"Chocolate Cake" is a song by rock music group Crowded House from their third studio album, Woodface (1991). Released as a single in May 1991, the song reached number seven in New Zealand, number nine in Canada, and number two on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The John Hillcoat-directed music video won the ARIA Award for Best Video at the ARIA Music Awards of 1992.[1]

"Chocolate Cake"
Single by Crowded House
from the album Woodface
B-side"As Sure as I Am", "Anyone Can Tell"
Released27 May 1991 (1991-05-27)
Length4:02
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Neil Finn, Tim Finn
Producer(s)Mitchell Froom, Neil Finn
Crowded House singles chronology
"I Feel Possessed"
(1989)
"Chocolate Cake"
(1991)
"Fall at Your Feet"
(1991)

History and description

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The song was not originally intended as the lead single, as it was more intended for "It's Only Natural" to be the lead track. However, despite this, "Chocolate Cake" was released as the album's lead single. Despite performing marginally better than the singles from Temple of Low Men in the United States, the song was thought to offend due to its lyrics and the song gained only moderate performance in the US, as it referred to Americans having an "excess of fat on your American bones".[2] The song reached number two on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart while also peaking at number 20 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and number 69 on the UK Singles Chart.

The B-sides featured are "As Sure as I Am", a song from Woodface, and "Anyone Can Tell", which was intended for release on the album however was not released due to the amalgamation of the Woodface project with the Finn Brothers project. The song later appeared on the rarities collection Afterglow and was released as its lead promotional single.

Tracks

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  • "Chocolate Cake": written by Neil Finn and Tim Finn
  • "As Sure as I Am", "Anyone Can Tell": written by Neil Finn
  • Both "Chocolate Cake" and "As Sure as I Am" are from the album "Woodface". "Anyone Can Tell" is an outtake from the "Woodface" sessions, later to be released on the album "Afterglow"

Single release

  • Released in UK as CD single and 7-inch vinyl and in US as cassette
  1. "Chocolate Cake" – 4:02
  2. "As Sure as I Am" – 2:53

EP release

  • Released in UK as CD single and 12-inch vinyl and in US and Japan as CD
  1. "Chocolate Cake" – 4:02
  2. "As Sure as I Am" – 2:53
  3. "Anyone Can Tell" – 3:37

Charts

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Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia 27 May 1991 CD Capitol [3]
United Kingdom 10 June 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[12]
Japan 28 June 1991 Mini-CD [13]

References

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  1. ^ ARIA Award previous winners. "Winners by Award – Artisan Awards – Best Video". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  2. ^ Bailey, Marck, ed. (20 February 1995). "Chocolate Cake". etext.org. Archived from the original on 23 November 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Crowded House – Chocolate Cake". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Crowded House – Chocolate Cake" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1570." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 31, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Crowded House – Chocolate Cake" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Crowded House – Chocolate Cake". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 13 July 1991. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  11. ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  12. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 8 June 1991. p. 21.
  13. ^ "チョコレート・ケーキ | クラウデッド・ハウス" [Chocolate Cake | Crowded House] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 10 September 2023.