View source for The Real Thing (Faith No More album)

{{short description|1989 studio album by Faith No More}}
{{Lead too short|date=June 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = The Real Thing
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[Faith No More]]
| cover      = The Real Thing vinyl cover.jpg
| caption    = ''The Real Thing'' uncropped cover
| released   = June 20, 1989
| recorded   = December 1988 – January 1989
| studio     = [[Studio D Recording|Studio D]], [[Sausalito, California]]
| genre      =
* [[Alternative metal]]
* [[funk metal]]
* {{nowrap|[[rap metal]]}}
| length     = 54:58 (CD and cassette version) <br /> 43:22 (LP version)
| label      =
* [[Slash Records|Slash]]
* [[Reprise Records|Reprise]]
| producer   =
* [[Matt Wallace (record producer)|Matt Wallace]]
* Faith No More
| prev_title = [[Introduce Yourself]]
| prev_year  = 1987
| next_title = [[Angel Dust (Faith No More album)|Angel Dust]]
| next_year  = 1992
| misc       = {{Extra album cover
  | header  = Alternative cover
  | type    = studio
  | cover   = The Real Thing album cover.jpg
  | border  = 
  | alt     = 
  | caption = ''The Real Thing'' cropped CD cover
  }}
  {{Singles
  | name        = The Real Thing
  | type        = studio
  | single1     = [[From Out of Nowhere (song)|From Out of Nowhere]]
  | single1date = October 30, 1989 (UK)
  | single2     = [[Epic (Faith No More song)|Epic]]
  | single2date = January 29, 1990
  | single3     = [[Falling to Pieces]]
  | single3date = July 2, 1990
  | single4     = Surprise! You're Dead!
  | single4date = 1990
  | single5     = Edge of the World
  | single5date = 1991
  }}
}}

'''''The Real Thing''''' is the third studio album by American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Faith No More]], released on June 20, 1989, by [[Slash Records|Slash]] and [[Reprise Records]]. It is the first album to feature singer [[Mike Patton]], following the dismissal of previous vocalist [[Chuck Mosley]]. On this album, Faith No More continued to advance their sound range, combining [[alternative metal]], [[funk metal]], and [[rap metal]].

==Background==
Faith No More underwent several lineup changes before recording their first album, ''[[We Care a Lot]]'', released in 1985 and distributed through San Francisco-based label [[Mordam Records]]. On the original vinyl release, the band is credited as "Faith. No More" on the album's liner notes, back cover, and on the record itself. Within a year the band signed up with [[Slash Records]]. The debut album's title track "[[We Care a Lot (song)|We Care a Lot]]" was later re-recorded, for their follow-up album ''[[Introduce Yourself]]'' in 1987, and released as their first single. Membership remained stable until vocalist [[Chuck Mosley]] was replaced by [[Mike Patton]] in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://old.fnm.com/faq/|title=Faith No More Frequently Answered Questions|website=Old.fnm.com|access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref>

===Production===
The writing for the majority of the music for ''The Real Thing'' took place after the tour for ''[[Introduce Yourself]]''. A demo version of "The Morning After", under the moniker "New Improved Song", with alternate lyrics written and sung by Chuck Mosley was released on the ''Sounds·Waves 2'' [[extended play]] with the ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]'' magazine. "Surprise! You're Dead!" was composed by Jim Martin<ref name=bassbook>{{cite web|url=http://negele.org/db/index.php3?band=2&year=1990&id=1537|title=The Real Thing Bass Guitar Transcription Book|access-date=September 14, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415124658/http://negele.org/db/index.php3?band=2&year=1990&id=1537|archive-date=April 15, 2013}}</ref> in the 1970s, while he was guitarist for Agents of Misfortune, which also featured [[Cliff Burton]] in their line up.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8600360414571121543 |title=Cliff Burton in 1974 playing with his FIRST band! |access-date=September 14, 2008}}</ref> The recording of the song took place in December 1988 after Chuck Mosley was fired from the band, and was completed prior to the hiring of Mike Patton, who then wrote all the lyrics for the songs, and recorded them the following month over the music.<ref name=reflex25>{{cite web|url=http://negele.org/db/index.php3?band=2&year=1992&month=6&id=980 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710145546/http://negele.org/db/index.php3?band=2&year=1992&month=6&id=980 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |title=Faith No More: Angel Dust in the wind |access-date=June 15, 2008 |author=Jem Aswad |date=June 1992 |work=Issue 25 |publisher=Reflex Magazine }}</ref>

