"Sunshine" is a country folk song from 1971 by Jonathan Edwards, released as the first single from his debut album Jonathan Edwards. The single reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on January 15, 1972,[1] and earned a gold record.[2]
| "Sunshine" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Jonathan Edwards | |
| from the album Jonathan Edwards | |
| B-side | "Emma" |
| Released | 1971 |
| Recorded | 1971 |
| Genre | Country folk, pop |
| Length | 2:16 |
| Label | Capricorn |
| Songwriter(s) | Jonathan Edwards |
| Producer(s) | Peter Casperson |
"Sunshine" was not originally planned for release, but when an engineer accidentally erased the master of a track called "Please Find Me" near the end of sessions for the album, "Sunshine" was used to fill the hole.[2]
The song was released as a single and first gained popularity [citation needed]on Boston radio, before going nationwide. Here's Edwards' take on its success: "It was just at the time of the Vietnam War and Nixon. It was looking bad out there. That song meant a lot to a lot of people during that time--especially me."[2]
Chart history
| Chart (1971-72) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles[3] | 3 |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[4] | 11 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening[6] | 7 |
- Jonathan Edwards recorded and released a bluegrass version of "Sunshine" (along with an entire album) with the band "The Seldom Scene."[when?]
Covers
In 1980, Juice Newton scored a Top-40 hit, peaking at #35 on the Billboard Country chart with her version of "Sunshine".[7]
Paul Westerberg's cover is featured on the Friends TV show soundtrack.
The Isley Brothers also cut a version of this song for 3 + 3.
The song is featured in the 2004 film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and is also included on the film's soundtrack.
"Sunshine" was featured in an episode of Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom (U.S. TV series) (Season 1, Episode 7 "5/1"), where Will MacAvoy and Jim Harper perform it together at Will's party for the staff.
In July 2007, the original Jonathan Edwards recording joined the list of Vietnam Era protest songs used to sell high-end consumer products when it was used as the only audio in a Jeep television spot, part of the Heritage campaign developed by the Cutwater agency.[8]
Izzy Stradlin, formerly of Guns N' Roses, recorded an acoustic version in the summer of 2016.
See also
References
- ^ "Billboard Jan 15, 1972". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c "Jonathan Edwards bio". Archived from the original on 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1972-02-12. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1972-02-26. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 85.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 248.
- ^ "Cutwater". Retrieved 2007-09-04.
