We Share the Same Sun

Last updated

"We Share the Same Sun"
Stereophonics - We Share the Same Sun (cover).png
Single by Stereophonics
from the album Graffiti on the Train
Released12 August 2013 (2013-08-12)(UK)
Recorded2012-2013
Genre Alternative rock
Length3:44
Label Stylus Records, Ignition Records
Songwriter(s) Kelly Jones
Producer(s)
  • Jones
  • Jim Lowe
Stereophonics singles chronology
"Graffiti on the Train"
(2013)
"We Share the Same Sun"
(2013)
"C'est la Vie"
(2015)
Music video
"We Share the Same Sun" on YouTube

"We Share the Same Sun" is a song by rock band Stereophonics. It is the opening track on their 2013 album Graffiti on the Train and was released as the album's fourth single on 12 August 2013. The song was released as a 10" vinyl format and Stereophonics have regularly played it as part of their set list. When Graffiti on the Train was released the song had a mixed to positive response and has been compared to "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac.

Contents

Composition

"We Share the Same Sun" is played at a tempo of 128 beats per minute. [1] The song runs for 3:44 on both the album and single. [2] [3] It begins with an acoustic guitar playing E♭-D-Gm-F [4] for fifteen seconds until lead singer Kelly Jones begins his vocals. [3] When the chorus enters, electric guitars are abruptly introduced, along with bass and drums provided by Richard Jones and Javier Weyler, respectively. [3] The second and last chorus is extended which includes Adam Zindani singing to harmonise with Jones. [3] [5] The bridge section has Zindani echoing Jones' vocals, this is then followed by a guitar solo from Zindani. [3] [6]

The guitar in the song was described as "bluesy" by Matthew Horton from the BBC. [7]

Promotion and release

"We Share the Same Sun" was regularly played on BBC Radio 2, particularly on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show , [8] two weeks before its release. [9] Jones performed a solo version and this was included on the bonus disc of Graffiti on the Train as "We Share the Same Sun (up close)". [2] On the iTunes deluxe edition, a video of Stereophonics in the studio - titled "We Share the Same Sun (In the Studio)" - was included which features shots of the studio, Stereophonics performing and fellow producer Jim Lowe at a mixing console. [10] [11] This was filmed when former drummer Javier Weyler was still in the band. [11]

Formats

Promotional CDs were made available on 1 July 2013 which featured the song as well as the instrumental version. [12] The limited 10" vinyl edition was available to pre-order on the band's website and was released on 12 August 2013 with lyrics etched on Side B. [13] The cover art for the single was created by Steve Goddard who created the artwork for Graffiti on the Train. [2] [3]

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
United Kingdom1 July 2013Promo CDStylus Records [n 1]
12 August 201310" vinyl

Music video

Bassist Richard Jones performing while an image projector creates a lens flare. We Share the Same Sun, music video screenshot of Richard Jones.png
Bassist Richard Jones performing while an image projector creates a lens flare.

The music video for "We Share the Same Sun" was directed by Jones. [14] It features the band in a low-lit room performing while an image projector displays various multicoloured patterns on them and the wall behind them. [15] [16] There are also shots of the projector behind individual band members as they play, creating lens flares. [17] Although Jamie Morrison is seen playing the drums in the video it was Javier Weyler who provided the drums on the track. [2] [17]

Live performances

In March 2013, Stereophonics held a March Tour to support Graffiti on the Train and "We Share the Same Sun" was played at all the shows. [18] [19] The band were booked for several summer festivals in 2013, including Pinkpop Festival (16 June), T in the Park (14 July) and the V Festival (18 August), where they performed the song. [20] [21] [22] When performing at Radio 2 In Concert, the song was the first of 6 songs to be played from the album. [23]

Critical response

Initial reviews of "We Share the Same Sun" have been mixed to positive. When reviewing Graffiti on the Train, Drowned in Sound contributor Sean Adams gave the song a positive review, calling it one of the stand-out tracks on the record. He compared the beginning of the track to "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac. [24] Eric Allen from American Songwriter called the song "moody" but stated, "it becomes glaringly obvious the band has regrouped and rediscovered their passion for making records." [25]