Producer [[Matt Wallace (record producer)|Matt Wallace]] said that Patton wrote the lyrics over a 10 to 12 day period; this is considered an impressive feat considering Patton was only 19-20 years old, and "pulled it out of thin air". The only input from Wallace came during a few days spent at a San Francisco coffee shop, where he advised Patton to incorporate more metaphors to soften some of the darker, heavier lyrical themes.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Jake |title=Behind the Boards: The Making of Rock 'n' Roll's Greatest Records Revealed |date=2012 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation}}</ref> Among the darker lyrics on the album are "The Morning After", "Surprise! You're Dead" and "Underwater Love". In 1995, British music publication ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' described all three of these songs as lyrically revolving around murder.<ref name="fnmq">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fnmfollowers.com/post/q-may-1995|title=Q &#124; May 1995|first=Faith No More|last=Followers|date=March 28, 2024|website=FNM Followers}}</ref> "Underwater Love" has upbeat music which contrasts the apparent lyrical matter.<ref name="fnmq"/>

The recording sessions yielded several songs that did not appear on the album. Two of them, "The Grade" and "The Cowboy Song", later appeared on the singles and on the UK edition of ''Live at the Brixton Academy''. A third song, "Sweet Emotion", was later re-recorded with different lyrics as "The Perfect Crime" for [[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey: Music from the Motion Picture|the soundtrack]] to the film that also starred a cameo appearance from guitarist [[Jim Martin (musician)|Jim Martin]], ''[[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey]]''. The original version was released on ''Flexible Fiend 3'' with ''[[Kerrang!]]'' magazine issue 258 and on ''[[The Very Best Definitive Ultimate Greatest Hits Collection]]'', the 2009 greatest hits compilation released to coincide with the band's [[The Second Coming Tour (Faith No More)|reunion tour]].

==Touring and support==
[[File:Parkpop1990.jpg|thumb|right|Crowds gathered to a performance of Faith No More at the [[Parkpop]] festival, June 24, 1990.]]

===Tours===
{{See also|You Fat Bastards: Live at the Brixton Academy}}
The tour in support of ''The Real Thing'' was the first Faith No More tour conducted with Mike Patton. The band had begun to be marketed as metal by the media after the album's release, and they were now primarily playing with other bands from the [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] genre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/soundgarden-alternative-metal/|title=Loud Love: Soundgarden and the Heyday of Alternative Metal - Noisey|date=August 26, 2016 |access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/749-the-misunderstanding-of-faith-no-more/ |title=The Misunderstanding of Faith No More - Pitchfork |date=April 23, 2015 |first=Saby |last=Reyes-Kulkarni |others=Photo by Dustin Rabin |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> Notable artists Faith No More performed with during the touring cycle include [[Metallica]], [[Billy Idol]], [[Soundgarden]], [[Voivod (band)|Voivod]], [[Sacred Reich]], [[Forbidden (band)|Forbidden]], [[Primus (band)|Primus]], [[Babes in Toyland (band)|Babes in Toyland]] and [[Poison (American band)|Poison]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fnmlive.com/|title=Faith No More Gig Database|access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref> They managed to attract controversy for mocking the party/sex-filled lifestyles of [[glam metal]] tourmates such as Poison at several shows in Europe during 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newfaithnomore.com/2011/12/07/the-faith-no-more-and-poison-incident/|title=The Faith No More and Poison incident|date=December 7, 2011|access-date=January 18, 2017|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20120715061211/http://newfaithnomore.com/2011/12/07/the-faith-no-more-and-poison-incident/|archive-date=2012-07-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTV8lCeiVUg|title=FNM @ Monsters of Rock in Bologna|access-date=December 14, 2024}}</ref> At a 1990 Monsters of Rock show in Italy, Patton asked the crowd "which member of Poison can suck his own dick?", and also made fun of [[Aerosmith]], saying to the crowd "out of all the bands today, who do you think does the most drugs? I think it's Aerosmith."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/1990/08/30|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1990-08-30|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref> Ironically, Faith No More would later cover parts of Aerosmith's song "[[Walk This Way]]" on their subsequent ''[[Angel Dust (Faith No More album)|Angel Dust]]'' tour, and were originally scheduled to go on a European tour with them in 1998, which was cancelled due to Faith No More's split that year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fnmfollowers.com/post/faith-no-more-kerrang-may-5th-1998|title=Faith No More &#124; Kerrang! - May 9th 1998|first=Faith No More|last=Followers|date=May 5, 2020|website=FNM Followers}}</ref>
 
