- Under the Milky Way
Infobox Single
Name = Under the Milky Way
Artist = The Church
Album = Starfish
B-side = "Musk", "Warm Spell"
Released = 1988
Format = 7", double 7", 12", CD single
Recorded =
Genre =
Length = 4:05
Label = Mushroom
Writer =Steve Kilbey , Karin Jansson
Producer = The Church
Audio sample? =
Certification =
Last single =
This single = "Under the Milky Way"
(1988)
Next single =
Misc ="Under the Milky Way" is a 1988 song by The Church. Written by the band's vocalist and bassist,
Steve Kilbey and his then-girlfriendKarin Jansson , the song was originally released on The Church's "Starfish" album and won the Australian ARIA award for best song in 1989. The song was the band's only international hit, staying in the U.S. top 40 for several weeks, and charting in Canada (#69) and the UK (#90). In their native Australia, "Under The Milky Way" was also a hit, peaking at #22. However, it was not their biggest homeland hit: The Church placed two singles slightly higher in the Australian charts in their career ("Almost With You" at #21, and "Metropolis" at #19).Unlike most of its songs, "Under the Milky Way" featured primarily acoustic guitar driven by a
12-string guitar melody and a solo that, although sounding like abagpipe , was actually anEBow .According to a press release issued with "Starfish", the song was written about an
Amsterdam music and cultural venue calledMelkweg (Dutch for "Milky Way"), which Kilbey used to frequent.The single was released in several configurations (7", double 7", 12", CD single), in many countries, with at least five different cover art designs. The main b-sides were "Musk" and "Warm Spell." Spanish versions added "Anna Miranda" and "Perfect Child."
Sheet music for "Under The Milky Way" was published by
Hal Leonard .A colorfully cinematic music video was filmed for the song; it is featured on The Church's video compilation "Goldfish (Jokes, Magic & Souvenirs)".
"Under The Milky Way" was included in the 2001 movie "
Donnie Darko ".In 2006, the song was performed with
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at theopening ceremony of the2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Lead singer Steve Kilbey said after the performance that it was as if the song was made for the occasion, though in his blog he was critical of the Commonwealth Games as an event [ [http://stevekilbey.blogspot.com/2006/03/games-people-play-noweverynight-n.html The Time Being: the games people play now...everynight n everyday now] ] .The song was recently covered by the Illinois band,
Kill Hannah , for their 2006 album,Until There's Nothing Left of Us .The Dear & Departed covered this song on their 2007 debut albumSomething Quite Peculiar , which was also named after a line from the song. And features guest vocals by Jess ofThe Veronicas .In September 2008 readers of The Weekend Australian Magazine voted it as the best Australian song of the last 20 years. [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24373840-16947,00.html The Australian: Milky Way judged the best song from down under] ]
Nicole Atkins covered this song on her 2008 album Nicole Atkins Digs Other People's Songs.References
External links
* [http://homepage.mac.com/fipster/church/singles/under-the-milky-way.html Discography entry for "UTMW", plus cover art photos]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/fipster/church/covers/church-covers.html Appearances of the song on compilations, and cover versions]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/fipster/church/audio/at40-church-intro.mp3 Mp3: song intro by Casey Kasem upon its entry into the U.S. charts; on Casey Kasem's American Top 40 (May 28, 1988)]�
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.