Congregation (song)

"Congregation"
Single by Foo Fighters
from the album Sonic Highways
Released	October 31, 2014
Format	Digital download
Recorded	Southern Ground Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Rock
Length	5:12
Label	RCA
Writer(s)	Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear)
Producer(s)	Butch Vig
Foo Fighters singles chronology
"The Feast and the Famine" (2014) "Congregation" (2014) "What Did I Do? / God As My Witness" (2014)

"Congregation" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters. It is the third official single and the second radio single from their eighth studio album Sonic Highways. It was released on October 31, 2014.^[1][2][3] The song features country music singer Zac Brown, with whom Grohl collaborated with on Zac Brown Band's extended play The Grohl Sessions, Vol. 1.

Recording

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.^[4] The third episode of Foo Fighters Sonic Highways focuses on the country music scene of Nashville that is known as the Nashville sound.^[5] 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."^[6] Foo Fighters' front man Dave Grohl told Q magazine that of the collaboration with Zac Brown: "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."^[6] 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."^[6]

Release and reception

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.^[7]

Music video

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.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2014-15) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 73 Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[9] 12 Canada Rock (Billboard)[10] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen radiosoittolista)[11] 62 Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 97 Portugal (Portugal Singles Chart)[13] 38 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[14] 68 UK Rock and Metal (Official Charts Company)[15] 4 US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[16] 21 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[17] 1 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[18] 25 US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[19] 5 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] 1 US Rock Digital Songs (Billboard)[21] 24

Year end charts Chart (2015) Position US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[22] 69 US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[23] 17 US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[24] 27 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[25] 17

References

1. Hear Foo Fighters' Rowdy, Nashville-Inspired Song 'Congregation' rollingstone.com. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
2. Foo Fighters premiere new song “Congregation” — listen consequenceofsound.net. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
3. Foo Fighters preview new track 'Congregation' – listen nme.com. Retrieved October, 2014.
4. Foo Fighters – “Congregation” stereogum.com. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
5. Foo Fighters in Nashville: Zac Brown Details 'Sonic Highways' Visit rollingstone.com. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
6. Congregation by Foo Fighters songfacts.com. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
7. Foo Fighters Tap Zac Brown for 'Congregation,' Best Song From 'Sonic Highways' Yet billboard.com. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
8. "Austriancharts.at – Foo Fighters – Congregation" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
9. "Ultratop.be – Foo Fighters – Congregation" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
10. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Canada Rock for Foo Fighters. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
11. "Foo Fighters: Congregation" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Foo Fighters – Congregation". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
13. Foo Fighters - Congregation charts acharts.us. Retrieved 12 November, 2014.
14. Official Scottish Singles Chart Top 100 - 02 November 2014 - 08 November 2014 officialcharts.com. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
15. "Archive Chart: 2014-11-15" UK Rock Chart. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
16. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Foo Fighters. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
17. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Rock Airplay for Foo Fighters. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
18. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Adult Alternative Songs for Foo Fighters. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
19. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for Foo Fighters. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
20. "Foo Fighters – Chart history" Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs for Foo Fighters. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
21. Foo Fighters - Rock Digital Chart history billboard.com. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
22. "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
23. "Rock Airplay Songs: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
24. "Alternative Songs: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
25. "Mainstream Rock Songs: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2015.