Sunshine on a Rainy Day


"Sunshine on a Rainy Day" is a 1990 single released by British female pop singer and songwriter Zoë. It reached number four on the UK Singles Chart in September 1991 and also charted within the top 40 in Ireland, Sweden and Zimbabwe, where it reached number one.

Background

The song was originally released at the end of 1990, when it only managed to reach number 53 on the UK Singles Chart. It was not until the remix by Mark 'Spike' Stent in August 1991 that it hit number four on the same chart and became her biggest hit to date. It was the 18th best-selling single of 1991. The track was used in UK advertisements for the Amiga 500 computer, which added to its popularity.
Zoë re-recorded the song in 2008 with her folk band Mama. This version is available on their debut CD, Crow Coyote Buffalo.

Critical reception

Billboard wrote about the song: "Photogenic British lass steps from out of left field with a percussive, midtempo gem on which she often comes across like a smoky Sophie B. Hawkins. Soft, syncopated hip-hop-derived beats support acoustic strumming, subtle electric chords, and flower-child lyrical prose. Track starts from a simple, sparse point, and builds to a rousing tambourine-shaking climax. Fueled with multiformat appeal."

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart Peak
position
Australia 147
Europe 16

Year-end charts

Christine Anu version

In May 2000, Christine Anu released a version of the song as the first single from her second studio album, Come My Way. The song peaked at number 26 on the Australian Singles Chart and remained in the top 50 for 15 weeks.

Track listing

CD single
  1. "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" - 3:50
  2. "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" - 4:13
  3. "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" - 5:57

    Charts

Other versions