Matthew Horton at the BBC had a less enthusiastic response, describing it as "turning a bluesy guitar over and over against sinister keys – no quick rewards here." [7] At NME, Tom Howard had a negative response writing, "By slowly fading into the background of pop culture, the Stereophonics have created some space to pump out the same old stuff for their fans. So on ‘We Share The Same Sun’ Kelly Jones is gruff and there’s a big chorus, and the faithful will lap it up like hairy dogs with bowls of ice-cold water in hot weather." [26]

Appearances in other media

The song has been used by Sky Sports F1 in the background of their coverage of race weekends.[ citation needed ] A clip of the song was played on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch programme. [27]

Track listings

All tracks are written by Kelly Jones [3] .

Promo CD [28]
No.TitleLength
1."We Share the Same Sun"3:46
2."We Share the Same Sun" (Instrumental)3:44
Total length:7:30
10" vinyl [29]
No.TitleLength
1."We Share the Same Sun"3:44

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2013)Peak
position
UK Indie (OCC) [30] 28

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References

Notes
  1. Stylus Records is under exclusive license to Ignition Records Ltd. This is stated on Ignition Records' website and the credits on the back of the "We Share the Same Sun" vinyl.
Footnotes
  1. "DMC ESSENTIAL HITS 101 - New Release". DMC. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Graffiti on the Train (Deluxe CD). Stereophonics. Stylus Records. 2013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stereophonics (2013). We Share the Same Sun (10" vinyl). Stylus Records.
  4. "Stereophonics We Share the Sam Sun - [Studio Version]". Chordify. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  5. BBC T in the Park footage (2013), 3:11-3:34.
  6. BBC T in the Park footage (2013), 2:42-2:56. Note: Although Zindani isn't seen playing the solo, at around 2:50 Jones is seen playing rhythm guitar, thus ruling him out playing the solo.
  7. 1 2 Horton, Matthew (2013). "Stereophonics Graffiti on the Train Review". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  8. "Episodes by date, August 2013". The Chris Evans Breakfast Show . BBC. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013. Note: The dates "We Share the Same Sun" were played are: 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9 August.
  9. "Graffiti On the Train (Deluxe Version)". Apple . Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  10. 1 2 Stereophonics, Jim Lowe (2012). We Share the Same Sun (In the Studio) (Digital video). The Stereophonics Ltd.
  11. "Stereophonics - We Share The Same Sun (song)". UK-charts.com. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  12. "We Share The Same Sun limited edition 10 Pre-order". Stereophonics Ltd. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  13. "Stereophonics 'We Share The Same Sun'". Vimeo. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  14. "Video: Stereophonics – We Share The Same Sun". MusicReview. 8 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  15. "We Share the Same Sun video". The Stereophonics Ltd. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013. Note: The thumbnail shows the multicoloured patterns the image projector displays on the band and wall behind them.
  16. 1 2 Kelly Jones (Director), Stereophonics (2013). Stereophonics - We Share The Same Sun (Music Video). Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  17. "March Tour Announced". The Stereophonics Ltd. 21 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  18. "We Share the Same Sun by Stereophonics". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 9 August 2013. Note: Stereophonics or 2013 has to be clicked on manually.
  19. "Stereophonics Setlist at Pinkpop Festival 2013". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  20. "Stereophonics". BBC . Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  21. "Stereophonics Setlist at V 2013". Setlist.fm. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  22. "Radio 2 In Concert". BBC Radio 2 . BBC. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  23. Adams, Sean (8 March 2013). "Stereophonics Graffiti on the Train". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  24. Allen, Eric (3 March 2013). "Stereophonics: Graffiti On The Train". American Songwriter. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  25. Howard, Tom (2 August 2013). "Stereophonics - 'We Share The Same Sun'". NME . Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  26. "Sunday Brunch 2013 Playlist". Sunday Brunch . Channel Four Television Corporation. 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  27. We Share the Same Sun (Promotional CD). Stereophonics. United Kingdom: Stylus Records. 2013. STYLUSSCD6P.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. 1 2 We Share the Same Sun (10" vinyl). Stereophonics. Stylus Records. 2013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
Videography