In 1989, the second show of the tour was filmed for the music video to "[[From Out of Nowhere (song)|From out of Nowhere]]" in the [[I-Beam (nightclub)|I-Beam]] nightclub. During the show, Patton had a beer bottle smashed over his right hand, causing lacerations to some tendons.<ref>{{harvnb|Chirazi|1994|p=60}}</ref> He regained use of his hand after it healed, but he no longer has feeling in it.<ref>{{cite web | last =Epstein | first =Daniel Robert| title =Mike Patton Interview | publisher = [[Suicide Girls]] | date = May 29, 2006 | url =http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Mike+Patton/| access-date = July 24, 2007}}</ref> The band's August, 28 1990 concert at Burgherrenhalle in [[Kaiserslautern]], [[Germany]] is notable for featuring the only ever performance of the song "Faster Disco" with Patton on vocals. The concert also featured several other [[Chuck Mosley]]-era songs which have almost never been performed live with Patton, including "Blood", "Greed" and "The Jungle".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fnmlive.com/1990/08/28|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1990-08-28|website=www.fnmlive.com}}</ref> At that time, the band's first independent album ''[[We Care a Lot]]'' was not in circulation. "As the Worm Turns" and "Why Do You Bother" were the only songs from the album to be regularly worked into the band's setlists on the tour (aside from the title track, which was re-recorded for their major label debut ''[[Introduce Yourself]]''). Regarding the decision to still perform material from ''We Care a Lot'', Gould said to ''[[Metal Hammer]]'' in May 1990 that, "we'd feel weird cutting that part of ourselves off. We'd be ignoring a root of the tree, if you will."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.faithnomorefollowers.com/2016/05/faith-no-more-21051990-metal-hammer.html|title=FAITH NO MORE &#124; 21.05.1990 &#124; Metal Hammer|date=May 21, 2016 }}</ref> 

During the tour, they covered parts of the [[Milli Vanilli]] songs "[[Girl I'm Gonna Miss You]]" and "[[Baby Don't Forget My Number]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/1990/02/20|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1990-02-20|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/1989/11/05|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1989-11-05|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref> Faith No More had earlier met Milli Vanilli at the album launch party for ''The Real Thing'' in mid-1989. Faith No More greeted Milli Vanilli at the launch party and told them that they were fans, but Milli Vanilli were unaware of who Faith No More were at that time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2019/01/15/faith-no-more-small-victories|title=Rock and Roll Book Club: 'Small Victories' tells the story of Faith No More|website=www.thecurrent.org}}</ref> Other songs that Faith No More covered snippets from during the tour include "[[Buffalo Stance]]" by [[Neneh Cherry]], "[[Bust a Move (song)|Bust a Move]]" by [[Young MC]], "[[Don't Dream It's Over]]" by [[Crowded House]], "[[Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me]]" by [[Elton John]], "[[Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)]]" by [[Technotronic]], "[[Fever (Peggy Lee song)|Fever]]" by [[Peggy Lee]], "[[Für Elise]]" by [[Ludwig van Beethoven]], "[[If You Don't Know Me by Now]]" by [[Simply Red]], "[[It Takes Two (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock song)|It Takes Two]]" by [[Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock]], "[[Let Love Rule (song)|Let Love Rule]]" by [[Lenny Kravitz]], "[[Louie Louie]]" by [[The Kingsmen]], "[[Macho Man (song)|Macho Man]]" by [[The Village People]], "[[Oh Yeah (Yello song)|Oh Yeah]]" by [[Yello]], "[[Paradise (Sade song)|Paradise]]" by [[Sade (band)|Sade]], "[[Philadelphia Freedom (song)|Philadelphia Freedom]]" by Elton John, "[[Pump Up the Jam|Pump up the Jam]]" by Technotronic, "[[Pump Up the Volume (song)|Pump up the Volume]]" by [[MARRS|M|A|R|R|S]], "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday]]" by [[U2]], "[[Turtle Power!]]" by [[Partners in Kryme]], "[[Unskinny Bop]]" by Poison, "[[Vogue (Madonna song)|Vogue]]" by [[Madonna]], "[[Y.M.C.A. (song)|Y.M.C.A.]]" by The Village People, "[[You Got It (The Right Stuff)]]" by [[The New Kids on the Block]] and the [[(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story|theme]] from the film ''[[Love Story (1970 film)|Love Story]]'' by [[Francis Lai]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/1989|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1989|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/1990|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1990|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref><ref name="1989stats">{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/1989//stats|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1989 stats|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref><ref name="gigset"/> They covered a snippet of "Carnaval in Rio" by [[Heino]], but changed the lyrics to "Carnaval in Cologne" when playing it in [[Cologne]], Germany, and to "Carnaval in Munich" when playing it in [[Munich]], Germany.<ref name="gigset">{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/gig/661|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1990-02-20|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/gig/641|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1990-02-19|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref> They also covered a song from a German candy commercial, which was by confectionery company [[Haribo]], as well as a song called "Sweet Dreams" from a [[Nestlé]] commercial, with the band continuing to cover these two songs on the tour for ''Angel Dust''.<ref name="1989stats"/><ref name="1990stats">{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/1990/stats|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1990 stats|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref> For outro music at their shows, the band once used "[[What a Wonderful World]]" by [[Louis Armstrong]], while for intro music they frequently used  [[Toto (band)|Toto]]'s ''[[Dune (1984 film)|Dune]]'' soundtrack song "[[Dune (1984 soundtrack)|Big Battle]]"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/gig/31|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1989-09-23|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fnmlive.com/gig/28|title=Faith No More Gig Database - 1989-09-01|website=fnmlive.com}}</ref>

