Black Sunshine

Last updated
"Black Sunshine"
White Zombie Black Sunshine 1.jpg
Single by White Zombie
from the album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One
Released1992
RecordedMay, 1991 at 321 Studios, New York City
Genre
Length4:48
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s) Rob Zombie
White Zombie
Producer(s) Andy Wallace
White Zombie singles chronology
"Thunder Kiss '65"
(1992)
"Black Sunshine"
(1992)
"More Human than Human"
(1995)
Audio
"Black Sunshine" on YouTube

"Black Sunshine" is a song initially featured on the album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One by White Zombie which was used as a promo single in 1992 and 1993. The song can also be found on Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future and the greatest hits album The Best of Rob Zombie . A spoken word section was recorded by Iggy Pop for the intro and was used in the song's final cut.

Contents

Music and lyrics

The song is about a racing car, a Ford Mustang, called "Black Sunshine." Iggy Pop recorded the spoken word vocal intro and outro of the song "Black Sunshine" as well as playing the character of a writer in the video shot for the song. He is singled out for special thanks in the liner notes of album. The audio sample "I work on this baby the same way, trying to get maximum performance," is taken from the 1965 movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! . Also, the lyrics contain the words "to the devil a daughter comes," most likely a reference to the movie To the Devil a Daughter . It is in 6/4 and 4/4 time with a tempo of 135 beats per minute.

Rob Zombie is the spoken intro and is as follows:

"Gripping the wheel his knuckles went white with desire
The wheels of his Mustang exploding on the highway like a slug from a .45
True death: 400 horsepower of maximum performance piercing the night
This is Black Sunshine..."

Reception

The song was released as a single after Thunder Kiss '65 initially failed to receive attention on U.S. radio. It became a minor success, charting at #39 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks. However, the song has gone on to be a fan favorite and has appeared on Rob Zombie's solo greatest hits albums, but is rarely played during his solo act.

Music video

The music video of the song, which was filmed in black and white, features the band playing in the basement of an old dilapidated house. The animated characters Beavis and Butthead provided support for the band by "reviewing" the video during the episode "Home Improvement." Iggy Pop also plays the character of a writer in the video.

Track listings

First single (1992)

  1. "Black Sunshine" (LP version) – 4:48
  2. "Thunder Kiss '65" (Swingers Lovers mix) – 4:46
  3. "Thunder Kiss '65" (Swinging Lovers extended mix) – 6:10

Second single (1992)

  1. "Black Sunshine" (LP version) – 4:48
  2. "Black Sunshine" (Indestructible 'Sock It to Me' Psycho-Head mix) – 4:58

Third single (1993)

  1. "Black Sunshine" (edit) – 3:55
  2. "Black Sunshine" (LP version) – 4:48

Charts

ChartPeak
position
US Mainstream Rock [3] 39

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Zombie (band)</span> American heavy metal band

White Zombie was an American heavy metal band that formed in 1985. Based in New York City, they started as a noise rock band, releasing three EPs and one studio album in that style before changing to a heavy metal-oriented sound that broke them into the mainstream. The albums La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One (1992) and Astro-Creep: 2000 (1995) established them as an influential act in groove metal and industrial metal, respectively. Their best-known songs include "Thunder Kiss '65", "Black Sunshine" and "More Human than Human". The group officially disbanded in 1998. In 2000, White Zombie was included on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, ranking at No. 56. As of October 2010, the band has sold six million albums, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ace Frehley</span> American musician (born 1951)

Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician who was the original lead guitarist, occasional lead vocalist and founding member of the rock band Kiss. He invented the persona of The Spaceman and played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982. After leaving Kiss, Frehley formed his own band named Frehley's Comet and released two albums with the group. He subsequently embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour.

<i>Indestructible</i> (Rancid album) 2003 studio album by Rancid

Indestructible is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It was produced by Brett Gurewitz and released by Hellcat Records with distribution through Warner Bros. Records on August 19, 2003. Despite critical acclaim, the band was criticized by some of its fans for Indestructible's "poppier" sound on some of its tracks. It debuted at number 15 on the charts, selling 51,000 copies in its first week. It was Rancid's highest debut at the time, which was surpassed six years later with their 2009 album, Let the Dominoes Fall. Indestructible marks the last recording by drummer Brett Reed, who left the band in 2006 and was replaced by current drummer Branden Steineckert. Additionally, it is the only album that features songwriting contributions from Reed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Zombie</span> American rock musician and filmmaker (born 1965)

Rob Zombie is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have been praised for their elaborate shock rock theatricality. He has sold an estimated 15 million albums worldwide. He's the former singer of White Zombie.

<i>Danzig III: How the Gods Kill</i> 1992 studio album by Danzig

Danzig III: How the Gods Kill is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig, and the highest to chart at the time of its release in 1992 on Def American Recordings. It was reissued in 1998 by Def American's successor, American Recordings.

<i>Hellbilly Deluxe</i> 1998 studio album by Rob Zombie

Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales of Cadaverous Cavorting Inside the Spookshow International is the debut solo studio album by American musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie. The album serves as his first release outside of the band White Zombie, with whom he released two multi-platinum studio albums. Hellbilly Deluxe was released on August 25, 1998, through Geffen Records. Musically, the project portrays Zombie's love for classic horror films with heavy metal and electronic music. The album's lyrics speak of murder, chaos, and supernatural forces. The majority of Hellbilly Deluxe was recorded in California, and was produced by both Zombie and Scott Humphrey; Zombie is credited as the sole writer on all of the songs.

