts: the Adult Contemporary, Adult Top 40, and Triple-A listings. Outside the US, the song entered the top 40 in Australia and New Zealand.

Background

"Calling All Angels" was inspired by a conversation singer Pat Monahan had with his therapist. Monahan said, "She said, "Just remember that we are made up of angels and traitors, and the angel is the one that says, 'You're beautiful and you can do anything you want,' and the traitor is the one that says, 'You're ugly and you can't get anything right.'" And so that song just came from that conversation of, if we all called our angels, what a cool life this would be for all of us."[1]

Critical reception

The song received mixed reviews from rock critics, with Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly giving the song a B+ and calling it "an anthemic hymn to commitment...that builds steadily to a gloriously clanging climax."[2] 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)".[3]

Awards and nominations

The recording was nominated for two Grammy Awards at the ceremony held in February 2004. In the category Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group, it 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.[4]

Track listings

European CD single[5]

  1. "Calling All Angels" (radio edit) – 3:51
  2. "For You" – 3:04

European maxi-CD single[6]

  1. "Calling All Angels" (radio edit) – 3:51
  2. "Fascinated" – 3:26
  3. "Landmine" – 3:49
  4. "Calling All Angels" (video)

Australian CD single[7]

  1. "Calling All Angels" (radio edit) – 3:51
  2. "Fascinated" – 3:26
  3. "For You" – 3:04
  4. "Landmine" – 3:49

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[22] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States April 14, 2003
Columbia [23]
Australia May 26, 2003 CD [24]
United States June 9, 2003 Adult contemporary radio [25]
United Kingdom July 14, 2003 CD [26]

Cover versions

In 2016, the song was used in the US version of The Passion. It was sung by Jencarlos and appeared on the official soundtrack album. It was sung in the story when Jesus (Jencarlos) prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. The tempo was slowed, several lyrics were changed, and the third verse was entirely cut to fit the theme of the scene.

In popular culture

"Calling All Angels" is an unofficial anthem of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, and is played at Angel Stadium before every game while the video screen shows a montage of the team's history. In addition, the band performed it live prior to the Home Run Derby of the 2010 All-Star Game, which was held at Angel Stadium.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ Harris, Kristin (April 30, 2015). "Train's Pat Monahan Explains Some Of Their Most Iconic Lyrics". BuzzFeed. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  2. ^ Tucker, Ken (June 6, 2003). "My Private Nation". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  3. ^ Music review from bbc.co.uk
  4. ^ Associated Press (December 4, 2003). "Complete List of 46th Annual Grammy Winners and Nominees". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  5. ^ Calling All Angels (European CD single liner notes). Train. Columbia Records. 2003. COL 673648 1.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ Calling All Angels (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Train. Columbia Records. 2003. COL 673648 2, 6736482003.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Calling All Angels (Australian CD single liner notes). Train. Columbia Records. 2003. 673655.2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ "Train – Calling All Angels". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  9. ^ "Train – Calling All Angels". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  10. ^ "Train Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  11. ^ "Train Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "Train Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  13. ^ "Train Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  14. ^ "Train Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  15. ^ "Train Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  16. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2003". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  17. ^ "The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played AC Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 25.
  18. ^ "Year in Music: Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 52. December 27, 2003. p. YE-80. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  19. ^ "The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 14.
  20. ^ "The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 47.
  21. ^ "Year in Music & Touring: Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-74. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – Train – Calling All Angels". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  23. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1499. April 11, 2003. p. 24. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  24. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 26th May 2003" (PDF). ARIA. May 26, 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2003. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  25. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1507. June 6, 2003. p. 27. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  26. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 12, 2003. p. 31. Retrieved September 8, 2021.

External links

Train
Train singles
Los Angeles Angels
Authority control databases
Categories