"The Killing Moon" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Echo & the Bunnymen | ||||
from the album Ocean Rain | ||||
B-side | "Do It Clean" | |||
Released | 20 January 1984 | |||
Recorded | December 1983 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:47 | |||
Label | Korova | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | David Lord | |||
Echo & the Bunnymen singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Killing Moon" on YouTube |
"The Killing Moon" is a song by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on 20 January 1984 [2] as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Ocean Rain (1984). It is one of the band's highest-charting hits, reaching number 9 in the UK Singles Chart, and often cited as the band's greatest song. Ian McCulloch has said: "When I sing 'The Killing Moon', I know there isn't a band in the world who's got a song anywhere near that." [3] In a retrospective review of the song, AllMusic journalist Stewart Mason wrote: "The smart use of strings amplifies the elegance of the tune, bringing both a musical richness and a sense of quiet dignity to the tune." [4]
The song appeared on the soundtrack to the 2001 science fiction film Donnie Darko .
According to the liner notes of Echo & the Bunnymen's box set Crystal Days: 1979–1999 (2001), Ian McCulloch woke up one morning with the phrase "fate up against your will" in mind. In a 2015 interview McCulloch said: "I love (the song) all the more because I didn’t pore over it for days on end. One morning, I just sat bolt upright in bed with this line in my head: 'Fate up against your will. Through the thick and thin. He will wait until you give yourself to him.' You don’t dream things like that and remember them. That’s why I’ve always half credited the lyric to God. It’s never happened before or since." McCulloch attributed the use of astronomical imagery in the song to a childhood interest in space. [5]
The chords of the song were based on David Bowie's "Space Oddity", played backwards. The arrangement of the song was partially inspired by balalaika music that Les Pattinson and Will Sergeant had heard in Russia. The guitar solo had been recorded separately by Sergeant whilst tuning up and was inserted in the song at the suggestion of producer David Lord. The strings on the track are a combination of Adam Peters' cello and keyboards played by the producer. [6] The song is in Aeolian dominant.
Chart (1984) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report) [7] | 96 |
Irish Singles Chart [8] | 7 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [9] | 12 |
UK Singles Chart [10] | 9 |
Chart (1984) | Peak position |
---|---|
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [11] | 46 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [12] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"The Killing Moon" was featured in the 2001 film Donnie Darko , setting the tone for the opening scene as Donnie enters the town. For the director's cut of the film in 2004, Richard Kelly was unable to secure the rights to "The Killing Moon" a second time, and instead substituted "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS. The Digital Fix film review opined that the Bunnymen song worked much better in the scene. [13] Artists that have covered the song include notable versions by Pavement [14] and Chvrches. [15]
Echo & the Bunnymen is an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freitas joined as the band's drummer.
Crocodiles is the debut album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on 18 July 1980 in the United Kingdom and on 17 December 1980 in the United States. The album reached number 17 on the UK Albums Chart. "Pictures on My Wall" and "Rescue" had previously been released as singles.
Ian Stephen McCulloch, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Echo & the Bunnymen.
Ocean Rain is the fourth studio album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on 4 May 1984 by Korova and reached number four on the UK Albums Chart, number 87 on the United States Billboard 200, number 41 on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums and number 22 on the Swedish chart. Since 1984 the album has been certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry. Ocean Rain includes the singles "The Killing Moon", "Silver" and "Seven Seas".
Heaven Up Here is the second album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 30 May 1981. In June 1981, Heaven Up Here became Echo & the Bunnymen's first Top 10 release when it reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. It was also the band's first entry into the United States album charts when it reached number 184 of the Billboard 200. The songs "A Promise" and "Over the Wall" were released as singles.
Porcupine is the third studio album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen. First released on 4 February 1983, it became the band's highest-charting release when it reached number two on the UK Albums Chart despite initially receiving poor reviews. It also reached number 137 on the American Billboard 200, number 85 on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums and number 24 on the Swedish chart. In 1984, the album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry. The album includes the singles "The Back of Love" and "The Cutter."
