Under the Sun (song)

"Under the Sun" is a song recorded by English singer Cheryl Cole, from her third studio album A Million Lights (2012). The song was released as the second and final single from A Million Lights on 2 September 2012 through Fascination Records (Polydor Records). It was written and produced by Alex da Kid, with additional writing from Mike Del Rio, Jayson DeZuzio, Steven Battey, Carlos Battey, and Cheryl. Lyrically, it speaks of a male telling a female anything she wants to hear to get his way. "Under the Sun" is a mid-tempo song, piano riffs, sun-kissed breakbeats, and a pop chorus.

"Under the Sun"
Single by Cheryl Cole
from the album A Million Lights
Released2 September 2012
GenrePop
Length3:29
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Alex da Kid
Cheryl Cole singles chronology
"Call My Name"
(2012)		 "Under the Sun"
(2012)		 "Crazy Stupid Love"
(2014)

The song received a positive reaction from most music critics, with most of them, calling it a summery, carefree and enjoyable song. Some critics cited the Chemical Brothers, Natasha Bedingfield, and Lily Allen as references. "Under the Sun" fared commercially well where it debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 57, climbing to number 13. "Under the Sun", is Cheryl's second single to date that has not entered the top five. "Under the Sun" also peaked at number 16 in Ireland.

The accompanying music video sees Cheryl travel back to the 1950s to perform the track while strutting down the street. Further scenes see the singer draped on the bonnet of a classic car and performing a choreographed dance sequence with a handful of businessmen. "Under the Sun" was promoted with live performances in the United Kingdom, including a T4 special and The Jonathan Ross Show.

Composition

"Under the Sun" was written and produced by Alex da Kid, with additional writing from Mike Del Rio, Jayson DeZuzio, Steven Battey, Carlos Battey and Cheryl. Lyrically, it speaks of a male telling a girl anything she wants to hear to get his way. "Under The Sun" finds her bidding a scornful farewell to an unfaithful lover.[1] "I wont give you my heart because it don't break twice," sings Cheryl.[2] Under the Sun is a mid-tempo song,[3] with hip hop beats, piano riffs, sun-kissed breakbeats and a pop chorus.[4]

Cheryl described the song as being a "really fun song. It's about a guy telling you anything you want to hear to get his way, and you saying, 'actually, normally I wouldn’t, but today I might.' The sun just makes you feel good."[5] Cheryl also expressed that the song is one of her favourites, "At the moment I've got a song that's actually a hip-hop beat with a pop verse and that's called Under The Sun. So that's my favourite today! I can't wait!."[4] According to Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, on the song Cheryl is adopting a bit of a Natasha Bedingfield hangover.[6]

Reception

Critical response

Alexis Petridis from The Guardian praised the song, explaining, "Opener Under the Sun offers a weird and hugely enjoyable cocktail of tinny synthesiser, vast Chemical Brothers-style breakbeat and football-terrace backing vocals".[7] Entertainment Wise also gave praise to the song, calling it "exceptional" along with album track "All Is Fair".[8] Al Fox wrote for BBC Music that "the casual, high-spirited Under the Sun boasts a playful, summery, arguably alternative trait."[9] Laura Hills wrote a positive review for MSN Music, calling it "a perfectly acceptable track full of bounce, upbeat vocals and what some may say are obvious references to ex-husband Ashley Cole."[2] Joanne Dorken of MTV called it "a summery, mid-tempo song and provides a bright start to A Million Lights."[3]

Laurence Green from musicOMH analysed that "Under the Sun serves as a thrillingly carefree album opener, all jaunty piano riffs and frat party chants. As one of Cole’s own co-writes, it’s hard not to read into the flippant breeziness of lyrics like “I got paid today, is this really my life, now that I’m over you... I can finally feel alive”. In interviews, she might pointedly distance herself from any deeper meaning to the words, but truth be told, it’s the way lines like these resonate so closely to Cole’s own life that bolsters the album’s cohesiveness and marks it out as a body of work that sounds fundamentally like ‘her’."[10] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy agreed, writing, "Cheryl may refuse to admit that her tracks are autobiographical, but when the credits list her as the primary songwriter, it's hard to ignore the song's potential to be a two-fingered salute to those who have attempted to sway her – and more power to her for it."[11] Kim Taylor Bennet from Time Out London called it a "Lily Allen-lite, cheapened instantly to a Magaluf anthem by an inexplicable football chant refrain."[12]

Chart performance

"Under the Sun" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 57, on 11 August 2012.[13] Later, the song jumped to number 36, while on the third week, it climbed to number 26.[13] On 8 September 2012, the song climbed to number 13. This, along with The Flood and Only Human are the only singles of Cheryl's to date that haven't entered the top five.[13] "Under the Sun" debuted at number 30 on the Irish Singles Chart, for the week ending 9 August 2012 and went on to peak at number 16 becoming her seventh top-twenty hit in Ireland.[14][15]

Music video
Cheryl reclining on the bonnet of a classic car while a gang of gents in 50s suits dance around her in the music video for "Under the Sun".

