Distant Sun

Album: Together Alone (1993)
Charted: 19 113
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In "Distant Sun," Crowded House leader Neil Finn uses celestial imagery to look at our place in the universe and how it relates to an interpersonal relationship. These lines are key:

    Your seven worlds collide
    Whenever I am by your side


    "Seven worlds collide" is a reference to the Pleiades star cluster, known as the Seven Sisters, and also as Matariki in Finn's home country of New Zealand. "The reappearance of Matariki marks midwinter and is a time for remembrance and looking to the future," he posted on social media. "It's a likely place for extra-terrestrials to come from, supposedly, for people who follow those kind of leads," he added, "and is a significant cosmological part of the night sky."

    Midwinter in New Zealand is in July, the coldest month of the year there.
  • Regarding these lines:

    Tell me all the things you would change
    I don't pretend to know what you want


    Neil Finn explained on his website: "It's just wanting to get to know somebody, the unknowability of people, and the different influences that come from way, way out there in the universe that we don't even know about."
  • "Distant Sun" was the first single from the fourth Crowded House album, Together Alone. By this time, the band had fallen off the radar in America (where the song charted for one week... at #113) but were still enjoying hits in other territories, notably the UK, Australia, and of course, New Zealand. Together Alone ended up being their last studio album until 2007; they broke up in 1996 and didn't get back together until 2006.
  • The music video, which shows the band washed in a golden glow, was directed by Curtis Wehrfritz. He also directed videos for Leonard Cohen ("The Future") and Tom Cochrane ("No Regrets").

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

The Punk Photography of Chris Stein

The Punk Photography of Chris SteinSong Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Chris Squire of Yes

Chris Squire of YesSongwriter Interviews

One of the most dynamic bass player/songwriters of his time, Chris is the only member of Yes who has been with the band since they formed in 1968.