Goodbye Cruel World (Shakespears Sister song)

"Goodbye Cruel World"
Single by Shakespear's Sister
from the album Hormonally Yours
Released 1991
Format 7" single
CD single
Cassette
Genre Pop, pop-punk
Label London Records
Writer(s) Siobhan Fahey
Steve Ferrera
Manu Guiot
Producer Alan Moulder
Shakespear's Sister singles chronology
"Dirty Mind"
(1990)		 "Goodbye Cruel World"
(1991)		 "Stay"
(1992)
Alternative cover
1992 reissue cover
"I Don't Care"
(1992)
"Goodbye Cruel World"
(1992)
"Hello (Turn Your Radio On)"
(1992)

"Goodbye Cruel World" is a song by female duo Shakespears Sister. It was written by group member Siobhan Fahey, Fahey's husband Dave Stewart (under the pseudonym Manu Guiot), and American drummer Steve Ferrera. Marcella Detroit did not co-write the song due to being heavily pregnant at the time, and only contributed vocals. The song's title is not cited in the lyics.

Released in October 1991, it was the first single off their second album Hormonally Yours. The single failed to gain much radio airplay and was not a success, peaking at #59 in the UK. It was, however, the group's first charting single on the American charts, peaking at #22 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

In the wake of the group's success with Stay, the song was re-released as a two-part CD single set in the UK as the album's fourth single in July 1992, in a slightly remixed form and with a new single cover art. This time it was a better success, peaking at #32 in the UK.

The music video, directed by Sophie Muller, was critically acclaimed and depicts Fahey and Detroit spoofing classic melodramas such as Sunset Boulevard and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and also referencing Citizen Kane. The song was used in the 2009 Uma Thurman comedy "Motherhood".

Charts

Chart (1991) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 59
Chart (1992) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 32
U.S. Modern Rock Tracks 22

Track listing

1991 release

7" single

  1. "Goodbye Cruel World" (Original Lp Version) - (4:06)
  2. "Black Sky" (LP Version) - (4:16)

CD single

  1. "Goodbye Cruel World" (Original Lp Version) - (4:06)
  2. "Black Sky" (The Black Widow Mix) - (5:51)
  3. "You're History" - (4:31)

12" single

  1. "Goodbye Cruel World" (Original Lp Version) - (4:06)
  2. "Black Sky" (LP Version) - (4:16)
  3. "Black Sky" (The Black Widow Mix) - (5:51)
    Remixed by Alan Moulder
    Edited by Razor Tong
  4. "Black Sky" (The Black Dub) - (4:32)
    Remixed by Alan Moulder
    Edited by Razor Tong

1992 release

7" single

  1. "Goodbye Cruel World" (Remix) - (4:03)
  2. "Moonchild" - (4:27)

UK Limited Edition CD 1 Single LONCD322

  1. "Goodbye Cruel World" (Remix) - (4:03)
  2. "Moonchild" - (4:27)
  3. "Are We In Love Yet" (Live) - (3:42)

UK CD 2 Single LOCDP322

  1. "Goodbye Cruel World" (Remix) - (4:03)
  2. "Stay" (Acoustic Version) - (3:47)
  3. "Black Sky" (The Green Eyed Dub) - (5:54)
  4. "Break My Heart" (You Really) (Acidic Mix) - (6:24)

German CD single

  1. "Goodbye Cruel World" (Remix) - (4:03)
  2. "Moonchild" - (4:27)
  3. "Stay" (Acoustic Version) - (3:47)

Personnel

Shakespear's Sister

Additional Personnel

Shakespears Sister
Albums
EPs
It's A Trip · Dancing Barefoot
Compilations
Singles
"Break My Heart (You Really)" · "Heroine" · "You're History" · "Run Silent" · "Dirty Mind" · "Goodbye Cruel World" · "Stay" · "I Don't Care" · "Hello (Turn Your Radio On)" · "My 16th Apology" · "I Can Drive" · "It's a Trip" · "Someone Else's Girl" · "Really Saying Something"
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