Rotting Piñata

Rotting Piñata
Studio album by Sponge
Released August 2, 1994
Recorded 1993-1994 at The Loft, Saline, Michigan
Genre Alternative rock, grunge
Length 53:47
34:06 (Live at Rock am Ring)
Label The WORK Group
Producer Sponge and Tim Patalan
Sponge chronology
Rotting Piñata
(1994)
Wax Ecstatic
(1996)
Singles from Rotting Piñata
  1. "Neenah Menasha"
    Released: 1994
  2. "Plowed"
    Released: 1994
  3. "Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)"
    Released: 1995
  4. "Rainin'"
    Released: 1995

Rotting Piñata is the debut album by American rock band Sponge, released in 1994 on Work Records. Hit singles from this album, such as "Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)" and "Plowed," helped launch the band's career and pushed the album to Gold.

Title meaning

The name of the album came from a conversation the band had regarding shock punk singer GG Allin. Allin claimed he would commit suicide while on tour and wanted his corpse to be shown at the remainder of the shows on the schedule. Furthermore, he wanted the fans to be able to throw objects at his deceased body. The band joked that if he did, the corpse would be like a "rotting piñata."

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Rotting Piñata received mostly positive reviews. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it three stars out of five and said that "Sponge's sense of alternative rock goes back as far as Pearl Jam, or maybe only Stone Temple Pilots, judging from the hit single 'Plowed.' For an STP ripoff band, they're very adept -- the chords cluster together, vocalist Vinnie sings directly from his gut, and the whole thing barrels ahead, ignoring whatever's in its way."[1]

Rotting Piñata is one of Sponge's most successful albums to date and their only album to be certified gold by the RIAA. Although released in August 1994, the album did not enter the Billboard 200 until May 1995, following the success of its first single "Plowed". Rotting Piñata peaked at number 58 and remained on the chart for 40 weeks.[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Sponge (Dombroski, J. Mazzola, Michael Cross, Tim Cross) and produced by Sponge and Tim Patalan.

No. Title Length
1. "Pennywheels"   4:36
2. "Rotting Piñata"   4:00
3. "Giants"   5:20
4. "Neenah Menasha"   6:03
5. "Miles"   4:11
6. "Plowed"   3:17
7. "Drownin'"   4:40
8. "Molly"   3:35
9. "Fields"   4:55
10. "Rainin'" ("Candy Corn" is a hidden track in the gap between tracks 10 and 11. When listening to the CD on a computer, it appears as part of track 10 and begins at the 7:03 mark.) 12:57
11. "Untitled"   0:03

A special edition included a bonus CD featuring Sponge live at Rock am Ring Nürburgring on June 2, 1995.

All songs written by Sponge except where noted.

Live at Rock am Ring
No. Title Length
1. "Neenah Menasha"   4:42
2. "Rotting Piñata"   4:15
3. "I Hate Myself" (Introduced as "I Hate Myself When I'm With You" Written by, Dombroski, M. Cross, J Mazzola, T. Cross) 5:43
4. "Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)"   3:41
5. "Rainin'"   5:29
6. "Plowed"   3:26
7. "Fields"   4:02
8. "Big Girl" (Introduced as "I'm a Big Girl") 2:48

Band members

Additional personnel

Chart Positions

Album

Year Title US Billboard 200 US Heatseekers
1995 Rotting Piñata 58 4

Singles

Year Title US Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock
1995 Plowed - 5 9
Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain) 55 3 11
Rainin' - 34 18
1996 Neenah Menasha - - -

Trivia

References

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