Under the Sun (Paul Kelly album)

1987 studio album by Paul Kelly

Under the Sun

Studio album by

Paul Kelly

Released| November 1987
Genre| Australian Rock
Length| 45:14
Label| Mushroom/White (Australia)
A&M (U.S.)
Producer| Alan Thorne and Paul Kelly except Dumb Things, produced by Martin Armiger and Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly chronology
| Gossip
(1986)  | Under the Sun
(1987)  | So Much Water So Close to Home
(1989)

|
|

Singles from  Under the Sun

1. "To Her Door"
Released: September 1987
2. "Forty Miles to Saturday Night"
Released: February 1988
3. "Don't Stand So Close to the Window"
Released: May 1988
4. "Dumb Things"
Released: 1988

Under the Sun

1988 North American/European release (A&M Records)

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [1]
Robert Christgau| B[3]
Rolling Stone| [2]

Under the Sun is the second album by Australian rock group Paul Kelly & The Coloured Girls and was originally released in December 1987 by Mushroom Records.[4][5] In the North American and European markets, it was released by A&M Records in 1988 with the band credited as Paul Kelly & The Messengers, with a different track order and listing.[5]

On the Australian albums charts, it peaked at #19, with the single "To Her Door" peaking at #14.[6][7] Another single, "Dumb Things," peaked at #36 in early 1989 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) singles charts;[7] it reached #16 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.[8] The song was included in the soundtrack for the 1988 Yahoo Serious film Young Einstein.[9]

"To Her Door" won an ARIA Award in 1988 for 'Best Video' directed by Claudia Castle.[10][11] In 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) listed the Top 30 Australian songs of all time,[12] including "To Her Door," written by Kelly.[13]

## Background

[edit]

After relocating from Melbourne to Sydney in 1985, Paul Kelly began to play and record with a full-time band, which included Michael Armiger on bass guitar, Michael Barclay on drums, Steve Connolly on guitar, eventually bassist Jon Schofield, and keyboardist Peter Bull joined.[5] Through a joke based on Lou Reed's song "Walk on the Wild Side", the band became known as Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls.[4][14] In September 1986 the band released their debut double LP Gossip.[5] Due to possible racist connotations the band changed its name, for international releases, to Paul Kelly and the Messengers.[4][14] They made an American tour, initially supporting Crowded House and then head-lining, travelling across the United States by bus.[4] Jon Schofield replaced Armiger on bass guitar, Chris Coyne on tenor saxophone and Chris Wilson on harmonica

On the Australian albums charts, it peaked at #19 with the single "To Her Door" peaking at #14.[6][7] First single from the album, "Bradman," had been released in January 1987 as a double-A side with "Leaps and Bounds" from Gossip but had little chart success.[6][7] The third and fourth singles, "Forty Miles to Saturday Night" and "Don't Stand So Close to the Window" also had little chart success.[6][7] Another single, "Dumb Things," peaked at #36 in early 1989 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) singles charts;[7] it reached #16 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.[8] The song was included in the soundtrack for the 1988 Yahoo Serious film Young Einstein.[9]

In 1988, "To Her Door" won an ARIA Award for 'Best Video' directed by Claudia Castle.[10][11] In 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) listed the Top 30 Australian songs of all time,[12] including "To Her Door," written by Kelly.[13]

"Desdemona" was featured in an episode of the Australian TV show Packed To The Rafters.

## Track listing

[edit]

All tracks written by Paul Kelly unless otherwise indicated.[13]

Original Australian LP/MC release

1. "Dumb Things" (aka "I've Done all the Dumb Things) – 2:31
2. "Same Old Walk" – 4:08
3. "Big Heart" – 3:22
4. "Don't Stand So Close to the Window" (Paul Kelly, A McGregor) – 2:35
5. "Forty Miles to Saturday Night" – 3:11
6. "I Don't Remember a Thing" – 2:04
7. "Know Your Friends" – 3:37
8. "To Her Door" – 3:18
9. "Under the Sun" – 4:18
10. "Untouchable" – 2:04
11. "Desdemona" – 3:46
12. "Happy Slave" – 2:30
13. "Crosstown" – 2:23
14. "Bicentennial" – 3:04

Bonus tracks for Australian CD release

1.   2. "Bradman" – 7:26
3. "Pastures of Plenty" (Woody Guthrie) – 2:26

North American/European release

1. "Dumb Things" – 2:31 ^^
2. "Same Old Walk" – 4:08
3. "Big Heart" – 3:22
4. "Don't Stand So Close to the Window" (Paul Kelly, A McGregor) – 2:35
5. "Forty Miles to Saturday Night" – 3:11 ^^
6. "Untouchable" – 2:04
7. "Know Your Friends" – 3:37
8. "To Her Door" – 3:18 ^^
9. "Under the Sun" – 4:18
10. "Desdemona" – 2:07
11. "Happy Slave" – 3:46
12. "Crosstown" – 2:30
13. "Little Decisions" – 2:25
14. "Bicentennial" – 3:04

(^^) The European release featured slightly different mixes of these tracks.

