Bittersweet (Hoodoo Gurus song)

"Bittersweet"
Single by Hoodoo Gurus
from the album Mars Needs Guitars!
B-side"Mars Needs Guitars"
ReleasedJune 1985
GenreAlternative rock
Length3:46
LabelBig Time
Songwriter(s)Dave Faulkner
Producer(s)Charles Fisher
Hoodoo Gurus singles chronology
"I Want You Back"
(1984)
"Bittersweet"
(1985)
"Like Wow - Wipeout!"
(1985)

"Bittersweet" is a song by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was written by Dave Faulkner,[1] released in June 1985 as the lead single from the group's second studio album, Mars Needs Guitars! It peaked at number 16 in Australia.

In 2000, Dave Faulkner said: "I vowed to myself that I would write less comic narratives and try to express my sentiments in a more forthright way. I feel I succeeded with 'Bittersweet' though at the time I didn't think that a) the band would want to play it and b) our audience would want to hear it. I was happily wrong on both counts."[2]

Track listings

7" single (BTS1503)
  1. "Bittersweet" (Dave Faulkner) — 3:46
  2. "Mars Needs Guitars" (James Baker, Clyde Bramley, Faulkner, Mark Kingsmill and Brad Shepherd)[1] — 2:51

Personnel

Credited to:

  • James Baker — drums
  • Clyde Bramley — bass, backing vocals
  • Dave Faulkner — lead vocals (track A), guitar
  • Mark Kingsmill — drums, cymbals
  • Brad Shepherd — guitar, lead vocals (track B), harmonica
  • Producer — Charles Fisher
  • Engineer — John Bee
  • Mastering — Don Bartley

Charts

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[3] 16

Cover versions & others

Courtney Love provided lead vocals for her band Hole's version of "Bittersweet" with Brad Shepard playing guitar and contributing backing vocals at Hole's 1999 Big Day Out performance.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Australasian Performing Right Association". APRA. Archived from the original on 2008-05-05. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  2. ^ Faulkner, Dave (June 2000). "Pop and punishment". juliat. Archived from the original on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 141. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "Discogs entry on Bittersweet (unofficial Hole album)". discogs.com. Retrieved 2008-01-21.