Sunflower (Paul Weller song)

"Sunflower" is a song by British singer-songwriter Paul Weller, released in July 1993 by Go! Discs as the first single from his second solo album, Wild Wood (1993).^[2][3] The song was written by Weller and co-produced by him with Brendan Lynch. It peaked at No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart upon its release.^[4]

"Sunflower"
Single by Paul Weller
from the album Wild Wood
B-side	"Kosmos SXDub 2000" "Bull-Rush/Magic Bus" (live) "That Spiritual Feeling" (new mix)
Released	5 July 1993 (1993-07-05)[1]
Length	4:11
Label	Go! Discs
Songwriter(s)	Paul Weller
Producer(s)	Brendan Lynch Paul Weller
Paul Weller singles chronology
"Above the Clouds" (1992) "Sunflower" (1993) "Wild Wood" (1993)
Music video
"Sunflower" on YouTube

Critical reception

Adam Higginbotham from Select complimented the song as "ace".^[5] Uncut magazine called "Sunflower" a "shaggy, psychedelic exocet", placing it 23rd in its list of Weller's 30 best songs.^[6] The Guardian ranked it at number 11 in its list of Weller's top 30 tracks, stating that "more than any song, (it) set Weller's course in the 90s", and describing it as "a twitchy cocktail of Low Spark of High Heeled Boys-era Traffic and soul".^[7]

Track listings

• CD and 12-inch single^[8][9]

1. "Sunflower"
2. "Kosmos SXDub 2000"
3. "Bull-Rush/Magic Bus" (live at the Royal Albert Hall, London, October 1992)
4. "That Spiritual Feeling" (new mix)

• 7-inch, cassette, and mini-CD single^[10][11][12]

1. "Sunflower"
2. "Bull-Rush/Magic Bus" (live at the Royal Albert Hall, London, October 1992)

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13]	62
UK Singles (OCC)[14]	16
UK Airplay (Music Week)[15]	29

References

1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 3 July 1993. p. 19.
2. "BBC Two - Later... with Jools Holland, Series 40 Live, Episode 1, Paul Weller - Sunflower (Later Archive 1993)". BBC. London, U.K.: BBC. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
3. ""Sunflower" de Paul Weller :Clip :MTV France". www.mtv.fr. France: MTV France. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
4. "Paul Weller - Official Charts". official charts.com. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
5. Higginbotham, Adam (October 1993). "New Albums". Select. p. 94. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
6. "Paul Weller's 30 Best Songs". uncut.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
7. Petridis, Alexis (25 November 2021). "Paul Weller's 30 greatest songs – ranked!". theguardian.com. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
8. Sunflower (UK CD single liner notes). Paul Weller. Go! Discs. 1993. GOD CD 102, 857 203-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. Sunflower (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Paul Weller. Go! Discs. 1993. GODX 102, 857 203-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Sunflower (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Paul Weller. Go! Discs. 1993. GOD 102, 857 202-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. Sunflower (UK cassette single sleeve). Paul Weller. Go! Discs. 1993. GOD MC 102, 857 202-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. Sunflower (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Paul Weller. Canyon International. 1993. PCDY-00120.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
13. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 30. 24 July 1993. p. 19. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
14. "Paul Weller: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
15. "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 31 July 1993. p. 16. Retrieved 1 May 2024.