Touring in support of the album lasted from 1989 to mid-1991. Due to their small catalog at the time, the band eventually grew tired of playing songs from ''The Real Thing'' towards the end of the tour. This has been cited as one of the reasons for their change in sound on their next album, ''Angel Dust''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/programs/the-j-files/faith-no-more-angel-dust-mike-patton/13914174|title=Faith No More|date=June 3, 2022|website=Double J}}</ref>

===Singles===
{{Main|From Out of Nowhere (song)|Epic (Faith No More song)|Falling to Pieces}}	

The first single to be released from the album was "From Out of Nowhere" on August 30, 1989, which failed to make the [[UK Singles Chart]]. It was re-released on April 2, 1990, and made number twenty-three on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name=ukchart /> In between these releases was "Epic" on January 30, 1990, the [[music video]] for which received extensive [[airplay (radio)|airplay]] on [[MTV]] throughout the year, despite provoking anger from [[animal rights]] activists for a [[slow motion]] shot of a fish flopping out of water.<ref name=ToxicUniverse>{{cite web |last=Lowell |first=Travis |title=Faith No More: The Real Thing Review |publisher=Toxic Universe |date=June 20, 2001 |url=http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10001425 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222102710/http://toxicuniverse.com/review.php?rid=10001425 |archive-date=February 22, 2006 |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Inventory: 9 Music Videos Featuring Animals In Prominent Roles |newspaper=A.V. Club |date=April 9, 2007 |url=http://www.avclub.com/content/node/60415/print/ |access-date=June 4, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517181023/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/60415/print/ |archive-date=May 17, 2007 }}</ref> "Falling to Pieces" then saw release on July 2, 1990, and made it to number 92 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 before the reissue of "Epic", which became the band's first number one hit single, on the [[ARIA Charts]],<ref name="auschart" /> as well their only top ten single on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], where it reached ninth position.<ref name="uschart" />

"Surprise! You're Dead!" had a [[music video]] produced for it, directed by bassist [[Billy Gould]], featuring footage shot in [[Chile]] during a South American tour in 1991. However, the song never saw release as an official single, and the video was not released until its appearance on ''[[Video Croissant]]''. "Edge of the World" saw limited release as a two track promo single in Brazil on CD and 12" vinyl, with the album version as track one and the Brixton Academy live version as the second track, in a yellow slipcase with basic black text.

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-real-thing-mw0000203564 |title=The Real Thing – Faith No More |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=July 12, 2015 |last=Raggett |first=Ned}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''
| rev2score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/08/17/faith-no-morethe-real-thing-slash-starstar/ |title=Faith No More: The Real Thing (Slash) |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=August 17, 1989 |access-date=May 5, 2022 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Kerrang!|The Direktory of Heavy Metal]]''
| rev3score = 5/5<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Faith No More |title=Kerrang!: The Direktory of Heavy Metal – The Indispensable A–Z Guide to Rock Warriors & Headbangin' Heroes!!! |title-link=Kerrang! |last1=Arnopp |first1=Jason |author1-link=Jason Arnopp |last2=Harries |first2=Paul |last3=Jeffries |first3=Neil |last4=Johnson |first4=Howard |last5=Joy |first5=Alison |author6=Mörat |last7=Penzel |first7=Matthias |last8=Perry |first8=Neil |last9=Reynolds |first9=Dave |last10=Watts |first10=Chris |last11=Zell |first11=Ray |editor-last=Jeffries |editor-first=Neil |publisher=[[Virgin Books]] |year=1993 |isbn=0-86369-761-5 |pages=71–73}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev4score = A<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/05/24/hybrid-sounds/ |title=Hybrid sounds |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=May 24, 1991 |access-date=September 26, 2017 |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Reynolds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409053146/https://ew.com/article/1991/05/24/hybrid-sounds/ |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Kerrang!]]''
| rev5score = 5/5<ref>{{cite magazine |title=I'd Like to Teach the World to Thing |magazine=[[Kerrang!]] |issue=242 |date=June 10, 1989 |last=Nisbet |first=Kate |page=24}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev6score = 4/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Faith No More: The Real Thing |magazine=[[NME]] |date=July 8, 1989 |last=Fadele |first=Dele |author-link=Dele Fadele |page=33}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev7score = 7.6/10<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20606-faith-no-more-the-real-thing-angel-dust/ |title=Faith No More: The Real Thing / Angel Dust |date=June 10, 2015 |first=Stuart |last=Berman |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Faith No More: The Real Thing / Angel Dust |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue=348 |date=July 2015 |last=Blake |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Blake (writer) |pages=118–119}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Faith No More |last=Considine |first=J. D. |author-link=J. D. Considine |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=DeCurtis |editor1-first=Anthony |editor1-link=Anthony DeCurtis |editor2-last=Henke |editor2-first=James |editor3-last=George-Warren |editor3-first=Holly |publisher=[[Random House]] |edition=3rd |year=1992 |isbn=0-679-73729-4 |page=239}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
| rev10score = B−<ref>{{cite news |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/ts90-90.php |title=Turkey Shoot |newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] |date=December 4, 1990 |access-date=July 12, 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref>
}}

