Released May 1967 Genre Psychedelic pop Label Island WIP 6002 (UK) | Format 7", 45 rpm vinyl Length 4:14 | |
B-side "Giving to You" (Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood) | ||
"Paper Sun" was the British band Traffic's debut single, released in May 1967. It was a number 5 hit in the United Kingdom and peaked at number 70 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart in the United States. The song is famous for its time-typical sitar riff, played by Dave Mason, and its vocals by composer Steve Winwood.
The single's B-side, "Giving to You", features an opening vocal section with lyrics sung by Winwood. The original B-side version was later released as a bonus track on a CD reissue of Mr. Fantasy. The song was later issued in a modified version (4:20) on Traffic's debut album Mr. Fantasy. The album version begins and ends with overdubbed spoken parts (probably by Chris Wood).
The song appeared on the soundtrack of the 2010 British film Made in Dagenham.