Under the Big Black Sun is the third studio album by American rock band X, and their major-label debut. It was released on Elektra Records in July 1982 and reissued on Rhino Records in 2001 with bonus tracks. It was re-released in its original format by Fat Possum Records in 2018.

Under the Big Black Sun
Studio album by X
Released	July 1982
Recorded	1982
Studio	Cherokee (Hollywood)
Genre	Punk rock
Length	34:29
Label	Elektra
Producer	Ray Manzarek
X chronology
Wild Gift (1981) Under the Big Black Sun (1982) More Fun in the New World (1983)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]
The Village Voice	A−[5]

The cover art illustration was drawn by Alfred Harris.[6]

Track listing

All tracks written by John Doe and Exene Cervenka except where noted.

Side A

1. "The Hungry Wolf" – 3:45
2. "Motel Room in My Bed" – 2:32
3. "Riding with Mary" – 3:40
4. "Come Back to Me" – 3:43
5. "Under the Big Black Sun" – 3:23

Side B

1. "Because I Do" – 2:21
2. "Blue Spark" – 2:06
3. "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" (Al Dubin, Joe Burke) – 2:20
4. "Real Child of Hell" – 2:59
5. "How I (Learned My Lesson)" – 2:12
6. "The Have Nots" – 4:44

Bonus tracks (2001 reissue)

1. "Riding with Mary" (Single Version) – 3:12
2. "X Rewrites 'El Paso'" (Rehearsal)/"Because I Do" (TV Mix/Instrumental) (Marty Robbins, Cervenka, Doe) – 2:56
3. "Universal Corner" (Live) – 4:08
4. "Breathless" (Single Mix) (Otis Blackwell) – 2:20
5. "How I (Learned My Lesson)" (Live) – 2:20

Personnel

X

• John Doe – bass, vocals
• Exene Cervenka – vocals
• Billy Zoom – guitar, saxophone, clarinet
• D.J. Bonebrake – drums, marimba vibes, percussion

Additional personnel

• Ray Manzarek – keyboards on "Riding with Mary" (Single version)

Charts

References