Album · Camper Van Beethoven
Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart by Camper Van Beethoven
Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart is an album by Camper Van Beethoven, released in 1988. 3 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 18 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Life Is Grand”, on 15 lists with a best position of #790.
Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, Camper Van Beethoven's 1988 album, was their first for a major label, Virgin, and the first time they let an outside producer, Dennis Herring, take the wheel. The lineup had David Lowery singing and on rhythm guitar, Jonathan Segel on violin, mandolin and keys, Victor Krummenacher on bass, Greg Lisher on lead guitar and Chris Pedersen on drums, with founding member Chris Molla missing for the first time.
The band's magpie habits are all still here, with folk, ska, Eastern European and Middle Eastern melodies, Americana and psychedelia jostling for room, but Herring buffs the garage grime into something sleeker and more radio-friendly. "Life Is Grand" became a long-running countdown favourite, and the take on the folk song "O Death" was Lowery's nod to the psychedelic band Kaleidoscope. Even Bruce Licher's sleeve got attention, earning a Grammy nomination in 1989.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Life Is Grand | 15 | #790 | – | 1999–2014 | |
| 2 | Turquoise Jewelry | 2 | #95 | – | 1988–1989 | |
| 3 | Eye of Fatima (Part 1) | 1 | #1120 | – | 2003 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.