Staring at the Sun (Level 42 album)

Staring at the Sun is the first Level 42 album not to feature brothers Phil Gould and Boon Gould, although Boon did write the lyrics to six of the songs. They were replaced by British guitarist Alan Murphy, who had collaborated with Go West and singer Kate Bush, and drummer Gary Husband, who had been a member of the band Morrissey–Mullen. This would be the only Level 42 album on which Murphy would appear, as he died only a year after its release from complications related to HIV/AIDS.

The album was not as successful as its predecessors, again reaching the Top 5 in the UK Albums Chart but missing the top half of the Billboard 200 in the US. Internationally, it reached the Top 10 in several countries, but ultimately had a lesser impact on the charts than the band's two previous albums.

1. "Heaven in My Hands" (King, R. Gould) – 4:39
2. "I Don't Know Why" (King, R. Gould) – 4.22
3. "Take a Look" (King, R. Gould, Lindup, Badarou) – 4:41
4. "Over There" (King, Lindup) – 3:59
5. "Silence" (Lindup) – 4:56
6. "Tracie" (King, Husband) – 4:53
7. "Staring at the Sun" (King, R. Gould, Badarou) – 4:39
8. "Two Hearts Collide" (King, R. Gould) – 4:10
9. "Man" (King, R. Gould, Badarou) – 7:23
10. "Gresham Blues" ^A (King) – 5:43

^A Available on the CD and cassette only

Level 42

• Mark King – bass guitar, vocals
• Mike Lindup – keyboards, vocals
• Gary Husband – drums
• Alan Murphy – guitars

with:

• Wally Badarou – keyboards
• Dominic Miller – guitars
• Krys Mach – saxophones
• Steve Sidwell – trumpet