Studio Album · No. 2
The Colour and the Shape Songwriting Credits by Foo Fighters
Produced by Gil Norton, Foo Fighters · Engineered by Bradley Cook (recording), Geoff Turner (recording, "Walking After You"), Chris Sheldon (mixing)
Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Foo Fighters carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 1
The Colour and the Shape was produced by Gil Norton, recorded by Bradley Cook (with Geoff Turner recording "Walking After You" at Bear Creek Recording), and mixed by Chris Sheldon. Founding drummer William Goldsmith tracked most drum parts during the initial sessions but quit after his contributions were scrapped; Taylor Hawkins, who had just joined Foo Fighters as touring drummer in 1997, re-recorded all drum parts before the album was released. The album sold over 2 million copies in the US alone, the band's biggest domestic seller, and was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 40th Grammy Awards.
The Colour and the Shape is the second studio album by Foo Fighters, released in May 1997 on Capitol Records and produced by Gil Norton and the band. It is the record that established Foo Fighters as a major commercial force in rock and introduced the full stable of song structures that would define their career, from the anthemic arena power ballad ('Everlong,' 'Best of You') to the hard-charging radio rock ('Monkey Wrench,' 'My Hero'). Grohl wrote all material; the album's emotional range, from the domestic violence narrative of 'The Colour and the Shape' to the romantic intensity of 'Everlong,' was broader than the debut and demonstrated that Grohl's songwriting ambition had grown to match his commercial opportunity. The album reached number ten on the Billboard 200, spawned the band's first significant radio hits, and launched a world tour that built the arena rock fanbase they have maintained ever since; 'Everlong' and 'My Hero' remain among the most-played rock radio songs of the decade in retrospect. William Goldsmith, the original drummer, was replaced mid-recording by Grohl himself when the drum tracks were deemed insufficient, a decision that contributed to Goldsmith's subsequent departure from the band and remains one of the more publicized personnel transitions in 1990s rock history. The Colour and the Shape has been certified five-times platinum in the United States.