"Bittersweet" is a song by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was written by Dave Faulkner, released in June 1985 as the lead single from the group's second studio album, Mars Needs Guitars! It peaked at number 16 in Australia.
Composition In 2000, Dave Faulkner said: "I vowed to myself that I would write less comic narratives and try to express my sentiments in a more forthright way. I feel I succeeded with 'Bittersweet' though at the time I didn't think that a) the band would want to play it and b) our audience would want to hear it. I was happily wrong on both counts." He later added, "So when I got them to rehearse it, it sounded perfect, of course. But, in my imagination, I thought, 'This sounds so different to anything we've been doing and no one's gonna like this' – it’s not the bright, jolly, cartoon stuff that we’d sort of been known for."
Track listings 7" single (BTS1503) "Bittersweet" (Dave Faulkner) — 3:46 "Mars Needs Guitars" (James Baker, Clyde Bramley, Faulkner, Mark Kingsmill and Brad Shepherd) — 2:51
Personnel Credited to: James Baker — drums Clyde Bramley — bass, backing vocals Dave Faulkner — lead vocals (track A), guitar Mark Kingsmill — drums, cymbals Brad Shepherd — guitar, lead vocals (track B), harmonica Producer — Charles Fisher Engineer — John Bee Mastering — Don Bartley
Charts Chart (1985)PeakpositionAustralian (Kent Music Report)16
Cover versions & others Courtney Love provided lead vocals for her band Hole's version of "Bittersweet" with Brad Shepard playing guitar and contributing backing vocals at Hole's 1999 Big Day Out performance.
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