| The Cutter | |
| Cover: | bunnymen_thecutter7.jpg |
| Caption: | Cover from the 7" release |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Echo & the Bunnymen |
| Album: | Porcupine |
| B-Side: | "Way Out and Up We Go" / "Zimbo" (live) |
| Recorded: | September 1982 |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | 3:53 |
| Label: | Korova |
| Producer: | Kingbird |
| Prev Title: | The Back of Love |
| Prev Year: | 1982 |
| Next Title: | Never Stop |
| Next Year: | 1983 |
"The Cutter" is a single released by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen in 1983. It is the second single released from their third studio album, Porcupine (1983).
The single was released on the Korova label in the United Kingdom on 14 January 1983 as both a 7" and 12" single. The 7" was available as a limited edition which was packaged with a cassette containing tracks from their August 1979 John Peel session which featured the drum machine that was rumoured to be called "Echo". The extra track on the B-side of the 12" release, "Zimbo", is a live recording from the first WOMAD festival in July 1982 and features the Royal Drummers of Burundi. 12" single available with limited edition free poster
The song was ranked at number 14 among the "Tracks of the Year" for 1983 by NME.[2] In a retrospective review of "The Cutter", AllMusic journalist Tom Maginnis wrote: "Echo and The Bunnymen successfully wed the Eastern influenced psychedelic sounds made famous by the Beatles. The Eastern strings re-enter at strategic points, filling in space between verses and Ian McCulloch's esoteric pleas to 'spare us the cutter!'. The track never loses steam, cruising through each section with power and grace."[3]
The song was covered by the Dutch musician Solex on the 2001 compilation album Matador 2001: Draw Me a Riot, which came free with the April 2001 edition of The Wire magazine.[4] A version of the song, performed by Lagartija Nick, is included on the 2005 Spanish tribute album Play the Game: Un Tributo a Echo & The Bunnymen.
All tracks written by Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant, Les Pattinson and Pete de Freitas except where noted.
| Chart (1983) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 67 | |
| Irish Singles Chart[6] | 10 | |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] | 30 | |
| UK Singles Chart[8] | 8 |