Black Stick

"Black Stick"
Single by The Cruel Sea
from the album The Honeymoon Is Over
B-side

"High Sheriff Of Calhoun Parish" (Tony Joe White)
"Momma Killed a Chicken" (John Lee Hooker)

"Crab Stick"
Released December 1992
Format CD Single
Recorded Planet Studios, Perth, Mid-1992
Genre Rock
Length 4:58
Label Red Eye
Writer(s) Rumour, Perkins
Producer(s) Tony Cohen and the Cruel Sea
The Cruel Sea singles chronology
"This Is Not the Way Home" (1992) "Black Stick" (1992) "Delivery Man" (1993)

"Black Stick" was a 1992 song from Australian rock band The Cruel Sea, and appeared on the album The Honeymoon Is Over. It was released as a single months before the album, reaching number 25 in the Australian charts.[1][2]

Details

The Cruel Sea had recently completed a tour of Europe supporting Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The song was produced the band and Tony Cohen. Cohen said, "I was mixing the same song for three days, perfecting it, and it worked. It was a hit. They [later] said, 'Sorry, now we understand what you were trying to do.' I was just trying to make it so radio friendly, they had to play it, and it worked. The apologies were gracefully accepted."[3]

One song on the B-side, "Crab Stick", is an instrumental version of the A-side. "High Sheriff of Calhoun Parish" is a cover of a Tony Joe White song that spent 18 weeks in the Australian charts in 1970.[4] "Momma Killed a Chicken" was written by John Lee Hooker, and most commonly known by the title "Bottle Up and Go". Both covers were produced by The Cruel Sea and Brett Stanton, who was the assistant engineer on the main song.[5]

Reception

Reviewed in Australian rock magazine Juke at the time of release, it was claimed that, "Adding a syncopated rhythm groove to their already stunning, subtle, string-driven post-spaghetti-western soundscape, this unique musical entity continue their evolution into excellence."[6] The Age called it, "a rap-surf gem."[7]

"Black Stick" was the first single by the band to chart. Although released in December 1992, the song did not reach the top 50 until March 1993 and did not peak until May. It remained in the charts for 16 weeks.[1] It also reached number 21 in the 1993 Hottest 100, the second highest placing by an Australian act after their own song, "The Honeymoon is Over".[8]

"Black Stick" was nominated for Best Song at the ARIA Music Awards of 1994, but was again pipped by "The Honeymoon is Over".[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "australian-charts.com > Discography The Cruel Sea". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  2. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  3. ↑ Clinton Walker (1996). Stranded: The Secret History of Australian Independent Music 1977–1991. Pan MacMillan. p. 202. ISBN 0-7329-0883-3.
  4. ↑ "ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts - 1970". Australian Charts. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02.
  5. ↑ Black Stick (Media notes). 1992.
  6. ↑ "Cruel Sea - Black Stick". Juke Magazine. March 1993. p. 42.
  7. ↑ Patrick Donovan (7 August 1998). "Sticky Carpet". The Age. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "hottest 100 1993". ABC. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 1994: 8th Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 13 June 2012.
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