The Widow (song)

2005 single by The Mars Volta

"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[1]
* 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 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.[2] The single was also released on vinyl under the title "Frances the Mute".

The song appeared on an episode of Rescue Me.

## Main track

[edit]

"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"

[edit]

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

[edit]

### The Widow

[edit]

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

[edit]

Chart performance for "The Widow"  Chart (2005)  | Peak
position

|

Scotland (OCC)[3] | 21
UK Singles (OCC)[4] | 20
US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 95
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[6] | 7
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[7] | 25

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Billboard Staff (April 15, 2025). "The 100 Best Songs of 2005: Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2025. "In its single edit, "The Widow" is a potent, pained prog-rock punch..."
2. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p519950/charts-awards/billboard-singles
3. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
4. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
5. ^ "The Mars Volta Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
6. ^ "The Mars Volta Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
7. ^ "The Mars Volta Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2016.

* v
* t
* e

The Mars Volta

* Omar Rodríguez-López
* Cedric Bixler-Zavala
* Eva Gardner
* Marcel Rodríguez-López
* Leo Genovese
* Linda-Philomène Tsoungui

* Juan Alderete
* Deantoni Parks
* Isaiah "Ikey" Owens
* Jeremy Ward
* Blake Fleming
* Jon Theodore

* John Frusciante
* Linda Good
* Flea
* Ralph Jasso
* Paul Hinojos
* Jason Lader
* Adrián Terrazas-González
* Thomas Pridgen
* Lars Stalfors
* Dave Elitch

Studio albums|

* De-Loused in the Comatorium
* Frances the Mute
* Amputechture
* The Bedlam in Goliath
* Octahedron
* Noctourniquet
* The Mars Volta
* Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazón
* Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacío

EPs|

* Tremulant

Live albums|

* Live
* Scabdates

Box sets|

* La Realidad de los Sueños

Archival releases|

* Landscape Tantrums

Singles|

* "The Widow"
* "Wax Simulacra"
* "The Malkin Jewel"

Related articles|

| Articles|

* Discography
* Tours
* Gold Standard Laboratories

|

Bands|

* Antemasque
* At the Drive-In
* Big Sir
* Bosnian Rainbows
* De Facto
* El Grupo Nuevo
* Free Moral Agents
* Killer Be Killed
* The Memorials
* Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group
* One Day as a Lion
* Queens of the Stone Age
* Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Sparta
* Suicidal Tendencies
* Zavalaz
* Zechs Marquise

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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