Always

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"Always"
Single by Erasure
from the album I Say I Say I Say
B-side	"Tragic"
Released	11 April 1994
Format	12", 7", cassette, CD
Recorded	1994
Genre	Synthpop
Length	3:57
Label	Mute (UK) Elektra (U.S.)
Writer(s)	Vince Clarke, Andy Bell
Producer	Martyn Ware
Erasure singles chronology
"Who Needs Love Like That" (Hamburg Mix) (1992) "Always" (1994) "Run to the Sun" (1994)

"Always" is a synthpop ballad by British duo Erasure. It was released in 1994 as the first single from their sixth studio album I Say I Say I Say. Mute Records issued the single in the UK, while Elektra Records released it in the U.S. "Always" was written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, and is produced by Martyn Ware.

The song is based around synthesized harmony by Clarke and Bell's subdued vocals and lyrics. The music video features Bell in a Chinese scroll painting-inspired backdrop.

The song quickly became Erasure's 13th Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number four. In the United States, the single became Erasure's third Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 20, six years after their last major U.S. pop hit. On the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, "Always" climbed to number six.

Appearances

The 2009 mix of the song (found on Total Pop! The First 40 Hits) is featured in the "Robot Unicorn Attack" Flash game on Adult Swim's website, the iPhone and the Android Market. It is a simple side-scrolling platform game where the player controls a robot unicorn to jump across platforms, collect fairies and smash through stars to earn extra points. The environment is a fantasy landscape consisting of purple grass, rainbow effects and flying sparkling dolphins. Numerous reviewers have noted how perfectly the song fits in the general theme of the game. The game has over 43 million plays as of May 2012 on adultswim.com.^[1][2][3]

The song has been covered live as an intro piece by synthpop musician MNDR.

In 2012 the synth pop band Xiu Xiu covered the song for a Record Store Day single.

Track listings

7" single (MUTE152), cassette single (CMUTE152)

1. "Always"
2. "Tragic"

12" single (12MUTE152)

1. "Always"
2. "Tragic"
3. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix)
4. "Always" (Microbots Trance Dance Mix)

12" promotional single (Elektra ED5686)

1. "Always" (Extended Mix) - 6:12
2. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix) - 7:13
3. "Always" (Microbots Trance Dance Mix) - 4:33
4. "Always" (Hey Mix) - 6:26

CD Single #1 (CDMUTE152)

1. "Always"
2. "Always" (Extended Mix)
3. "Tragic"

CD Single #2 (LCDMUTE152)

1. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix)
2. "Always" (Microbots Trance Dance Mix)
3. "Always" (Microbots In Your Brain Mix)
4. "Always" (Hey Mix)

U.S. maxi-single (66225-2)

1. "Always" (7" Mix)
2. "Always" (Cappella Club Mix)
3. "Always" (Hey Mix)
4. "Tragic"

Chart performance

References