Always the Sun

Infobox Single
Name = Always the Sun


Caption =
Artist = The Stranglers
from Album = Dreamtime
A-side =
B-side = Norman Normal
Released = October 18 1986 (UK)
Format = Vinyl
Recorded =
Genre = Rock
Length =
Label = Epic Records
SOLAR 1
Writer =
Producer = The Stranglers
Certification =
Last single = "Nice in Nice"
(1986)
This single = "Always the Sun"
(1986)
Next single = "Big in America"
(1986)
Misc = "Always the Sun" was the Stranglers second single from the album "Dreamtime".

Overview

It is widely consideredwho|date=July 2008 as the Stranglers finest song recorded for CBS Who|date=August 2007. It was considered by the band, the record company, radio stations and music publications as a sure fire hit. One particular music publication said they were confident it would reach number 3 and it was the most played track on Radio 1 for two weeks running. Despite radio play and much hype, it only reached number 30 in the UK singles chart.However it was a hit in throughout Europe (#15 in France) and nearly broke Stranglers in America due to radio play. Dreamtime album was the only stranglers album to chart in the USA and did so due to the success of Always the Sun.
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 Hugh felt that CBS was somewhat to blame for this poor position.

Video

The video for Always The Sun show the Stranglers performing in a dark room, all on separate small stages with Hugh on the ground.

During the song, after Hugh sings "Who has the fun? Is it always a man with a gun", Hugh takes out a gun and shoots a badge(which is on the cover of the single) which then shatters.

Similarly, after Hugh sings "Who gets the job, of pushing the knob", he presses a button and a blinding white light engulfs the screen. The video ends as the band walk up a stairs, over a small mountain like obstacle into the sunlight. Hugh was involved in making the music video for Always The Sun, off-screen as well as on-screen. When the video was finished, the rest of the band thought its was terrible leading to a conflict between Hugh and the rest of the bandFact|date=July 2007.

Sunny Side Up Mix

Following Hugh Cornwell's departure from the band in 1990 Epic Records decided to release a greatest hits compilation.To promote this compilation Golden Brown was re-released. Following this a remix of "Always The Sun" was also released. The remix consisted of extra guitar work form new guitarist John Ellis and a slight variation in the music, although Hugh Cornwells original vocals was still used.

Like the original, the single got good airplay but this time peaked at #29, one place higher than the original (but still well short of its potential). Hugh Cornwell stated in his book "Song By Song" that he was not angered by the remix and that he was privileged that Epic Records thought Always The Sun was good enough to be re-released and felt that the band changed very little of the original recordings.