<i>La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One</i> 1992 studio album by White Zombie

La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One is the third studio album by American heavy metal band White Zombie, released on March 30, 1992, through Geffen Records. The album marked a major artistic and commercial turning point for the band. After the recruitment of guitarist Jay Noel Yuenger, White Zombie was able to successfully embrace the metal sound they had pursued since Make Them Die Slowly (1989), while incorporating groove-based elements into their sound as they evolved away from their roots in punk rock and noise rock. The album was the band's last to feature drummer Ivan de Prume.

Groove metal, sometimes also called neo-thrash or post-thrash, is a subgenre of heavy metal music that began in the early 1990s. Heavily influenced by thrash metal, groove metal features raspy singing and screaming, down-tuned guitars, heavy guitar riffs, and syncopated rhythms. Groove metal is usually slower than thrash. Pantera are often considered the pioneers of groove metal, and the genre expanded in the 1990s with bands including White Zombie, Machine Head, and Sepultura. Successful groove metal acts of the 2000s include Lamb of God, DevilDriver, and Five Finger Death Punch.

<i>Soul-Crusher</i> 1987 studio album by White Zombie

Soul-Crusher is the debut studio album by American rock band White Zombie, released independently in November 1987 by Silent Explosion. It was the band's second and final release with Tom "Five" Guay on guitar. Building off the sound established on Psycho-Head Blowout, the band matured its sound while placing further emphasis on the individual roles of its players. The album caught the attention of major labels and in 1988 was adopted and re-issued by Caroline Records.

<i>God of Thunder</i> (EP) 1989 EP by White Zombie

God of Thunder is an EP by White Zombie which was released in 1989 by Caroline Records. It was the band's first release with Jay Yuenger on guitar. EP contains "God of Thunder", originally a Kiss song from their 1976 album Destroyer, and "Disaster Blaster II", a reworked version of "Disaster Blaster" from their 1989 album Make Them Die Slowly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunder Kiss '65</span> 1992 single by White Zombie

"Thunder Kiss '65" is a song by American heavy metal band White Zombie, released in 1992 from the band's third studio album, La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One (1992). The song was released as their first official single and was later included on compilations, such as Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future (2003) and The Best of Rob Zombie (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Head, Pt. 2 (The Ecstasy)</span> 1995 single by White Zombie

"Electric Head Pt. 2 " is the second official single from the Astro-Creep: 2000 album by the heavy metal band White Zombie. A remix version of this song was the first track on the 1996 album Supersexy Swingin' Sounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super-Charger Heaven</span> 1996 single by White Zombie

"Super-Charger Heaven" is the third and final single off White Zombie's 1995 studio album, Astro-Creep: 2000. The song can also be found on Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future, the greatest hits album The Best of Rob Zombie, and a remix can be found on Supersexy Swingin' Sounds. The artwork for the single incorporates the Japanese superhero Devilman, who is also referenced in the chorus of the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragula (song)</span> 1998 single by Rob Zombie

"Dragula" is a debut solo single co-written and recorded by American rock musician Rob Zombie. It was released in August 1998 as the lead single from his solo debut Hellbilly Deluxe. Since its release it has become Zombie's most recognizable song as a solo artist. It is also his best-selling song, and had sold over 717,000 copies in the U.S. by 2010. The song is based on the drag racer "DRAG-U-LA" from the sitcom The Munsters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living Dead Girl (song)</span> 1999 single by Rob Zombie

"Living Dead Girl" is the second single from Rob Zombie's solo debut album Hellbilly Deluxe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superbeast</span> 1999 single by Rob Zombie

"Superbeast" is a song by Rob Zombie, released as the third single from his solo debut, Hellbilly Deluxe. The song was co-written by Charlie Clouser, formerly of Nine Inch Nails. It also appears on Rob Zombie's Past, Present & Future, the greatest hits album The Best of Rob Zombie, and two remixes are contained on American Made Music to Strip By.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symphony of Destruction</span> 1992 single by Megadeth

"Symphony of Destruction" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released as a single from the band’s fifth studio album, Countdown to Extinction (1992). The lyrics explore the hypothetical situation where an average citizen is placed in a position where he runs the country while the public is led by a phantom government. Penned by vocalist and frontman Dave Mustaine, the song received significant radio play and charted in various territories, making it one of Megadeth's best known songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children of the Grave</span> Song by Black Sabbath

"Children of the Grave" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath, from their 1971 album Master of Reality. The song lyrically continues with the same anti-war themes brought on by "War Pigs" and "Electric Funeral" from Paranoid.

<i>Zombie Kiss</i> 1990 live album by White Zombie

Zombie Kiss is a live EP by the band White Zombie.

References

  1. Toews, Brandon (2019). The Drummer's Toolbox: The Ultimate Guide to Learning 100 (+1) Drumming Styles. Drumeo. p. 256. ISBN   978-1-9991519-4-2.
  2. "Album Pick of the Week". WSVNRadio. No. 1113. WSVN. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  3. Billboard.com single charts for White Zombie

Black Sunshine official video on YouTube