Chocolate and Cheese

Chocolate and Cheese is the fourth studio album by Ween, originally released by Elektra Records in 1994. It was the first Ween album to be recorded in a professional studio, in contrast to the crude four-track home recordings of their first three albums. However, most of the instruments were still played by Dean and Gene Ween, including their drum machine.

Reception and legacy

In July 2014, Guitar World placed Chocolate and Cheese at number 45 in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.

Track listing

All tracks by Ween

Background

The album is dedicated to comedian John Candy, who died while Ween was putting the album together. "A Tear for Eddie" was dedicated to the funk/psychedelic guitar pioneer Eddie Hazel, who died December 23, 1992. In a 2011 interview, Gene Ween credited a Spanish lesson on Sesame Street with inspiring Buenas Tardes Amigo

Album cover

Ween originally wanted the cover to have a "gay sailor theme" but the studio thought it politically incorrect (possibly because of "The HIV Song", which is ironically cheery and upbeat). Instead, they opted for a woman's body on the cover. The band say that they never got to meet the cover model, Ashley Savage. Additionally, the cover pays homage to The Commodores' 1982 album All the Great Hits, which features a boxer with a championship belt around his waist that has the band's name on it.