The music video was filmed on 25 June 2012, and was directed by Anthony Mandler.[16] Cheryl also tweeted that she was in music video rehearsals the previous day when the single was first announced.[17] Furthermore, the scenes were filmed at Wimbledon Studios on the former set of the now defunct Channel Five soap "Family Affairs." The accompanying music video was released on 26 July 2012, and it sees Cheryl travel back to the '50s to perform the track while strutting down the street. Further scenes see the singer draped on the bonnet of a classic car and performing a choreographed dance sequence with a handful of businessmen.[18]

The video starts with Cheryl in a crowded café of suited men strolling to a juke box before leaving – attracting the attention of every bloke present. Later, she walks down a decidedly modern street, complete with phone box, bus stop and cash point, before reclining on the bonnet of a classic car while a gang of gents in 50s suits dance around her. Not being able to get enough of hunky dancers, after more strutting down the street in her leopard print heels, Cheryl breaks out a routine in front of a flashing background with the help of two shirtless blokes. As the sun sets, Cheryl walks down a dark street – with yet more dancing – before going back into a café and chatting up a group of soldiers, making sure she nabs a slurp of milkshake on the way.[19]

Live performances

"Under the Sun" was performed live for the first time during Cheryl's T4 special. It was broadcast on Channel 4 on 16 June 2012. "Screw You", "Call My Name" and "Fight For This Love" were also performed.[20] Cheryl performed "Under the Sun" on The Jonathan Ross Show on 8 September.[21][22]

Track listing
Digital EP[23]
  1. "Under the Sun" (Radio Version) - 3:29
  2. "Under the Sun" (The Alias Remix / Radio Version) - 3:33
  3. "Under the Sun" (Pantha Remix) - 4:16
  4. "Under the Sun" (Agent X Bassline Mix) - 5:00

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Silver 200,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history
Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom[23] 2 September 2012 Digital EP Polydor
gollark: Horrible suffering, why?
gollark: I don't read my diffs because I know what things I did, see.
gollark: What of them?
gollark: I am not.
gollark: This was actually all part of my plan to make your projects fail by distracting you with moderately problematic python.

References
  1. Gittins, Ian (18 June 2012). "Cheryl: A Million Lights Album Review – Reviews – Music – Virgin Media". Virgin Media. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  2. Hills, Laura (15 June 2012). "Cheryl Cole, A Million Lights: review". MSN Music. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  3. "MTV album review". MTV.co.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  4. "Cheryl Cole, Lana Del Rey Collaboration on New Album, "Under The Sun"". MTV.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  5. Robinson, Peter (6 June 2012). "Cheryl Cole Interview". PopJustice.com. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (19 June 2012). "A Million Lights – Cheryl Cole: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards: Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  7. Alexis Petridis (14 June 2012). "Cheryl Cole: A Million Lights – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  8. "REVIEW: Cheryl Cole's 'A Million Lights' Is Pop Triumph". Entertainmentwise. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  9. Fox, Al (15 June 2012). "BBC – Music – Review of Cheryl – A Million Lights". BBC Music. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  10. Green, Laurence (18 June 2012). "Cheryl – A Million Lights | album reviews | musicOMH". musicOMH. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  11. Corner, Lewis (14 August 2012). "Cheryl: 'Under The Sun' – Single review". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  12. Bennett, Kim Taylor. "Cheryl – 'A Million Lights' album review". Time Out London. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  13. "The Official Charts Company – Cheryl – Under the Sun". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  14. "TOP 50 SINGLES, WEEK ENDING 9 August 2012". Irish Singles Chart. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  15. "TOP 50 SINGLES, WEEK ENDING 30 August 2012". Irish Singles Chart. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  16. "Cheryl Cole Wears Bright Green High Heels During Promotional Tour in Berlin". Capital FM. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  17. "Video Rehearsal..." Facebook. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  18. Corner, Lewis (26 July 2012). "Cheryl Cole debuts 'Under The Sun' music video – watch". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  19. "Cheryl Cole's Under The Sun video sees pop star ooze 60s glamour". Metro. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  20. "London Live – Series 1 – Episode 3 – Cheryl: T4 Special". Channel 4. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  21. Cheryl Cole To Open Up For Jonathan Ross Show Interview Next Week? - Capital FM
  22. Cheryl Cole steps out with new boyfriend | Showbiz | Entertainment | STV
  23. "Under the Sun: Cheryl". Amazon.co.uk. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  24. "Chart Track: Week 39, 2012". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  25. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  27. http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusEOY2012.pdf
  28. "British single certifications – Cheryl – Under the Sun". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Under the Sun in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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