Sunshine on Leith (album)

Sunshine on Leith was recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios in Oxfordshire, England, Wingfield had previously worked with the Everly Brothers, with whom the Proclaimers were frequently compared; Reid described it as a "happy coincidence" and stated that Wingfield was hired because he had produced the Dexys Midnight Runners debut album Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (1980). The recording for Sunshine on Leith marked the first time that the Proclaimers had worked with a band, The album's sound draws heavily from American music, such as country and 1950s rock and roll, with homages to the duo's own Scottish culture. == Music and style ==

Musical style At variance with the stripped-back acoustic nature of the band's 1987 debut effort This Is The Story, Sunshine on Leith embraced the rock-angled sound of a full band. "Cap in Hand" and "What Do You Do?" referenced the duo's Scottish nationalist convictions. Alluding to the record's moods, Tom Demalton of AllMusic identified "a thread of optimism that runs through most of the album", Sunshine on Leith Songs "My Old Friend the Blues" is a cover of a song from American alternative country musician Steve Earle's debut album Guitar Town (1986). As stated by Los Angeles Times in 1989, "Sean" was written for duo member Charlie Reid's son, born in 1987; the lyrics have been described by Chicago Reader as "thoughts about life passed on to a newborn". Discussing the lines "I saw why I'm here, the morning you appeared" Charlie Reid said in 2018: "appreciating [fatherhood] and appreciating you’re a link in the chain, and you’re privileged to be so, and if there’s any reason to hang around, it’s family and loved ones, and I suppose it’s all part of that". "Sean" also makes reference to Elvis Presley's hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi. Bill Wyman of Chicago Reader wrote in 1989 that "Come On Nature" was "pantheistic plea for some down-to-earth love action". Stylistically, "Come On Nature" has been categorised as "Smiths-like pop" and has also been said to "recall the harmonies of Peter and Gordon". "What Do You Do?" has been characterised by Louisville Music News as "haunting" and "plaintive" and shares with "Cap in Hand" its Scottish nationalist leanings. Its lyrics have been described as "ruminating on the failure of democracy to ameliorate poverty". == Promotion and touring ==

Sunshine on Leith's 1988 release was followed by a tour, complete with an electric backing band. The 1989 leg of the tour saw the band perform to a crowd of 65,000 at the 1989 Glastonbury Festival in England. Promotion for the album in the United States included US talk-show performances, inclusive of a 21 March 1989 appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. The 1993 vogue of Sunshine on Leith and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" in the United States saw the Proclaimers perform at Madison Square Garden for the Z100 Birthday on 28 July 1993, alongside Terence Trent D'Arby, 10,000 Maniacs, Duran Duran and headliners Bon Jovi. == Legacy and influence ==

Sunshine on Leith, a stage musical spotlighting the songs of the Proclaimers, was named in for the album and title track. The TMAAward-winning musical debuted in 2007, and the film adaptation, starring Peter Mullan and Jane Horrocks, was completed in 2013, grossing over US$4.7 million after debuting at No. 3 in the UK box office. Noted for its Scottish nationalist tenets, In October 2003, The Scotsman ranked Sunshine on Leith No. 25 on their "100 Best Scottish Albums" list, the second of two Proclaimers' albums featured. == Critical reception ==

Sunshine on Leith has enjoyed positive critical reception. In a four-and-a-half out of five star review, Tom Demalton of AllMusic proclaimed the record to be "highly listenable and thoroughly engaging blend of folk and pop". Bill Wyman of the Chicago Reader remarked that Sunshine on Leith was a "magnificent" and "almost flawless" record. Rhino Insider remarked of a reissued edition that Sunshine on Leith offered "plenty more to enjoy" beyond the lead single, containing "fine originals" "("Oh Jean", "I'm On My Way") and "appealing covers" ("My Old Friend the Blues"), and opined the album to be "invigorating from beginning to end". == Commercial performance ==

In Australia, Sunshine on Leith has been certified 2× platinum by the ARIA, The album reached No. 2, while "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" topped the singles chart, Craig Reid describing this popularity as "madness". The selection of "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" for the soundtrack of the 1993 film Benny & Joon saw the single peak at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 that year, with Sunshine on Leith peaking on the Billboard 200 Albums at No. 31 on 7 August 1993, and selling over 696,000 copies in the US as of 2001. At the time of June 2009, Sunshine on Leith had shifted over two million units globally. ==Track listing==

Adapted from Sunshine on Leith liner notes. The Proclaimers • Craig Reid – vocals, percussion • Charlie Reid – vocals, acoustic guitars Additional personnel • Jerry Donahue – acoustic and electric guitars • Gerry Hogan – steel guitar • Steve Shaw – violin, mandolin (tracks 14, 16), piano (track 16) • Stuart Nisbet – pennywhistle, mandolin, guitars (track 13), pedal steel guitar (track 13) • Dave Whetstone – melodeon • Pete Wingfield – keyboards, organ (track 16), bass synth (track 16) • Phil Cranham – bass guitar • Dave Mattacks, Paul Robinson – drums, percussion • Keith Burns – drums (track 13) • Niko Bruce – double bass (track 13) • Paul Townsend – bass guitar (tracks 14, 15) • Nico Ramsden – electric guitar (tracks 14, 15) • Judd Lander – harmonica (track 14) Technical • Barry Hammond – engineer • Beeg Al, Chris Birkett – engineer (track 13) • Richard Hollywood – engineer (tracks 14–16) • Gavin Evans – cover photography == Chart ==

Weekly charts Year-end charts Singles Other charted songs ==Certifications==