B-side Norman Normal Recorded 1985 | Released 6 October 1986 Genre New wave, pop rock | |
Format 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, double-7" vinyl, 7" vinyl picture disc Length 4:51 (Album Version)
4:05 (Single Version) | ||
"Always the Sun" is a song by English rock band The Stranglers, first released as a single on 6 October 1986, the second single from the album Dreamtime. A remixed version was released as a single on 24 December 1990. Both versions were top thirty hits in the United Kingdom. "Always the Sun" was released in October 1986 in four different formats: a seven inch single, shaped seven inch picture disc, twelve inch single, and as a double seven inch single pack.
Contents
Reception
Despite radio play and much hype, it only reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart. However, it was a hit throughout Europe (No. 15 in France, No. 16 in Ireland) and nearly broke The Stranglers in the United States due to radio play. The song also reached #21 in Australia.
Hugh Cornwell mentioned in his book The Stranglers Song by Song that he thought it could have been as big as "Golden Brown". He recalls going to CBS for a midweek prediction on how the song would chart and was amazed at the bad news. He also wrote "We'd given CBS something great to work with and I could see in this guy's face that he knew he hadn't delivered", giving the impression that Cornwell felt that CBS was to blame for this poor position.
Video
The video for "Always the Sun" showed the Stranglers performing in a dark room, all on separate small stages with Hugh Cornwell on the ground. During the song, after Cornwell sings "Who has the fun? Is it always a man with a gun?" he takes out a gun and shoots the Aztec Sun Calendar Wheel, which then shatters.
The cover of the single (depicted on this page) shows The Stranglers band logo and the Aztec Sun Calendar Wheel glyph on a black background.
Track listings
7" Single/7" shaped picture disc
- "Always the Sun" 4:04
- "Norman Normal" 4:30
12 Single
- "Always the Sun (Hot Mix)" 4:04
- "Norman Normal" 4:30
- "Souls"
Double 7" Single
- "Always the Sun" 4:04
- "Norman Normal" 4:30
- "Nice in Nice"
- "Since You Went Away"
Issue with "Big in America"
The two tracks from the seven inch single were reissued in December 1986, as half of a double seven inch release of the band's next single, "Big in America".
Sunny Side Up Mix
Following Hugh Cornwell's departure from the band in August 1990, Epic Records decided to release a greatest hits compilation album. To promote this compilation, a remix of "Always the Sun" was released as a single on 24 December 1990, Christmas Eve. The remix consisted of extra guitar work from new guitarist John Ellis and a slight variation in the music, although Hugh Cornwell's original vocals were still used.
Like the original, the single got good airplay, but this time peaked at #29, one place higher than the original. Cornwell stated in his book Song By Song that he was not angered by the remix, asserting that he was privileged that Epic Records thought "Always the Sun" was good enough to be re released, and feeling that the band changed little of the original recordings.
Track listings
7" Single/cassette single
- "Always the Sun (Sunny Side Up Mix)" 3:56
- "Burnham Beeches" 3:40
12" Single
- "Always the Sun (Long Hot Sunny Side Up Mix)"
- "Burnham Beaches"
- "Straighten Out"
CD Single
- "Always the Sun (Sunny Side Up Mix)"
- "Nuclear Device" (live)
- "All Day and All of the Night" (live)
- "Punch and Judy" (live)
Other versions
A live version of the song was included on the album All Live and All of the Night in February 1988.