The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)

"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)"
Single by Frankie Valli
from the album Solo
B-side	"This Is Goodbye"
Released	August 1965
Format	7" single
Recorded	July 1965
Genre	Rock
Length	3:26
Label	Smash
Writer(s)	Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio
Producer(s)	Bob Crewe
Frankie Valli singles chronology
"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" (1965) "(You're Gonna) Hurt Yourself" (1966)

"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 Billboard 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

"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"
Single by The Walker Brothers
from the album The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
B-side	"After the Lights Go Out"
Released	15 February 1966[1]
Format	7"
Recorded	9 January 1966, Philips Studios, Stanhope Place, London
Genre	Baroque pop[2]
Length	3:02
Label	Philips BF 1473[3] Smash Records (U.S.)
Writer(s)	Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio[3]
Producer(s)	Johnny Franz, Ivor Raymonde[3]
Certification	Gold (BPI)
The Walker Brothers singles chronology
"My Ship Is Coming In" (1965) "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" (1966) I Need You EP (1966)

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,^[4] and also became their highest rating song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S., where it peaked at #13.^[5] 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. It was featured the following year in the film Stoker.

In 2013, the single's b-side "After the Lights Go Out", played over the end-credits of the Canadian-Spanish psychological thriller film; Enemy.

Track listing

Philips - BF 1473 / Smash Records S-2032
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"	Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio	3:17
2.	"After the Lights Go Out"	John Stewart	4:01

Chart positions

Chart (1966)	Peak position
Belgium Ultratop singles chart[6]	15
Canadian RPM Top Singles[7]	2
Germany Media Control singles chart[8]	4
Netherlands[9]	9
New Zealand (Listener)[10]	7
Irish Singles Chart[11]	5
Norway VG-lista singles chart[12]	6
UK Singles Chart[4]	1
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	13

Cher version

"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)"
Single by Cher
from the album It's a Man's World
Released	August 1996 (Europe only)
Recorded	1995
Genre	Pop rock
Length	5:13
Label	WEA
Producer(s)	Trevor Horn
Cher singles chronology
"Not Enough Love in the World" (1996) "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" (1996) "Paradise Is Here" (1996) Audio sample file info · help

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."^[13]

Formats and track listings

UK CD Maxi-Single (WEA 071 CD)^[14][15]

1. "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" (Trevor Horn Remix)
2. "Not Enough Love in the World" (Sam Ward Remix)
3. "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
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[16]	15
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[17]	26

Keane

"The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"
Single by Keane
Released	20 April 2005
Format	7" Vinyl, Digital download
Recorded	Helioscentric Studios, Rye, East Sussex
Genre	Piano rock
Length	3:31
Label	War Child music
Writer(s)	Bob Crewe-Bob Gaudio-Tim Rice-Oxley
Producer(s)	Alex Lake Nathan Thomas
Keane singles chronology
"This Is the Last Time" (2004) "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" (2005) "Bend and Break" (2005)

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 from Tim Rice-Oxley, also signed by the other two members, thanking them for their support.

Track listing

1. "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"
2. "Your Eyes Open" (Mo Mental Remix)

Other versions

• Jay and the Americans released a cover version on their 1966 album, Livin Above Your Head.
• American singer Neil Diamond 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 their 1982 album Secret Lies.
• The Croatian rock group Dorian Gray released the cover version of this song in 1984, on Croatian language, with lyrics "Sjaj u tami".
• British singer David Essex released a cover of this song on his 1989 album Touching The Ghost.
• Recorded by Air Supply in 1993 for their album "The Vanishing Race".
• British actor/singer duo Robson & Jerome recorded the song on their 1995 album Robson & Jerome.
• Kommunity FK released a cover version of the song on their 2010 album La Santisima Muerte.

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.^[18] 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.^[19]

References

1. "45cat - The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Any More / After The Lights Go Out - Philips - UK - BF 1473". 45cat. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
2. "Scott free". The Age. 21 May 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
3. 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.
4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 589/590. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
5. Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 1042/3. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
6. "Discografie The Walker brothers". ultratop.be. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
7. RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Top Singles - Volume 5, No. 16, June 13 1966
8. "musicline.de - The Walker Brothers: Single-Chartverfolgung". PHONONET GmbH. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
9. "Discografie The Walker Brothers". 2003-2012 Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
10. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
11. Jaclyn Ward (1 October 1962). "Irish Singles chart". www.irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
12. "Discography The Walker brothers". ultratop.be. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
13. Jose F. Promis (25 June 1996). "It's a Man's World - Cher | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
14. "Cher - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
15. "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Single". Sites.google.com. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
16. "Archive Chart: 11 August 1996". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
17. "Cher: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
18. "Truly, Madly, Deeply - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore". Comedy.videosift.com. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
19. "Symbol". Moorestuff.us. 1 April 1995. Retrieved 6 April 2014.