The Widow (song)

"The Widow" (sometimes titled "The Widow (I'll Never Sleep Alone)") is a song by The Mars Volta, from their second album Frances the Mute. The song was first performed in May 2004 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles during The Mars Volta's three-night residence closing the tour supporting their debut LP, De-Loused in the Comatorium. At the concert, the song was dedicated to former Mars Volta member Jeremy Ward, who died of a drug overdose in May 2003. The song peaked at number 95 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it the band's first and only single to chart there. The song also reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.^[1] The single was also released on vinyl under the title "Frances the Mute".

"The Widow"
Single by The Mars Volta
from the album Frances the Mute
B-side	"Frances the Mute"
Released	2005
Recorded	2004
Genre	Progressive rock, blues rock
Length	5:51 (Album version) 3:19 (Single edit)
Label	Universal
Songwriter(s)	Cedric Bixler-Zavala Omar Rodríguez-López
Producer(s)	Omar Rodríguez-López
The Mars Volta singles chronology
"Televators" (2004) "The Widow" (2005) "L'Via L'Viaquez" (2005)

The song appeared on an episode of Rescue Me.

Main track

"The Widow" is notably the only short, pop-structured song on Frances the Mute, although the album-version features a lengthy, non-radio-friendly, atonal outro of organ and electronic spasms, taking up the later half of the track. The edit of "The Widow" cuts the last instrumental part of the regular album track and fades out when the vocals start to become distorted. It is also the only Mars Volta song to chart in the United States. The song is notable for its consistently high lead vocals which never go below the alto register.

The song features a brief trumpet part from Flea after the second chorus. Omar performs a brief solo in the same section. On the version of the single called "Frances the Mute", the studio version is replaced by a live recording of one of the first performances of the song at The Wiltern in 2004, and features only acoustic guitar and vocals, with some distortion effects.

"Frances the Mute"

The single also contains the 14-minute track "Frances the Mute", which was not included on the album of the same name. Many fans, based on comments by the band, consider this additional song as part of the Frances the Mute album and place it first in the running order, before "Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus".

Track listing

The Widow

1. "Frances the Mute" – 14:39
   • "In Thirteen Seconds"
   • "Nineteen Sank, While Six Would Swim"
   • "Five Would Grow and One Was Dead"
2. "The Widow" (edit) – 3:19

Charts

Chart performance for "The Widow"

Chart (2005)	Peak position
Scotland (OCC)^[2]	21
UK Singles (OCC)^[3]	20
US Billboard Hot 100^[4]	95
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[5]	7
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[6]	25

References

1. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p519950/charts-awards/billboard-singles
2. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
3. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
4. "The Mars Volta Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
5. "The Mars Volta Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
6. "The Mars Volta Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.