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Under the Big Black Sun

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(Redirected from Real Child of Hell) This article is about the album. For the memoir by John Doe, see Under the Big Black Sun (book). "The Have Nots" redirects here. For the ska punk band, see Have Nots. 1982 studio album by X
Under the Big Black Sun
Studio album by X
ReleasedJuly 1982
Recorded1982
StudioCherokee (Hollywood)
GenrePunk rock
Length34:29
LabelElektra
ProducerRay Manzarek
X chronology
Wild Gift
(1981) 		Under the Big Black Sun
(1982) 		More Fun in the New World
(1983)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Entertainment WeeklyB+
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Sounds
The Village VoiceA−

Under the Big Black Sun is the third studio album by American rock band X, and their major-label debut. It was released on Elektra Records in July 1982 and reissued on Rhino Records in 2001 with bonus tracks. It was re-released in its original format by Fat Possum Records in 2018.

The cover art illustration was drawn by Alfred Harris.

Track listing

All tracks written by John Doe and Exene Cervenka except where noted.

Side A

  1. "The Hungry Wolf" – 3:45
  2. "Motel Room in My Bed" – 2:32
  3. "Riding with Mary" – 3:40
  4. "Come Back to Me" – 3:43
  5. "Under the Big Black Sun" – 3:23

Side B

  1. "Because I Do" – 2:21
  2. "Blue Spark" – 2:06
  3. "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" (Al Dubin, Joe Burke) – 2:20
  4. "Real Child of Hell" – 2:59
  5. "How I (Learned My Lesson)" – 2:12
  6. "The Have Nots" – 4:44

Bonus tracks (2001 reissue)

  1. "Riding with Mary" (Single Version) – 3:12
  2. "X Rewrites 'El Paso'" (Rehearsal)/"Because I Do" (TV Mix/Instrumental) (Marty Robbins, Cervenka, Doe) – 2:56
  3. "Universal Corner" (Live) – 4:08
  4. "Breathless" (Single Mix) (Otis Blackwell) – 2:20
  5. "How I (Learned My Lesson)" (Live) – 2:20

Personnel

X
Additional personnel

Reception

In The Boston Phoenix, Sally Cragin reviewed the album in terms of the relationship between the band’s married leaders, singer Exene Cervenka and bassist/singer John Doe, "who set themselves apart by making their marriage into a public paradigm for love in the LA ruins." Cragin felt that "Under the Big Black Sun's producer, Ray Manzarek, wisely keeps out of view, letting X's meaty dance reverberations speak for themselves. But the honeymoon is over for John and Exene's songwriting. Whereas Wild Gift balanced their voices, Big Black Sun certifies their nimble moves without advancing them. The discovery of married tension songs has turned into a self-conscious trademark... Now, the main cliffhanger is: will John and Exene survive as a major-label marriage?"

Charts

Sales chart performance for Under the Big Black Sun
Chart Peak Date Duration
Billboard Pop Albums 76 August 20, 1982 15 weeks

References

  1. Prato, Greg. "Under the Big Black Sun – X". AllMusic. Retrieved September 11, 2005.
  2. "X: Under the Big Black Sun". Entertainment Weekly. September 28, 2001. p. 75.
  3. Puterbaugh, Parke (August 16, 1982). "X: Under the Big Black Sun". Rolling Stone. No. 376. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2006.
  4. Sisario, Ben (2004). "X". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 889–90. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  5. Pouncey, Edwin (3 July 1982). "Emotional slaughter". Sounds. p. 33.
  6. Christgau, Robert (August 10, 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved April 4, 2006.
  7. Veltkamp, Joey (7 December 2009). "History of Art in Seattle, Chapter One". Best Of. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  8. Cragin, Sally (July 27, 1982). "X: Going Their Own Way". The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  9. "X". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
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