Echo & the Bunnymen is the fifth studio album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen, their last with drummer Pete de Freitas, who died in 1989 in a motorcycle accident, aged 27. The album was produced by Laurie Latham; the sessions took place in Germany, Belgium, London and Liverpool, following an aborted attempt at recording the tracks without de Freitas and with producer Gil Norton. With Latham being an exacting producer, and singer Ian McCulloch receiving star treatment and drinking heavily, the recording was more difficult than the band had initially hoped. The album made more use of keyboards than their previous albums, which had been string-heavy. Three singles were issued: "The Game", "Lips Like Sugar" and "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo".
Donnie Darko: Music from the Original Motion Picture Score is a soundtrack album by American musician Michael Andrews, released in April 2002 on Enjoy and Everloving Records. It contains music from the 2001 science fiction psychological thriller film Donnie Darko, written and directed by Richard Kelly. It consists of 16 instrumental tracks and two covers of "Mad World" by Tears for Fears sung by American singer Gary Jules.
Reverberation is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen. The album was released amidst a line-up change for the group, due to the departure of vocalist Ian McCulloch and the death of drummer Pete de Freitas. The remaining members, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson, were joined by ex-St. Vitus Dance singer Noel Burke, keyboard player Jake Brockman and drummer Damon Reece. The album was produced by former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick at Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, England, and had a more pronounced psychedelic sound than the group's previous releases.
Evergreen is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen. It is their first album since reforming after they disbanded in 1993. Vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant had previously worked together as Electrafixion before they were rejoined by bassist Les Pattinson under the name Echo & the Bunnymen in early 1997. The album was recorded at Doghouse Studios in Henley-on-Thames and was produced by McCulloch and the band's manager Paul Toogood but was credited to the whole band.
What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen. The album saw the departure of bassist Les Pattinson from the group, partly due to disagreements with vocalist Ian McCulloch; McCulloch and the remaining band member, guitarist Will Sergeant, subsequently recorded the record with session musicians. The London Metropolitan Orchestra provided backing music and the American rap rock band Fun Lovin' Criminals appeared as guest musicians on two tracks. The album was produced by Alan Douglas and Echo & the Bunnymen and it was recorded at various locations throughout England. Feeling sidelined during the recording of the album, Sergeant described it as "probably the worst time in my whole life".
Songs to Learn & Sing is a compilation album by English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 11 November 1985 by Korova. Featuring all of the singles the band had released up to that point, the album received positive reviews and reached number six on the UK Albums Chart.
Leslie Thomas Pattinson is an English musician, best known for his work as the bassist and co-writer of the Liverpool-based band Echo & the Bunnymen, along with vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant. He was brought up in Aughton, Lancashire and attended nearby Deyes High School in Maghull, where he and Sergeant were classmates and became friends.
The discography of Echo & the Bunnymen, an English post-punk band which formed in 1978, consists of thirteen studio albums, ten live albums, nine compilation albums, eight extended plays (EP), and thirty singles on Zoo Records; WEA and its subsidiaries, Korova, Sire Records, London Records and Rhino; Cooking Vinyl; and Ocean Rain Records, as well as five music VHS/DVDs, and twenty-two music videos.
"Seven Seas" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, which was released on 6 July 1984 by Korova. It was the third single to be released from their fourth studio album Ocean Rain (1984). It reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on the Irish Singles Chart.
The Fountain is the eleventh studio album by British band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on 12 October 2009 and produced by John McLaughlin, Ian McCulloch and Simon Perry. The first single from the album, "Think I Need It Too", was released on 28 September 2009.
"Bring On the Dancing Horses" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 14 October 1985. It was the only single from their 1985 compilation album Songs to Learn & Sing and was recorded for the John Hughes film Pretty in Pink (1986). The song reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart and number 15 on the Irish Singles Chart.
"Lips Like Sugar" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, which was released in August 1987. It was the second single from their eponymous fifth studio album (1987).
"I Want to Be There (When You Come)" is a single by Echo & the Bunnymen which was released in September 1997. It was the second single released after Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant and Les Pattinson reformed the band. It was also the second single to be released from their 1997 album, Evergreen. It reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart, number 26 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart, and number 16 on the Canadian RPM Alternative 30 chart.
The discography of the British singer Ian McCulloch consists of four studio albums, one compilation album, and nine singles. While he was still the lead singer of the band Echo & the Bunnymen, McCulloch released his debut solo single, a version of the standard "September Song", in 1984 which reached number fifty-one on the UK Singles Chart.