Where the Rose Is Sown

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"Where the Rose Is Sown"
Big Country Where the Rose Is Sown 1984 Single Cover.jpg
Single by Big Country
from the album Steeltown
B-side
  • "Belief in the Small Man"
  • "Bass Dance"
  • "Prairie Rose"
Released16 November 1984 [1]
Length4:13
Label Mercury
Vertigo (Canada)
Songwriter(s) Stuart Adamson
Mark Brzezicki
Tony Butler
Bruce Watson
Producer(s) Steve Lillywhite
Big Country singles chronology
"East of Eden"
(1984)
"Where the Rose Is Sown"
(1984)
"Just a Shadow"
(1985)

Where the Rose is Sown is a song by Scottish rock band Big Country, [2] which was released in 1984 as the second single from their second studio album Steeltown . It was written by Big Country and produced by Steve Lillywhite. [3] "Where the Rose Is Sown" peaked at No. 29 in the UK and No. 25 in Ireland. [4] [5]

Contents

Music video

A music video was filmed to promote the single. It received medium rotation on MTV. [6]

Critical reception

Upon release, Lesley White of Smash Hits commented: "More of the same from the frustrated messiahs of contemporary rock. A treat for lovers of "real music" everywhere - give me artful pretence any day." [7] Sunie of Number One said: ""It's the lovin' things you do..." Anyone remember the old '60s hit? It lurks just behind this song, artfully obscured by guitar solos, "heeyahs" and the Lillywhite wall of sound. I rather like it." [8]

Cash Box commented: "Big Country delivers a pounding slice of tragic political rock which is given its edge in Adamson's biting delivery. Trademark guitar riffs and a no-nonsense beat should help [it] become another anthemic classic from the band." [9] Billboard stated: "Group's stirring strength is sadly buried in muddy sound." [10]

In a retrospective review of Steeltown, Tim Peacock of Record Collector described the song as one of the album's "obvious go-to tracks", adding that it had an anti-war message "especially resonant in the wake of the Falklands". [11]

Track listing

7" single
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 4:03
  2. "Belief in the Small Man" - 5:12
7" single (German release)
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 4:08
  2. "Bass Dance" - 1:40
7" single (US/Canada release)
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 4:08
  2. "Prairie Rose" - 4:50
7" single (UK limited edition release)
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 4:03
  2. "Belief in the Small Man" - 5:12
  3. "Wonderland" - 4:47 (Recorded live in Austin, Texas, 22 March 1984)
  4. "In a Big Country" - 6:15 (Recorded live in Austin, Texas, 22 March 1984)
  5. "Auld Lang Syne" - 1:09 (Recorded live in Austin, Texas, 22 March 1984)
7" single (US promo)
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 3:58
  2. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 3:58
12" single
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown (Extended Remix)" - 7:43
  2. "Where the Rose Is Sown (7" Version)" - 4:03
  3. "Bass Dance" - 1:40
  4. "Belief in the Small Man" - 5:12
12" single (German release)
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown (Extended Remix)" - 7:43
  2. "Bass Dance" - 1:40
  3. "Belief in the Small Man" - 5:12
12" single (Canadian release)
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 4:44
  2. "Prairie Rose" - 4:47
12" single (US promo)
  1. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 3:58
  2. "Where the Rose Is Sown" - 3:58

Chart performance

Chart (1984)Peak
position
Irish Singles Chart [5] 25
UK Singles Chart [4] 29

Personnel

Big Country
Production
Other

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References

  1. "singles".
  2. "The Michigan Daily - December 6, 1984 - Big County - Steeltown". The Michigan Daily . 6 December 1984. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  3. William Ruhlmann. "Steeltown - Big Country | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. 1 2 "BIG COUNTRY | full Official Chart History". Official Charts. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  5. 1 2 "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  6. Billboard magazine - MTV Programming - 8 December 1984 - page 31
  7. Smash Hits magazine - Singles - Lesley White - 6–19 December 1984 - page 19
  8. Number One magazine - Singles - Sunie - 24 November 1984 - page 52
  9. Cash Box newspaper - 8 December 1984 - Reviews: singles - page 11
  10. Billboard magazine - Reviews: singles - 15 December 1984 - page 73
  11. "Steeltown - Record Collector Magazine". Recordcollectormag.com. Retrieved 4 April 2018.