''The Real Thing'' is one of Faith No More's most successful albums to date. It is now considered a classic metal album by fans and critics alike. Although released in mid-1989, ''The Real Thing'' did not enter the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] until February 1990,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1990-02-24/billboard-200 |title=Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales |access-date=November 20, 2008 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> after the release of the second single from the album, "[[Epic (Faith No More song)|Epic]]". The album eventually peaked at number eleven on the chart in October 1990,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1990-10-13/billboard-200 |title=Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales |access-date=November 20, 2008 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405102452/http://www.billboard.com/charts/1990-10-13/billboard-200 |archive-date=April 5, 2013 }}</ref> following the reissue of "Epic" almost a year and half after the initial release of the album. It was eventually [[Music recording sales certification|certified platinum]] in [[RIAA certification|U.S.]]<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web |url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |title=RIAA - Gold & Platinum - Searchable Database| publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |access-date = May 28, 2008}}</ref> and Canada<ref name="CRIA">{{cite web|title=CRIA: Certification Results - Search Certification Database |url=http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php |publisher=[[Canadian Recording Industry Association]] |access-date=May 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501065534/http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php |archive-date=May 1, 2010 }}</ref> as well as being certified Silver in the United Kingdom.<ref name="BPI">{{cite web|title=The BPI - Certified awards database |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinum.html |publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]] |access-date=May 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409172614/http://bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinum.html |archive-date=April 9, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In July 1989, metal publication ''The Hard Report'' described the band as "one of the brightest new stars on the metal/alternative horizon",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hard-Report/1989/Hard-Report-1989-07-28.pdf|format=PDF|title=AllMusic : Hard Report|date=July 28, 1989|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=June 20, 2025}}</ref> and said that on ''The Real Thing'' "Mike Patton is the new vocal presence, and seizes the moment with precision rap and a raging soul that claims its rightful place in the power mix." They added that the band "draw from reggae, rap and metal circles and melt the sound into a rhythmic state that practically incites an anthem riot."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hard-Report/1989/Hard-Report-1989-07-07.pdf|format=PDF|title=AllMusic : Hard Report|date=July 7, 1989|website=Worldradiohistory.com|access-date=June 20, 2025}}</ref> In 1990, [[Jonathan Gold]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' described Faith No More as the "kings of neo-metal" and "where hip and headbanging meets".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-14-ca-3755-story.html |title=Pop Music Special: Where Hip and Headbanging Meet: Faith No More are the kings of neo-metal, which is art music packaged for hard-rock teens. Even MTV has given the San Francisco band its blessing. |date=October 14, 1990 |first=Jonathan |last=Gold |author-link=Jonathan Gold |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> Chris Morris of ''Billboard'' magazine described ''The Real Thing'' as having a predominant "funk-metal groove" in 1992,<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Billboard |title=Tour Power Fuels Faith No More |first=Chris |last=Morris |date=July 11, 1992 |volume=104 |issue=28 |pages=11, 14 |issn=0006-2510 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LRIEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22faith+no+more%22+%22real+thing%22+%22funk+metal%22 |via=[[Google Books]] |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> while Travis Lowell of ''Toxic Universe'' said in 2001 that it contained "funk, metal, traditional rock, instrumental, and even a little 'easy listening{{' "}}.<ref name=ToxicUniverse/>

Tom Breihan wrote for ''[[Stereogum]]'' in 2012 that the album "gets a ton of credit and blame for helping to popularize rap-metal, but it was a lot more than that."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stereogum.com/1058492/angel-dust-turns-20/franchises/the-anniversary/ |title=Angel Dust Turns 20 |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=June 8, 2012 |work=[[Stereogum]] |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610133049/https://www.stereogum.com/1058492/angel-dust-turns-20/news/ |archive-date=June 10, 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> Following the 2015 remastered re-release of the album, several sources retrospectively reviewed it; Brandon Geist for ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote that it was then "considered to be an alterna-metal classic",<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/hear-11-faith-no-more-rarities-from-the-real-thing-deluxe-reissue-20150601 |title=Hear Faith No More Rarities From 'The Real Thing' Reissue |last=Geist |first=Brandon |date=June 1, 2015 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602185241/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/hear-11-faith-no-more-rarities-from-the-real-thing-deluxe-reissue-20150601 |archive-date=June 2, 2015 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> and Joseph Schafer for ''[[Stereogum]]'' ranked it as the second best Faith No More album, commenting that it was "more cohesive [and] lovable" than ''Angel Dust''. They called it "sublime funk metal" and wrote that "the amount of diversity Faith No More crammed into 1989's ''The Real Thing'' seemed to be a middle finger to arena rock".<ref name="stereo">{{Cite web |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1805909/faith-no-more-albums-from-worst-to-best/lists/ |title=Faith No More Albums From Worst To Best |date=June 4, 2015 |first=Joseph |last=Schafer |work=[[Stereogum]] |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> Stuart Berman for ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' wrote that it had a "reputation as an alt-rock trailblazer" and "connection to a long-past funk-metal zeitgeist" continuing to state that the album track "Epic" "was perfectly timed to satiate the then-burgeoning appetite for rap-rock".<ref name="pitchfork"/>

