Metropolis (The Church song) explained

Metropolis
Cover:	The_Church_-_Metropolis_Australian_picture_sleeve.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	the Church
Album:	Gold Afternoon Fix
B-Side:	"Much Too Much" "Ride into the Sunset" "Monday Morning"
Released:	^[1]
Studio:	Ocean Way (Los Angeles)
Length:	4:47
Label:	Mushroom (Australia) Arista (international)
Producer:	The Church Waddy Wachtel
Prev Title:	Destination
Prev Year:	1988
Next Title:	Russian Autumn Heart
Next Year:	1990

"Metropolis" is a song by Australian alternative rock band the Church. It was released as the lead single from their sixth album, Gold Afternoon Fix (1990), and the songwriting credits were given to all four members of the band. The song topped the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number 19 in Australia. A music video directed by David Hogan and produced by Chris O'Brien was made for the song.^[2]

Background and composition

Marty Willson-Piper, Peter Koppes, Richard Ploog, and Steve Kilbey were all credited with writing the song. The lead guitar produced a quickly falling then softly ascending melody. A complicated web of guitar overdubs appears later in the song, and a soft, mandolin-sounding melody was added as an additional hook.^[3]

Release and reception

"Metropolis" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 11 on the Album Rock Tracks chart in 1990. In addition, it peaked at number 19 in Australia and number 41 in New Zealand. Critically, Ned Raggett of AllMusic praised "the almost desperate edge in Steve Kilbey's vocals" as a testament to the song's quality. Raggett added that the Church's "ear for a triumphant yet somehow downbeat ending [makes] this an underrated gem in the band's body of work."^[3]

Track listings

Australian and US 7-inch single^{[4] [5]}

A. "Metropolis" – 4:44

B. "Much Too Much" – 4:46

Australian maxi-CD single^[6]

1. "Metropolis"
2. "Much Too Much"
3. "Ride into the Sunset"

UK 7-inch single^[7]

A. "Metropolis"

B. "Monday Morning"

UK and European maxi-CD single^[8]

1. "Metropolis" – 4:44
2. "Monday Morning" – 2:44
3. "Much Too Much" – 3:50

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Australian 7-inch single and Gold Afternoon Fix liner notes.^{[4] [9]}

Studios

• Recorded at Ocean Way Recording Studios (Los Angeles)
• Pre-produced at S.I.R. (Los Angeles) and Fat Boy Studios (Sydney, Australia)
• Mastered at Artisan Sound Recorders (Los Angeles)

Personnel

• The Church – production
  • Steve Kilbey – writing, vocals, bass, keyboards
  • Marty Willson-Piper – writing, guitar
  • Peter Koppes – writing, guitar
  • Richard Ploog – writing, drums
• Waddy Wachtel – production, mixing
• Shep Lonsdale – mixing, engineering
• Joe Schiff – assistant engineering
• Greg Fulginiti – mastering

Acoustic versions

The band performed the song, as well as "Under the Milky Way", for MTV Unplugged on 30 January 1990 at the National Video Center in New York City. The episode aired 18 March 1990.^[10] An acoustic version was included on the 2004 album El Momento Descuidado.

Notes and References

1. CD-5 Picks Up Steam as Labels Boost Commitment. Christman. Ed. Billboard. 102. 8. 84. 3 March 1990. 5 December 2020.
2. Video Track. Billboard. 102. 8. 48. 24 February 1990. 5 December 2020.
3. Web site: Metropolis Review. Raggett. Ned. AllMusic. Macrovision Corporation. 25 June 2012.
4. Metropolis. The Church. 1990. Australian 7-inch single sleeve. Mushroom Records. K 1070.
5. Metropolis. The Church. 1990. US 7-inch single sleeve. Arista Records. AS 2027.
6. Metropolis. The Church. 1990. Australian maxi-CD single liner notes. Mushroom Records. D1070.
7. Metropolis. The Church. 1990. UK 7-inch single sleeve. Arista Records. 113 086.
8. Metropolis. The Church. 1990. UK & European maxi-CD single liner notes. Arista Records. 663 086.
9. Gold Afternoon Fix. Gold Afternoon Fix. The Church. 1990. US CD album liner notes. Arista Records. ARCD-8579.
10. Web site: Sinead O'Connor with The Church. tv.com. 26 March 2019.