Sister Europe

1980 single by The Psychedelic Furs

"Sister Europe"

Single by the Psychedelic Furs
from the album  The Psychedelic Furs
Released| February 1980
Recorded| 1979
Studio| RAK (London)
Length| 5:38
Label|

* CBS (UK)
* Columbia (US)

Songwriter(s)|

* John Ashton
* Tim Butler
* Richard Butler
* Vince Ely
* Duncan Kilburn
* Roger Morris

Producer(s)| Steve Lillywhite
The Psychedelic Furs singles chronology
| "We Love You"
(1979)  | "Sister Europe"
(1980)  | "Mr. Jones"
(1980)

|
|

Music video
"Sister Europe" on YouTube

"Sister Europe" is a song by the English rock band the Psychedelic Furs, taken from the band's debut studio album, The Psychedelic Furs (1980). Written by the band and produced by Steve Lillywhite, it was released in February 1980 by CBS Records as the album's second single.

The Psychedelic Furs traditionally opened their live shows with "Sister Europe" during the early part of their career.[1]

## Composition

[edit]

Lead vocalist Richard Butler recalled Lillywhite's directions to him regarding the vocals: "He told me, 'Go down to the pub, have a couple of beers, and when you come back, I want you to sing like it's three in the morning, and you're talking on the telephone to someone'".[1] According to Butler, the lyrics conveyed sadness over his then-girlfriend moving away, and were written using imagery, "instead of saying 'My bird's gone to Italy and I miss her'".[1]

## Release

[edit]

"Sister Europe" was first released as a single in the UK in February 1980. The initial 7-inch release was on the Epic label, but this was withdrawn and replaced by a CBS version. Both releases had the unusual feature of a double A-side featuring two versions of the song, short (3:45) and long (4:13).[2] In the US, the song was not released as a single but was used as the B-side for Columbia's 12-inch promo single of "We Love You".[3]

An official music video was produced in 1980, directed by the British filmmakers Don Letts and Mick Calvert.[4]

## Critical reception

[edit]

In The Rough Guide to Rock, writer Alex Ogg called it "an intoxicating song that announced the group's distinctive style", comparing it to the Velvet Underground mixed with David Bowie.[5]

AllMusic writer Dave Thompson described Butler's vocal as "a masterpiece of understatement, whispered intimacy".[1] The Record Mirror said, "Unpromising start is saved by some "Man Who Sold The World" vocals. In fact, the vocals are the only interesting bit of this, which sets a heavy atmosphere that I find really listenable."[6]

The single reached No. 47 on the New Zealand charts.[7]

The song and its production were a direct influence on the Replacements' 1983 song "Within Your Reach", one of Paul Westerberg's first efforts to compose outside the group's hardcore mien.[8]

## Cover versions

[edit]

The American rock band the Foo Fighters released a cover version of "Sister Europe" as the B-side to their 2002 single "All My Life," which also appeared as a bonus track on the French release of the band's fourth studio album One by One,[9] and on their 01020225 EP released in 2019 as part of their "Foo Files" archival series.[10]

## Track listing

[edit]

7" vinyl

1. "Sister Europe" – 4:13
2. "****" – 3:45

12" vinyl (US promo)

1. "We Love You" – 3:26
2. "Sister Europe" – 5:39

## Chart performance

[edit]

Chart (1980)  | Peak
position

|

New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart[7] | 47

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Thompson, Dave. ""Sister Europe" - Review". AllMusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-01-31.
2. ^ Thompson, Dave (2004). Beautiful Chaos: The Psychedelic Furs. London: Helter Skelter Publishing. p. 199\. ISBN 978-1-900924-47-4.
3. ^ Thompson 2004, p. 204
4. ^ Thompson 2004, p. 214
5. ^ Buckley, Peter, ed. (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to More than 1200 Artists and Bands (3rd ed.). London: Rough Guides. pp. 826. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0.
6. ^ Simon Ludgate (9 February 1980). "Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror.
7. ^ a b "Charts - The Psychedelic Furs - 'Sister Europe'". Ultratop. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
8. ^ Mehr, Bob (2016). Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements. Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780306825361.
9. ^ "'All My Life' - Overview". AllMusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-01-31.
10. ^ Arcand, Rob (October 12, 2019). "'Foo Fighters' New 01020225 EP Features Some Surprising Covers'". SPIN. Retrieved October 16, 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* "Sister Europe" at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

The Psychedelic Furs

* Richard Butler
* Tim Butler
* Rich Good
* Amanda Kramer
* Zack Alford

* Duncan Kilburn
* Roger Morris
* Paul Wilson
* John Ashton
* Vince Ely
* Mars Williams

Studio albums|

* The Psychedelic Furs
* Talk Talk Talk
* Forever Now
* Mirror Moves
* Midnight to Midnight
* Book of Days
* World Outside
* Made of Rain

Compilation albums|

* All of This and Nothing
* Should God Forget: A Retrospective

Live albums|

* Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live

Singles|

* "Sister Europe"
* "Dumb Waiters"
* "Pretty in Pink"
* "Love My Way"
* "Heaven"
* "The Ghost in You"
* "Heartbreak Beat"
* "All That Money Wants"
* "Until She Comes"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Love Spit Love

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

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