Chris Conaton for ''[[PopMatters]]'' wrote in 2015 that the album "made a minor splash in the alternative metal community" and featured "a fascinating and entertaining smorgasbord of styles",<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/194715-faith-no-more-the-real-thing-and-angel-dust-reissues-2495516233.html |title=Faith No More: The Real Thing and Angel Dust (Reissues) |first=Chris |last=Conaton |date=July 13, 2015 |website=[[PopMatters]] |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> Ian Gittins wrote in his book ''The Periodic Table of Heavy Rock'' that the band had the "standard hard-rock assault weapons" when Patton replaced Mosley, but "accessorized them with wildly eclectic influences from hip hop to synth pop and a brutally sarcastic sense of black humour":<ref name="heavyrock">{{cite book |first=Ian |last=Gittins |title=The Periodic Table of Heavy Rock |date=October 1, 2015 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-1-78503-165-6}}</ref>

==Legacy==
The album was highly praised by [[The Dillinger Escape Plan]] frontman [[Greg Puciato]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pattonfanatic.com/point-click-16/|title=Point & Click #16 - Greg Includes The Real Thing in Albums that Changed His Life, New Band 'John Frum', New DEP Tour dates [Rel-Act] - Patton Fanatic|date=March 8, 2017|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref> as well as most members of [[Korn]], including [[Jonathan Davis]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/faith-no-more-get-praise-from-deftones-slipknot-system-of-a-down-and-more/11696753-all#YVllR8QgGhvxsmZE.99|title=Faith No More Get Praise from Deftones, Slipknot, System of a Down and More|access-date=June 3, 2017|archive-date=May 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510202223/http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/faith-no-more-get-praise-from-deftones-slipknot-system-of-a-down-and-more/11696753-all#YVllR8QgGhvxsmZE.99|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Brian "Head" Welch]] and [[James "Munky" Shaffer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/opinion/under-the-influence-korns-james-munky-shaffer|title=Korn's James 'Munky' Shaffer - Under the Influence - The Skinny|access-date=June 3, 2017}}</ref>

"Epic" was ranked number thirty on [[VH1]]'s 40 Greatest Metal Songs,<ref>''"VH1 40 Greatest Metal Songs"'', May 1–4, 2006, ''VH1'' Channel, reported by [https://web.archive.org/web/20060913132117/http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/103446/episode_this_list.jhtml VH1.com]; last accessed September 10, 2006</ref> and number sixty-seven on their 100 Greatest One-hit Wonders list.<ref>''"VH1 100 Greatest One-hit Wonders"'', ''VH1'' Channel, reported by [https://web.archive.org/web/20020604060310/http://www.vh1.com/shows/series/100_greatest/one_hit_wonders/ VH1.com].</ref>

