"So Cold the Night" is a song by British synth-pop duo the Communards released in November 1986 as the final single from their debut album Communards. It was their second top-ten hit, peaking at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

"So Cold the Night"
Single by the Communards
from the album Communards
B-side"When the Walls Come Tumbling Down"
Released17 November 1986 (1986-11-17)[1]
Recorded1986
StudioMilo Studios, London
Genre
Length
  • 4:39 (single version)
  • 5:45 (album version)
LabelLondon
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mike Thorne
The Communards singles chronology
"Don't Leave Me This Way"
(1986)
"So Cold the Night"
(1986)
"You Are My World '87"
(1987)

Release and reception

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"So Cold the Night" was released with the B-side "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down", also written by the duo, and was dedicated to Nelson Mandela.[3] The 12-inch single was released with the additional B-side "Never No More".[4] A remix of "So Cold the Night" was released as a 12-inch single in December 1986.[5] It was a double A-side single with "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down" and "The Multimix", a medley remix of "Don't Leave Me This Way", "So Cold the Night" and "Disenchanted".[6]

Reviewing for Record Mirror, Jane Wilkes wrote "clandestine meetings and hi-NRG Balkan folk music engage for this Somerville/Coles composition. Their cover versions have always maintained an ambiguity, whereas their own songs place you right in the picture regarding their sexual/political stance".[7]

Track listing

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7": London / LON 110

  1. "So Cold the Night" – 4:39
  2. "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down" – 4:20

7": London / LONDJ 110 (promo)

  1. "So Cold the Night" – 3:45
  2. "So Cold the Night" (Full Length) – 4:40

12": London / LONX 110

  1. "So Cold the Night" – 9:12
  2. "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down" – 4:22
  3. "Never No More" – 2:58

12": London / LONXR 110

  1. "So Cold the Night" – 8:34
  2. "The Multimix" – 8:00
  3. "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down" – 4:21

12": London / LONX 110 (promo)

  1. "So Cold the Night" – 9:12
  2. "So Cold the Night" (Instrumental) – 9:12

12": London / LDSX 235 (Canada)

  1. "So Cold the Night" (Remixed Club Version) – 8:45
  2. "So Cold the Night" (7" Version) – 3:45
  3. "So Cold the Night" (Instrumental) – 9:45

Cassette: London / LONCS 110

  1. "So Cold the Night"
  2. "When the Walls Come Tumbling Down"
  3. "Never No More"
  4. "Don't Leave Me This Way" (Son of Gotham City)

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Weekly chart performance for "So Cold the Night"
Chart (1986–1987) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 90
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 7
Europe (Hot 100 Singles)[11] 13
France (SNEP)[12] 17
Germany (GfK)[13] 14
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 11
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 44
Spain (Promusicae)[18] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[2] 8

Year-end charts

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1987 year-end chart performance for "So Cold the Night"
Chart (1987) Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 82
Europe (Hot 100 Singles)[21] 57
France[22] 77
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 99
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 91

Certifications and sales

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In France, the single reportedly sold at least 150,000 copies.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Communards". Smash Hits. 19 November – 2 December 1986. p. 56. Retrieved 17 February 2022 – via Flickr.
  2. ^ a b "Communards: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  3. ^ Communards - So Cold The Night, retrieved 17 February 2022
  4. ^ Communards - So Cold The Night, retrieved 17 February 2022
  5. ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 December 1986. p. 29. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  6. ^ Communards - So Cold The Night (Remix), retrieved 17 February 2022
  7. ^ "Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 22 November 1986. p. 10. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Communards – So Cold the Night" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  10. ^ "Communards – So Cold the Night" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  11. ^ European Hot 100 Singles
  12. ^ "Communards – So Cold the Night" (in French). Les classement single.
  13. ^ "Communards – So Cold the Night" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – So Cold the Night". Irish Singles Chart.
  15. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Communards" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  16. ^ "Communards – So Cold the Night" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  17. ^ "Communards – So Cold the Night". Top 40 Singles.
  18. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  19. ^ "Communards – So Cold the Night". Swiss Singles Chart.
  20. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1987" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  21. ^ "European Charts of the Year 1987 > Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 34. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  22. ^ a b "TOP – 1987". Top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  23. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1987" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2022.