## Personnel

[edit]

Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls

* Paul Kelly -- acoustic guitar, vocals
* Michael Barclay -- drums, vocals
* Peter Bull -- keyboards
* Steve Connolly -- guitar (electric), vocals
* Jon Schofield -- bass guitar

Additional musicians

* Chris Coyne -- saxophone (tenor)
* Chris Wilson -- harmonica, vocals, saxophone (baritone)
* Jessica Kenny -- vocals (on "Window")
* Joe Camilleri -- saxophone (tenor) (on "Know Your Friends")
* Steve Miller -- tin whistle (on "Window")
* Lucky Oceans -- guitar (steel)
* Ian Simpson -- banjo (on "Happy Slave")

Recording details

* Producer -- Alan Thorne and Paul Kelly except "Dumb Things", produced by Martin Armiger and Paul Kelly
* Engineer -- Alan Thorne
* Assistant engineer -- Kathy Naunton
* Recording & mixing studio -- Alberts and Trafalgar Studios

Art work

* Design -- Melanie Nissen
* Photography -- Francine McDougall (cover photo), Isabel Snyder

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (1987/88)  | Peak
position

|

Australian (Kent Music Report)[15] | 19
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[16] | 25

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[17] | Platinum  | 70,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Format | Country | Label | Catalogue No. | Year

|
|
|
|

LP/CD/Cassette  | AUS  | Mushroom  | RML 53248  | November 1987
LP/CD  | USA  | A&M Records  | SP 5157  | 1988
CD  | Germany  | A&M  | 396979-1  | 1988
CD  | AUS  | Mushroom/White  | MUSH322812  | 1997

## References

[edit]

1. ^ AllMusic review
2. ^ Rolling Stone magazine review
3. ^ Christgau, Robert (14 March 1989). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
4. ^ a b c d McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Paul Kelly'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
5. ^ a b c d Holmgren, Magnus. "Paul Kelly". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
6. ^ a b c d Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. ^ a b c d e f "Discography Paul Kelly". Australian Charts Portal. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
8. ^ a b "Billboard singles charts". allmusic. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
9. ^ a b "Young Einstein (1988) soundtrack". Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved 18 August 2008.
10. ^ a b "ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Artist search result". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
11. ^ a b Garcia, Alex S. (2008). "Paul Kelly - artist videography". mvdbase.com. Retrieved 19 August 2008.
12. ^ a b Kruger, Debbie (2 May 2001). "The songs that resonate through the years" (PDF). Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 25 August 2008.
13. ^ a b c "Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) search engine". APRA. Retrieved 12 October 2008. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. DUMB THINGS
14. ^ a b Jenkins, Jeff; Ian Meldrum (2007). Molly Meldrum presents 50 years of rock in Australia. Melbourne, Vic.: Wilkinson Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921332-11-1. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
15. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 164\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
16. ^ "Charts.nz – Paul Kelly – Under the Sun". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
17. ^ McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (doc). Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Retrieved 26 August 2008.

* v
* t
* e

Paul Kelly

* Discography
* Awards and nominations
* Bands and accompanying musicians

Studio albums|

* Talk
* Manila
* Post
* Gossip
* Under the Sun
* So Much Water So Close to Home
* Comedy
* Hidden Things
* Wanted Man
* Deeper Water
* Words and Music
* Smoke
* Nothing But a Dream
* Ways & Means
* Foggy Highway
* Stardust Five
* Stolen Apples
* Spring and Fall
* The Merri Soul Sessions
* Seven Sonnets & a Song
* Death's Dateless Night
* Life Is Fine
* Nature
* Thirteen Ways to Look at Birds
* Please Leave Your Light On
* Paul Kelly's Christmas Train
* Fever Longing Still

Compilation / live albums|

* Live, May 1992
* Live at the Continental and the Esplanade
* Songs from the South
* Songs from the South – Volume 2
* The A to Z Recordings
* Conversations with Ghosts
* Goin' Your Way
* Live at the Sydney Opera House
* Songs from the South: 1985–2019

EPs|

* How to Make Gravy
* Roll on Summer
* Paul Kelly Exclusive CD
* Won't You Come Around

Singles|

* "Billy Baxter"
* "From St Kilda to Kings Cross"
* "Before Too Long"
* "Darling It Hurts"
* "Leaps and Bounds"/"Bradman"
* "To Her Door"
* "Dumb Things"
* "Sweet Guy"
* "Careless"
* "Last Train"
* "How to Make Gravy"
* "God Told Me To"
* "Every Day My Mother's Voice"

Score / soundtrack albums|

* Seven Deadly Sins: Music from the ABC TV Series
* Everynight ... Everynight
* One Night the Moon: Original Soundtrack
* Lantana: Music for the Feature Film
* Silent Partner
* Fireflies: Songs of Paul Kelly
* Tom White
* Jindabyne

Related articles|

* Professor Ratbaggy
* Stardust Five
* Paul Kelly – Stories of Me
* Before Too Long: Triple J's Tribute to Paul Kelly

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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