The Sun Always Shines on T.V.

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is a song by Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha, released as the third single from their debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). The song was written by guitarist Pål Waaktaar. In some commercial markets the single was not as popular as their previous (debut) single "Take On Me", which had reached the top spot in the United States and several other countries around the world, but in the United Kingdom and Ireland it improved upon the number-two charting of "Take On Me", reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1986, having been released there on 16 December 1985. Its success secured for the band the prestige of having number-one single status on both primary Anglo-American popular music charts on either side of the Atlantic.^[2][3]

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
Single by a-ha
from the album Hunting High and Low
B-side	"Driftwood"
Released	November 1985 (US) 16 December 1985 (UK)[1]
Recorded	1985
Genre	Synth-pop pop rock
Length	4:45 (7" single version) 5:07 (album version) 7:09 (12" expanded version) 8:25 (12" dance version) 6:35 (instrumental version)
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Pål Waaktaar
Producer(s)	Alan Tarney
A-ha singles chronology
"Love Is Reason" (1985) "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (1985) "Train of Thought" (1986)
2003 re-release singles chronology
"Did Anyone Approach You?" (2002) "The Sun Always Shines On T.V. a-ha Live" (2003) "Celice" (2005)
Music video
"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." on YouTube
2003 cover

The song was re-released by the band as a live version in 2003 with some minor success in Eastern Europe. It has sold over five million copies worldwide.^[4]

Origin and recording

The band's Paul Waaktaar-Savoy said,

... we wrote "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", that Andrew Wickham's secretary felt was a hit. She convinced him to make room for it. When we recorded it, we were really sick with influenza. Magne and Morten were lying in the studio on camping beds with high fevers.^[5]

The bass line for the song was performed using a Yamaha DX7. Other synthesizers include PPG Wave, Roland Juno-60 and sampled instruments. The oboe during the song was played on a sampler.

Release and reception

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was released in autumn 1985, becoming the second successful single from Hunting High and Low and one of the band's most recognisable and popular songs. The song peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also went Top 5 in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, as well as in the band's home country of Norway. The single reached number one in Ireland and on the UK Singles Chart which was a higher chart position there than for "Take On Me".^[6][7]

Tim DeGravine of AllMusic later wrote of the song,

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is just as thrilling [as "Take on Me"]. Starting as a sad ballad, it explodes into something much more, as chugging guitars and operatic synths keep pace with Harket's evocative vocal stylings. If ever a 1980s song qualified as Wall of Sound, "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." would be it.^[8]

There are two versions of the extended mix. The first UK release is 7:09, it starts with a slow piano intro, while the second one is the commonly known remix by Steve Thompson.^[9]

Music video

The Victorian Gothic St Alban's Church, Teddington

The music video for "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was directed by Steve Barron and was shot on location over three days early October 1985 at Udney Hall Gardens and the Victorian Gothic Church of Saint Alban the Martyr, both situated in Teddington, Richmond upon Thames, in England.^[10]

The video opens with a short sequence which forms an epilogue to the video for "Take On Me", the band's previous single, continuing with the use of rotoscoped animation. The young lovers (played by Morten Harket and Bunty Bailey), having survived the ordeal of the story in the first video, now face one another in the woods at night. Suddenly the young man begins physically reverting to his original animated state seen in the "Take On Me" video. The young woman, distressed, realizes that he cannot remain in her world. In pain, he flees the scene into the distance back to his comic-book world, and she is left behind. The camera rises away from her and closing credits roll in the style of the end of a Hollywood classic film, stating "The End / A Warner Bros. First National Picture", followed by an animated television graphic which reads "you are watching channel 3" and the a-ha logo.^[11]

The main sequence of the video consists of a-ha performing "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", supplemented by session drummer Lindsay Elliott,^[10] and a bass player,^[12] inside a Gothic church, filmed mainly in black-and-white with splashes of pastel coloring. Spectating at the performance is a dense crowd throughout the church of mannequins, most of them bare but some clothed in formal concert dress holding musical instruments to represent the song's classical instrumentation arrangement. The video ends with a-ha being cut out from the background and becoming a still frame.

The music video for the band's next single, "Train of Thought", would pick up from this cue shot, making a visual and story trilogy of "Take On Me", "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." and itself.

Awards

At the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won in the categories Best Editing in a Video (editor: David Yardley) and Best Cinematography in a Video (director of photography: Oliver Stapleton).^[13] It also received a nomination for Best Art Direction in a Video (art director: Stefan Roman).

Notable live performances

a-ha performed this song at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 1998 alongside the new song "Summer Moved On".^[8]

A live version of "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." was the only single released from the 2003 a-ha album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, the music video for it being directed by Pal Waaktaar's wife Lauren Savoy.

