Sometimes (Stranglers song)

"Sometimes"
"Sometimes"
Single by The Stranglers
from the album Rattus Norvegicus
B-side	"Go Buddy Go"
Released	October 1977
Recorded	TW Studios
Genre	Punk rock
Length	4:56
Label	United Artists
Songwriter(s)	Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, Dave Greenfield, Jet Black
Producer(s)	Martin Rushent

"Sometimes"
"Sometimes"
Song by The Stranglers
from the album Rattus Norvegicus
Released	15 April 1977
Recorded	TW Studios
Genre	New wave; post-punk;
Length	4:56
Label	United Artists
Songwriter(s)	Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, Dave Greenfield, Jet Black
Producer(s)	Martin Rushent

"Sometimes" is a song by The Stranglers, appearing as the first song on their debut album Rattus Norvegicus (1977). The song was written and sung by Hugh Cornwell, and credited to the band as a whole.

It was released as a single in Japan in 1977 with the B-side of "Go Buddy Go".

Overview

The song has a distinctive leitmotif played throughout on the keyboards, backed by a heavy bass riff which repeats throughout the song. The lyrics tell of an aggressive narrator's feelings towards a person, presumably their significant other, and it tells of their feelings of wanting to hit them. The song features a guitar and keyboard solo played in the call and response style during its climactic bridge before reprising its elongated chorus.

Writing and composition

The lyrics were written by Hugh Cornwell, inspired by an altercation between him and his girlfriend in which he caught her cheating on him and proceeded to hit her.^[1] The music was written predominantly by JJ Burnel with Hugh adding various pieces of music to Burnel's riff.^[2] The song is in the key of E minor, and features a large instrumental passage during its bridge.

Personnel

Hugh Cornwell – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
Jean-Jacques Burnel – backing vocals, bass guitar
Dave Greenfield – Hammond organ, Hohner electric piano
Jet Black – drums

References

^ Cornwell, Hugh; Drury, Jim (2001). The Stranglers: Song by Song (2010 ed.). 14-15 Berners Street, London W1T 3LJ: Omnibus Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-85712-444-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^ Cornwell, Hugh; Drury, Jim (2001). The Stranglers: Song by Song (2010 ed.). 14-15 Berners Street, London W1T 3LJ: Omnibus Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-85712-444-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)

[1] Cornwell, Hugh; Drury, Jim (2001). The Stranglers: Song by Song (2010 ed.). 14-15 Berners Street, London W1T 3LJ: Omnibus Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-85712-444-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)

[2] Cornwell, Hugh; Drury, Jim (2001). The Stranglers: Song by Song (2010 ed.). 14-15 Berners Street, London W1T 3LJ: Omnibus Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-85712-444-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)

[1]

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