===Cover versions===
* "From Out of Nowhere" has been covered by Canadian new wave/electronic rock band [[The Birthday Massacre]] on their compilation album ''[[Imagica (album)|Imagica]]'', Finnish band [[Apocalyptica]] on their second album, ''[[Inquisition Symphony (album)|Inquisition Symphony]]'', German [[power metal]] band [[Helloween]] covered the song on their cover album ''[[Metal Jukebox]]'' and the Danish metal band, [[Raunchy (band)|Raunchy]] covered the song on their album ''[[Velvet Noise Extended]]''. It has also been covered by the band [[Five Finger Death Punch]], and is featured on the UK version of their album ''[[The Way of the Fist]]'' as well as the soundtrack for ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]]''.
* "The Real Thing" was covered by American [[progressive metal]] band [[Redemption (band)|Redemption]] on the album ''[[The Fullness of Time]]'' as a bonus track.
* "Epic" has been covered both in concerts and in studio recordings. A cover was included on the 2007 ''[[Kerrang!]] Higher Voltage'' CD, a compilation of artists covering other songs, with Welsh rock band [[The Automatic]] covering the song for the album.<ref>''[[Kerrang!]]'' issue 1164 June 20, 2007</ref> The [[metalcore]] band [[Atreyu (band)|Atreyu]] also covered the song on their album ''[[Lead Sails Paper Anchor]]'', and the Swedish indie band [[Love Is All (band)|Love Is All]] covered it on their 2008 tour.<ref>{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Thompson|title=Love Is All Cover Faith No More|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/145467-love-is-all-cover-faith-no-more-add-dates|work=Pitchfork|publisher=Pitchfork Media, Inc.|date=September 16, 2008|access-date=September 19, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918205710/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/145467-love-is-all-cover-faith-no-more-add-dates|archive-date=September 18, 2008}}</ref> [[Sugar Ray]] has also covered the song live.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/reel/2379111985765736|title=3K views · 13 reactions &#124; Sugar Ray Mark McGrath performing Faith No More at Md "Live" Casino Arundel Mills |website=Facebook.com|access-date=June 20, 2025}}</ref> In early 2023, [[The Lucid]] along with [[Violent J]] ([[Insane Clown Posse]]) re-imagined the song with re-written lyrics and vocal melodies retitling it "Sweet Toof".
* "Surprise! You're Dead!" has been covered by [[Jim Martin (musician)|Jim Martin]] following his departure from the band, on his solo release ''[[Milk and Blood]]'', and by Humans Being for the ''[[Tribute of the Year: A Tribute to Faith No More|Tribute of the Year]]'' album.<ref name=allmustrib>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r597837|pure_url=yes}} |title=A Tribute of the Year: Tribute to Faith No More - Overview |access-date=November 23, 2008|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> It was also covered by Belgian [[death metal]] band [[Aborted]] on their album ''[[Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture]]'', by American [[technical death metal]] band [[Revocation (band)|Revocation]] as a bonus track on their album ''[[Chaos of Forms]]'', and by American [[deathcore]] band [[All Shall Perish]] as a bonus track on their album ''[[This Is Where It Ends]]''.
* "Zombie Eaters" was covered by [[Ill Niño]] with [[Chino Moreno]] for their extended play ''[[The Under Cover Sessions]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r930282|pure_url=yes}} |title=The Undercover Sessions - Overview |access-date=November 23, 2008 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
* "Edge of the World" is covered twice on the ''Tribute of the Year'' album by both [[Hate Dept.]] and Combine Heathen.<ref name=allmustrib />

==Awards==
''The Real Thing'' was nominated for a [[Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance]] category in 1989 and "[[Epic (Faith No More song)|Epic]]" was nominated for a [[Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance]] in 1991.

==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:0em 1em 1em 0pt"
|+Accolades for ''The Real Thing''
!Year
!Publication
!Country
!Accolade
!Rank
!class=unsortable|Ref.
|-
|align=center| 1989
| ''[[Kerrang!]]''
| United Kingdom
| "Albums of the Year"
|align=center| 1
|<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang.html#1989 | title=Kerrang! - Albums of the Year | access-date=April 8, 2008 | publisher=Rocklistmusic | archive-date=January 16, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116163103/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang.html#1989 | url-status=usurped }}</ref>
|-
|align=center| 1989
| ''Sounds''
| United Kingdom
| "Albums of the Year"
|align=center| 20
|<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/sounds.html#1989 | title=Sounds - Albums of the Year | access-date=April 8, 2008 | publisher=Rocklistmusic | archive-date=October 2, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002034427/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/sounds.html#1989 | url-status=usurped }}</ref>
|-
|align=center| 1989
| ''Village Voice''
| United States
| "Albums of the Year"
|align=center| 27
|<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/04/ | title=Village Voice - Albums of the Year | access-date=April 8, 2008 | publisher=Village Voice | archive-date=May 13, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513033844/http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/04/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|align=center| 1998
| ''[[Kerrang!]]''
| United Kingdom
| "Albums You Must Hear Before You Die"
|align=center| 50
|<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang_p2.htm#die | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060214233916/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang_p2.htm#die | url-status=usurped | archive-date=February 14, 2006 | title=Kerrang! - Albums You Must Hear Before You Die | access-date=April 8, 2008 | publisher=Rocklistmusic}}</ref>
|-
|align=center| 2001
| ''Classic Rock''
| United Kingdom
| "100 Greatest Rock Albums Ever"
|align=center| 64
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}
|-
|align=center| 2005
| ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| Germany
| "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"
|align=center| 105
|<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.poplist.de/poplist.php?l=465 |title=(Germany) The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|access-date=April 8, 2008 |publisher=Rolling Stone (Germany)}}</ref>
|-
|align=center| 2005
| Robert Dimery
| United States
| ''[[1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die]]''
|align=center| *
|<ref>Dimery, Robert - ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die''; page 856</ref>
|-
|align=center| 2006
| ''Classic Rock & Metal Hammer''
| United Kingdom
| "The 200 Greatest Albums of the 80s"
|align=center| *
|{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}
|}