Influences

U2 stated that "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." heavily influenced the composition of their 2000 single release, "Beautiful Day".^[14] Bono paid tribute to it by combining the two songs together at a concert in Oslo, Norway, in 2005.^[15] In 2022 Morten Harket said of the similarity between the two songs "that’s fine".^[16]

The creators of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia have stated that the name of their show is an indirect reference to this song. Co-creator Glenn Howerton came up with the title It's Always Sunny on T.V. for their original home movie about three vain actors in Los Angeles after listening to Hunting High and Low at the gym. The home movie later evolved into a television pilot with the now-familiar title when the characters were turned into pub owners in Philadelphia.^[17]

Track listings

• 7-inch single: Warner Bros. / W 8846 United Kingdom

1. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (7'' Mix a.k.a. Video Version) – 4:45
2. "Driftwood" – 3:04

• 12-inch single: Warner Bros. / W 8846T United Kingdom

1. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (U.S. Steve Thompson Dance Mix) – 8:25
2. "Driftwood" – 3:04

• 12-inch single: Warner Bros. / W 8846(T) United Kingdom

1. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (Extended Version) – 7:09
2. "Driftwood" – 3:04

• 7-inch single: Warner Bros. / 9 28846-7 United States

1. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (7'' Mix a.k.a. Video Version) – 4:45
2. "Driftwood" – 3:04

• 12-inch single: Warner Bros. / 20410-0 United States

1. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (U.S. Steve Thompson Dance Mix) – 8:25
2. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (Instrumental) – 6:38
3. "Driftwood" – 3:04

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." Chart (1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] 19 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 5 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] 11 Denmark (IFPI)[22] 2 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[23] 5 Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[24] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 5 France (SNEP)[26] 10 Ireland (IRMA)[6] 1 Italy (Musica e dischi)[27] 9 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 12 Norway (VG-lista)[31] 2 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[32] 8 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[33] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 7 UK Singles (OCC)[7] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[35] 20 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[36] 6 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[37] 5 US Cash Box [38] 24 West Germany (GfK)[39] 5 Weekly chart performance for "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (live) Chart (2003) Peak position Hungary (Single Top 40)[40] 9

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." Chart (1986) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[41] 41 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[42] 95 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[43] 15 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[44] 49 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[45] 71 UK Singles (OCC)[46] 21 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[47] 49 West Germany (Official German Charts)[48] 39

Certifications

Certifications for "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[49]	Silver	250,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[50]	Silver	250,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

MTV Unplugged appearance

In 2017, a-ha appeared on the television series MTV Unplugged and played and recorded acoustic versions of many of their popular songs for the album MTV Unplugged – Summer Solstice in Giske, Norway, including "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (featuring Ingrid Helene Håvik).^[51][52]

Diva version

"The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
Single by Diva
from the album Compromise
Released	1994
Length	4:58
Label	PolyGram
Songwriter(s)	Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
Producer(s)	Ole Evenrud G. O. Bøkestad
Diva singles chronology
"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (1994) "Stand and Deliver" (1995)
Music video
"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." on YouTube

Norwegian Eurodance group Diva, consisting of singers Helene Sommer and Elene Nyborg, released their version of "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." in 1994 as their debut single.^[53] It reached number nine on the Norwegian singles chart VG-lista^[54] and number four on the Norwegian radio chart Ti i skuddet.^[55] In 1995, it peaked at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart.^[56] A music video was made to promote the song, directed by Lauren Savoy, wife of Paul Waaktaar-Savoy of A-ha. It was banned by Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK; they found the video too controversial. A new video was made for the UK version. This version received remixes from the Perfecto crew (Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne).

Critical reception

A reviewer from Music & Media commented, "What happened to Morton Harket's voice? Suddenly you notice it's a girlie cover of the A-ha hit. The vocal arrangements might be similar, but the duo/dance context makes the difference."^[57] British magazine Music Week rated it three out of five, adding, "This clubby cover and remix of A-ha's 1985 hit (huge in the duo's native Norway) could well take off here. Pure and peachy Europop."^[58] Alan Jones wrote, "Perfecto continues its chart charge with an unlikely remake [...]. You could be forgiven for expecting a storming vocal, but Diva's sweet and soft vocal quality works very well with the muscular, bass-driven Perfecto mixes."^[59] James Hamilton from the magazine's RM Dance Update described it as a "breathily cooed and sighed remake".^[60] DJ Jon Pleased Wimmin reviewed the song for Muzik and gave it four out of five, declaring it as "a big pop smash for the summer."^[61]

Track listings

• CD maxi-single

1. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Radio Edit) – 4:58
2. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Long Version) – 6:15

• CD maxi-single (remix)

1. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Remix) – 4:58
2. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Club Mix) – 6:15
3. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Original Mix) – 4:58

Charts

Chart performance for "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."

