Sunny Sundae Smile

Album: non-album single (1987)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • My Bloody Valentine are an Irish alt-rock band hailed as pioneers of shoegazing, a genre that blasted out of the UK in the late-'80s with a deafening and heavily distorted wall of sound. "Sunny Sundae Smile" was the final release to feature lead vocalist David Conway, who also wrote the tune with lyrics like "Let's fall in love, it's exciting."

    But this ain't no ordinary love song. When confronted with the idea that the lyrics were too saccharine despite their satirical bent, guitarist Kevin Shields responded to Sounds magazine:

    "How do you know that song isn't about incest? All our songs are about sex and love basically but there are lots of dimensions to love and I think love is one of the sickest mediums to write in. It's a lot more perverted than hate. Hate's quite straightforward. It's good that people think we're just like that lyric when we know we're not, because if they listen properly they'll start to think, Hey what is this song about!"

    Colm O Ciosoig, the band's drummer, added: "If you listen to David's lyrics closely you'll realize he's a pretty sick man in more ways than one."
  • This peaked at #6 on the UK Independent Singles Chart.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's Songs

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's SongsSong Writing

"London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie" and "It's Raining, It's Pouring" are just a few examples of shockingly morbid children's songs.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."