"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio.
It was originally released as a single by Frankie Valli in 1965 on the Smash label, but was more successful when recorded by The Walker Brothers in 1966. Cher and Keane have also recorded the song.
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli recorded and released the first version of the song but his single achieved only limited success, charting on Billboards Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart but not making the Hot 100 itself. Although it was recorded in a Four Seasons recording session (with the other group members at that time), it was Valli's first official "solo" single in over a decade.
The Walker Brothers
In 1966, The Walker Brothers released their remake as a single. Retitled "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore", this version met with much greater success than Valli's. It topped the UK Singles Chart,[3] and also became their highest rating song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S., where it peaked at #13.[4] The single also hit the top 10 in the Netherlands.
In 2010, the Walker Brothers version was used in the promotional trailer for the AMC television series The Walking Dead.
In 2012, the Walker Brothers version played a prominent role in the film Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.
Track listing
Chart positions
Cher
In the summer of 1996, Cher released her remake as the fourth official European single from her twenty-second album It's a Man's World. The song went to #26 on the UK Singles Chart. Her version was used in the X-Files episode "The Post-Modern Prometheus."
Critical reception
Allmusic called this song "a real highlight" and continued "epic and beautiful, complete with echoes of the Wild West."[11]
- Formats and track listings
UK CD Maxi-Single (WEA 071 CD)[12][13]
- "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" (Trevor Horn Remix)
- "Not Enough Love in the World" (Sam Ward Remix)
- "Paradise Is Here"
- Official versions
- Main Version (5:15)
- Demo Mix (4:51)
- Junior's Arena Anthem (Unreleased)(9:55)
- Junior's Arena Mixshow (Unreleased)(6:54)
- Trevor Horn Remix (4:03)
Charts
Chart (1996) |
Peak position |
Scottish Singles Chart[14] |
15 |
UK Singles Chart[15] |
26 |
Keane
In 2004, the British group Keane recorded a special version of this song. Unlike the original version, Tim Rice-Oxley, pianist and composer of Keane, changed the guitar for piano. He also takes the lead vocals in the second chorus, like the original version. The single was selected in summer 2004 by readers of the NME and first released as a download-only single in September 2004. The song was given for download to the War Child foundation website and one thousand vinyl copies given as a gift to some fans of Keane, who had supported and helped the band. The numbered copies each included a handwritten note by Tim Rice-Oxley, composer of the band and signed by the other two members, thanking them for their support.
- Track listing
- "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"
- "Your Eyes Open" (Mo Mental Remix)
Other versions
- Jay and the Americans released a cover version on their 1966 album, Livin Above Your Head.
- Neil Diamond, American pop music icon, recorded this song for his 1979 album September Morn.
- In 1981, Nielsen/Pearson released their remake as a single. It became their last Hot 100 hit, peaking at #56.
- German eurodisco band Chilly recorded a cover of this song for his 1982 album Secret Lies.
- British singer David Essex released a cover of this song on his 1989 album Touching The Ghost.
- Recorded by Air Supply in 1993 for his album "The Vanishing Race".
- Kommunity FK released a cover version of the song on their 2010 album La Santisima Muerte
- The Croatian rock group Dorian Gray released the cover version of this song in 1984, on Croatian language, with lyrics "Sjaj u tami".
Other notable artists who recorded this song include Jules Shear, Long John Baldry, Clarence Clemons, The Ides of March, The Lettermen (for their 1970 album Reflections), and Robson and Jerome. Alfie Boe and G4 have both released classical versions.
The song also features prominently in the 1991 bittersweet romance film Truly, Madly, Deeply, starring Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson, with Nina (Stevenson) playing the main chords in the chorus on the piano and Jamie (Rickman) playing the main riff on the bass strings of his cello, and both of them singing.[16] The singing of the song is a game the couple often played. The choice of this song in particular, given the events in the film, emphasize the poignancy of the lyric especially well.[17]
References
- ↑ "45cat - The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Any More / After The Lights Go Out - Philips - UK - BF 1473". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 98–100. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 589/590. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 1042/3. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
- ↑ "Discografie The Walker brothers". http://www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
- ↑ RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Top Singles - Volume 5, No. 16, June 13 1966
- ↑ "Discografie The Walker Brothers". 2003-2012 Hung Medien. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
- ↑ "musicline.de - The Walker Brothers: Single-Chartverfolgung". PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
- ↑ Jaclyn Ward (1962-10-01). "Irish Singles chart". www.irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ↑ "Discography The Walker brothers". http://www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
- ↑ Jose F. Promis (1996-06-25). "It's a Man's World - Cher | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ "Cher - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Single". Sites.google.com. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/Charts/scottish-singles-chart/19960811/41
- ↑ "CHER | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ "Truly, Madly, Deeply - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore". Comedy.videosift.com. 2009-05-10. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ↑ "Symbol". Moorestuff.us. 1995-04-01. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
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- Sherry & 11 Others (1962)
- The 4 Seasons Greetings (1962)
- Big Girls Don't Cry and Twelve Others (1963)
- The 4 Seasons Sing Ain't That a Shame and 11 Others (1963)
- Golden Hits of the 4 Seasons (1963)
- Dawn (1964)
- Rag Doll (1964)
- Born to Wonder (1964)
- Stay and Other Great Hits (1964)
- The 4 Seasons Sing Big Hits by Burt Bacharach... Hal David... Bob Dylan (1965)
- 4 Seasons Entertain You (1965)
- Lets Hang On (1965)
- Working My Way Back to You (1965)
- On Stage with The Four Seasons (1965)
- New Gold Hits (1967)
- The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette (1968)
- Edizione D'Oro (Gold Edition) (1968)
- Half and Half (1970)
- Chameleon (1972)
- Who Loves You (1975)
- Helicon (1977)
- The Very Best of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (2002)
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- Sandy Deanne
- Howie Kane
- Jay Reincke
- Marty Sanders
| | Studio albums |
- She Cried
- Come a Little Bit Closer
- Blockbusters
- Sunday and Me
- Livin' Above Your Head
- Try Some of This!
- Sands of Time
- Wax Museum
- Capture the Moment
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| Book:Jay and the Americans |
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