Chart (1994–1995)	Peak position
Norway (VG-lista)[62]	9
Norway (Ti i skuddet)[55]	4
Scotland (OCC)[63]	44
UK Singles (OCC)[64]	53
UK Dance (OCC)[65]	14

Other cover versions

• Interactive covered the track in a single released in 1996.
• In 2003, Milk Inc. released a cover of the song which charted at No. 2 in the Belgian Dance Chart.
• In Strict Confidence covered the song in a single release in 2005.
• Norwegian metal band Susperia included a cover on their 2005 EP Devil May Care.
• German metal band Atrocity included a cover on their 2008 cover album Werk 80 II.
• Danish metal band Meridian released a cover in June 2020 from their EP "Taking Cover"^[66]
• Norwegian band Keiino released a cover of the song in April 2023 as a single.^[67]

See also

• It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a television series named after this song

References

1. Smith, Robin (14 December 1985). "Index: Take on the Sun". Record Mirror. p. 6. ISSN 0144-5804.
2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 458. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
3. Archived 10 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
4. Buskin, Richard (March 2011). "Classic Tracks: A-ha - Take On Me". Sound On Sound magazine. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
5. "Videos. The Official Website of a-ha". A-ha.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
6. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Sun Always Shine on TV". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
7. "a-ha: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
8. Tim DiGravina (4 December 2010). "Hunting High and Low - a-ha | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
9. "a-ha - The Sun Always Shines On T.V." 11 April 2001. Archived from the original on 11 April 2001.
10. Suzie Dent. "a-ha diary 1984 - 2010".
11. The Sun Always Shines on TV video 0.52-1.03 mins.
12. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." video 2.38-3.02 mins
13. "The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 41. 11 October 1986. p. 59. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
14. "U2 admits taking melody line from a-ha". The Official Website of a-ha. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015.
15. 'U2 Beautiful Day/the sun always shines on tv, Oslo 2005' on Youtube
16. Ryan, Gary (2 September 2022). "Does Rock 'N' Roll Kill Braincells?! – A-ha". NME. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
17. 2. Charlie Wants An Abortion | The Always Sunny Podcast, 10 January 2022, retrieved 24 May 2022
18. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 13. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
19. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
20. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
21. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0640." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
22. "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 8. 1 March 1986. p. 16. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
23. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 7. 22 February 1986. p. 12. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
24. "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 7. 22 February 1986. p. 8. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 12 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
25. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
26. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
27. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "A-Ha".
28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – a-ha" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
29. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
30. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
31. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". VG-lista. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
32. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts A". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
33. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
34. "a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
35. "a-ha Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
36. "a-ha Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
37. "a-ha Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
38. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending February 22, 1986". Cash Box. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
39. "Offiziellecharts.de – a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
40. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
41. "Jaaroverzichten 1986 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
42. "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. Vol. 45, no. 14. 26 December 1986. p. 5. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
43. "Hot 100 of the Year 1986 – European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. 27 December 1986. p. 28. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
44. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
45. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
46. "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London. 24 January 1987. p. 24. ISSN 0265-1548.
47. "1986 The Year in Music & Video – Top Dance Sales Singles/Albums". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. 27 December 1986. p. Y-26. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
48. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
49. "French single certifications – a-ha – The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 13 December 2020. Select A-HA and click OK. 
50. "British single certifications – A Ha – The Sun Always Shines On TV". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
51. Hoftun Gjestad, Robert (23 June 2017). "Etter 30 år med "tension" fant a-ha tonen igjen i kampen mot en felles fiende" [After 30 years of "tension", A-ha found their sound again, in their fight against a common enemy]. Aftenposten (in Norwegian Bokmål).
52. "MTV Unplugged - Summer Solstice (2017)". a-ha. October 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
53. "Diva". Discogs.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
54. "VG-lista - Diva / The Sun Always Shines on T.V." Vg.no. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
55. "Ti i skuddet - 30. juni 1994". Musikalske.net. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
56. "UK Singles Chart - Diva / The Sun Always Shines on T.V." Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
57. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 July 1994. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
58. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 June 1995. p. 29. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
59. Jones, Alan (24 June 1995). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 29. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
60. Hamilton, James (22 July 1995). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 11. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
61. "SINGLES" (PDF). Muzik. 1 August 1995. p. 63. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
62. "Diva+%5BNO%5D – The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
63. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
64. "Diva: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
65. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
66. "Meridian - The Sun Always Shines On TV (Official Video)". YouTube. 19 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
67. "KEiiNO – The Sun Always Shines On TV". Channel R Radio. 13 May 2023.