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
|headline=
|all_lyrics=[[Mike Patton]], except where noted
|title1=[[From Out of Nowhere (song)|From Out of Nowhere]]
|music1=Gould, Bottum
|length1=3:22
|title2=[[Epic (Faith No More song)|Epic]]
|music2=Gould, Bottum, Martin, Bordin
|length2=4:53
|title3=[[Falling to Pieces]]
|music3=Gould, Bottum, Martin
|length3=5:15
|title4=Surprise! You're Dead!
|lyrics4=Patton, Martin
|music4=Martin
|length4=2:27
|title5=Zombie Eaters
|music5=Gould, Bottum, Martin, Bordin
|length5=5:58
|title6=The Real Thing
|lyrics6=Patton, Gould
|music6=Gould, Bottum
|length6=8:13
|title7=Underwater Love
|music7=Gould, Bottum
|length7=3:51
|title8=The Morning After
|music8=Gould, Bottum, Martin
|length8=3:43
|title9=Woodpecker from Mars
|music9=Martin, Bordin
|length9=5:40
|note9=instrumental
|total_length= 43:22
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = Bonus tracks
|title10=[[War Pigs (song)|War Pigs]]
|note10=[[Black Sabbath]] cover, non-vinyl track
|music10=Butler, Iommi, Osbourne, Ward
|length10=7:45
|title11=Edge of the World
|note11=appears as track 6 on cassette editions, non-vinyl track
|music11=Gould, Bottum, Bordin
|length11=4:10
|total_length= 54:58
}}

{{Track listing
| headline     = 2015 deluxe edition (disc 2)<ref>{{cite web|website=[[AllMusic]]|last=Raggett|first=Ned|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/real-thing-deluxe-edition-mr0004410965|title=Real Thing [Deluxe Edition] - Faith No More|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref>
| title1       = Sweet Emotion
| length1      = 4:53
| title2       = Epic
| note2        = Radio Remix Edit
| length2      = 4:00
| title3       = Falling to Pieces
| note3        = Video Version) (erroneously listed as "Matt Wallace Remix", which is a different mix
| length3      = 4:31
| title4       = Cowboy Song
| note4        = "From Out of Nowhere" B-side
| length4      = 5:14
| title5       = The Grade
| note5        = "From Out of Nowhere" B-side
| length5      = 2:05
| title6       = From Out of Nowhere
| note6        = Extended Mix
| length6      = 4:17
| title7       = War Pigs
| note7        = Live in [[Berlin]] 1989
| length7      = 7:59
| title8       = Surprise! You're Dead!
| note8        = Live in [[Sheffield]], Octagon Centre 1990
| length8      = 2:52
| title9       = Chinese Arithmetic
| note9        = Live in Sheffield, Octagon Centre 1990
| length9      = 4:16
| title10      = Underwater Love
| note10       = Live at [[Brixton Academy]] 1990
| length10     = 3:33
| title11      = As the Worm Turns
| note11       = Live at Brixton Academy 1990
| length11     = 2:45
| total_length =
}}

==Personnel==
* [[Mike Bordin]] – drums
* [[Roddy Bottum]] – keyboards
* [[Billy Gould|Bill Gould]] – bass
* [[Jim Martin (musician)|James Martin]] – guitars
* [[Mike Patton]] – vocals

===Production===
* [[Matt Wallace (record producer)|Matt Wallace]] – producer, engineer
* Jim "Watts" Vereecke – assistant engineer
* Craig Doubet – assistant engineer
* John Golden – mastering
* Lendon Flanagon – photography
* Jeff Price – artwork
* Terry Robertson – CD design

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for ''The Real Thing''
! scope="col"| Chart (1989–1990)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
{{album chart|Australia|2|artist=Faith No More|album=The Real Thing|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020|refname=auschart}}
|-
{{album chart|Canada|10|chartid=1292|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Netherlands|56|artist=Faith No More|album=The Real Thing|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Germany4|37|id=31994|artist=Faith No More|album=The Real Thing|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|New Zealand|3|artist=Faith No More|album=The Real Thing|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Sweden|38|artist=Faith No More|album=The Real Thing|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|UK2|30|date=19900916|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020|refname=ukchart}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|11|artist=Faith No More|rowheader=true|access-date=July 26, 2020|refname=uschart}}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Year-end chart performance for ''The Real Thing''
! scope="col"| Chart (1990)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1990/albums-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1990|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|access-date=February 15, 2022}}</ref>
| 37
|-
! scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1990-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1990|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=February 15, 2022}}</ref>
| 19
|-
! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/top-billboard-200-albums |title=Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End – 1990 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=July 26, 2020}}</ref>
| 41
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''The Real Thing''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Real Thing|artist=Faith No More|type=album|relyear=1989|certyear=1990|region=Australia|award=Platinum|access-date=November 27, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Real Thing|artist=Faith No More|type=album|relyear=1989|certyear=1990|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|id=7244-229-2|access-date=August 5, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title=The Real Thing|artist=Faith No More|type=album|relyear=1989|region=United States|award=Platinum}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=no}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

'''Bibliography'''
* {{cite book |last=Chirazi |first=Steffan |title=Faith No More: The Real Story |year=1994 |publisher=[[Castle Communications]] PLC |isbn=1-898141-15-0 }}

{{Faith No More}}
{{Mike Patton}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Real Thing, The}}
[[Category:1989 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Matt Wallace]]
[[Category:Faith No More albums]]
[[Category:Slash Records albums]]