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*In 2008, the german band Atrocity made a new version of this song that appears in the album "Werk 80 II".
*In 2008, the german band Atrocity made a new version of this song that appears in the album "Werk 80 II".
*[[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]] New Zealand relaunched on [[11 October]] [[2008]] with the song as it's new network theme.
*[[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]] New Zealand relaunched on [[11 October]] [[2008]] with the song as it's new network theme.
*Alternative/indie band [[Bloc Party]] performed a cover of the song during their Brisbane show in 2008.


==Chart==
==Chart==

Revision as of 23:16, 30 November 2008

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
Song
B-side"Driftwood"

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is a song by Norwegian band a-ha, from their debut album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985. It stayed at number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1986. The single was re-released in 2003 with some minor success in Eastern Europe. The single has been certified Gold in the UK.

Origin and recording

Paul said

"… we wrote 'The Sun Always Shines On T.V.,' that Andrew Wickham's secretary felt was a hit. She convinced him to make room for it. When we recorded it, we were really sick with influenza. Magne and Morten were lying in the studio on camping beds with high fevers."[2]

Release and Reception

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was released in the spring of 1985 and became the most successful song from Hunting High and Low with "Take On Me" on the rock charts and one of the band's most recognizable and popular songs. The song peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the British Singles Chart. The song was a-ha's last Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hit, peaking at #20 on the Hot 100.

Tim DeGravine of Allmusic called the song "

The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is just as thrilling. Starting as a sad ballad, it explodes into something much more, as chugging guitars and operatic synths keep pace with Harket's evocative vocal stylings. If ever a 1980s song qualified as Wall of Sound, "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." would be it."[3]

A-ha performed this song at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 1998 along side the new song, "Summer Moved On."[3]

Music video

The music video opens with a continuation of the "Take on Me" video, featuring rotoscoped animation.

The love story between Morten Harket and Bunty Bailey is given an unexpectedly bitter end. The two lovers are admiring each other in a dark forest when Harket's hand starts reverting to its animated state. Soon enough, his whole body is consumed by the animation. Hunched over, Harket sees his beloved for the last time as she bites her lip, knowing that she will never see him again. After exchanging painful glances, Harket runs into the distance and a blue explosion swallows him up, sending him back to his comic book world. The girl is left all alone in the forest.

Only at this point does the song begin, and the rest of the video has a-ha performing in an English cathedral "accompanied" by mannequins. It is located in London, England.[3]

Live version

A live version of "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was the first and only single to be taken from the a-ha album How Can I Sleep With Your Voice In My Head. The original version of the song appeared on their first album Hunting High and Low. The live music video was directed by Lauren Savoy .

Track listing

  1. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (Live - Single Edit)
  2. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (Live - Album version)
  3. "Scoundrel Days" (Live)
  4. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (Live) (Video Clip)

Covers

  • The Norwegian Thrash/Black metal band Susperia has covered this song on the Devil May Care EP.
  • Delays, an indie band formed in Southampton, England covered this song which appeared on a Q magazine promotional CD.
  • Milk Inc, a dance band from Belgium, covered this song in 2003.
  • Dance versions were also released by Diva in 1995, Ellen Lu Trelle in 1999, and Mario Lopez in 2001.
  • The Electro-Industrial band In Strict Confidence covered this song in 2005.
  • Eurovision winner Dana International covered this song in the early 2000s.
  • British singer Morrissey sung a section from the song, acapella, at a concert in 2004.
  • In 2008, the german band Atrocity made a new version of this song that appears in the album "Werk 80 II".
  • TV3 New Zealand relaunched on 11 October 2008 with the song as it's new network theme.
  • Alternative/indie band Bloc Party performed a cover of the song during their Brisbane show in 2008.

Chart

[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][14]

Year Chart Peak Certifications
1985 US Billboard Hot 100 20
Norwegian Singles Chart 2
Swedish Singles Chart 2
Austrian Singles Chart 8
Swiss Singles Chart 7
British Singles Chart 1 UK: Gold[16]
Irish Singles Chart 1
French Singles Chart 10
German Singles Chart 5
Italian Singles Chart 11
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 5
2003 Hungarian Singles Chart 9
Preceded by UK number one single
January 25 1986 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ The Bpi
  2. ^ The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
  3. ^ a b c Allmusic
  4. ^ "Norwegian Singles Chart". VG-lista. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  5. ^ "American Single Charts". VG-lista. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  6. ^ "American Single Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  7. ^ "British Single Chart". UK Top 40. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  8. ^ "Swedish Singles Chart". Hitlista. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  9. ^ "French Singles Chart". Palmares. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  10. ^ "Austrian Singles Chart". Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  11. ^ "Swiss Singles Chart". Schweizer Hitparade. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  12. ^ "Irish Singles Chart". The Irish Chart. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  13. ^ "German Singles Chart". Charts-Surfer. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  14. ^ a b "Italian Singles Chart". hitparadeitalia. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  15. ^ Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales
  16. ^ British Certifications
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