Always (Erasure song)

"Always"
Single by Erasure
from the album I Say I Say I Say
B-side "Tragic"
Released 11 April 1994
Format
Recorded 1994
Genre Synthpop
Length 3:57
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Martyn Ware
Erasure singles chronology
"Who Needs Love Like That"
(1992)		 "Always"
(1994)		 "Run to the Sun"
(1994)

"Always" is a synthpop ballad by British group Erasure. It was released in 1994 as the first single from their sixth studio album I Say I Say I Say. Mute Records issued the single in the UK, while Elektra Records released it in the U.S. "Always" was written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, and is produced by Martyn Ware.

The song is built on the synthesized harmony of Clarke and Bell's subdued vocals and lyrics.

The song's chorus is in 17/4 time signature.

The song quickly became Erasure's 13th Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number four. In the United States, the single became Erasure's third Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 20, six years after their last major U.S. pop hit. On the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, "Always" climbed to number six.

Appearances

The 2009 mix of the song (found on Pop! Remixed and on Total Pop! The First 40 Hits) is featured in the Robot Unicorn Attack video game.

The song has been covered live as an intro piece by synthpop musician MNDR.

In 2012 the synthpop band Xiu Xiu covered the song for a Record Store Day single.

Track listings

7" single (MUTE152), cassette single (CMUTE152)

  1. "Always"
  2. "Tragic"

12" single (12MUTE152)

  1. "Always"
  2. "Tragic"
  3. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix)
  4. "Always" (Microbots Trance Dance Mix)

12" promotional single (Elektra ED5686)

  1. "Always" (Extended Mix) - 6:12
  2. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix) - 7:13
  3. "Always" (Microbots Trance Dance Mix) - 4:33
  4. "Always" (Hey Mix) - 6:26

CD Single #1 (CDMUTE152)

  1. "Always"
  2. "Always" (Extended Mix)
  3. "Tragic"

CD Single #2 (LCDMUTE152)

  1. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix)
  2. "Always" (Microbots Trance Dance Mix)
  3. "Always" (Microbots In Your Brain Mix)
  4. "Always" (Hey Mix)

U.S. maxi-single (66225-2)

  1. "Always" (7" Mix)
  2. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix)
  3. "Always" (Hey Mix)
  4. "Tragic"

Charts

Chart (1994) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[1] 78
Austrian Singles Chart[2] 2
Canadian Singles Chart[3] 19
Finnish Singles Chart[4] 3
German Singles Chart[5] 5
Irish Singles Chart[6] 1
Italian Singles Chart[7] 25
Spanish Singles Chart[8] 8
Swedish Singles Chart[9] 2
Swiss Singles Chart[10] 23
UK Singles Chart[11] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 20
US Dance/Club Play Singles[12] 6
US Hot Dance Music Sales[13] 21
US Top 40 Mainstream Chart[12] 8

Music Video

The music video features Bell in a Chinese scroll painting-inspired backdrop; it was directed by the French filmmaker Jan Kounen. It premiered in 1994 with the song, and has been viewed over 15 million times on YouTube.

The video has a marked B-Film feeling, with many noticeable blunders:[14]

  • Bell's costume has no relation to the oriental theme, the golden skullcap he's wearing bears more resemblance to a rugby scrum cap than anything else.
  • During Bell's backflips, reflections can be seen from the cables supporting him.
  • During the backflip scenes, the actress is holding a modern-day plastic watering can, complete with white plastic cap.
  • The last backflip is incorrectly sequenced. The character lands in a standing position, and in the next scene rises from a lying position.
  • In the monster scenes, human hands are clearly visible under the claws.

In the final scenes, a photo of Vince Clarke can be seen mounted on a wooden cross. The photo has comically large eyebrows.

References

  1. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  2. ↑ Steffen Hung (2010-12-30). "Austria Top 40 - Hitparade Österreich". austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  3. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2557". RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  4. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-31-2503-5.
  5. ↑ musicline.de / PhonoNet GmbH. "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  6. ↑ Jaclyn Ward (1962-10-01). "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  7. ↑ Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: E Archived October 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-639-2.
  9. ↑ Steffen Hung (2005-03-10). "Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  10. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". swisscharts.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  11. ↑ "UK Singles & Albums Chart Archive". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  12. 1 2 3 "Music News, Reviews, Articles, Information, News Online & Free Music". Billboard.com. 2011-02-07. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  13. ↑ "AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  14. ↑ ""Always" by Erasure, a detailed study - Information Specialists". Information Specialists. 2017-10-15. Retrieved 2017-10-15.
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