"Stranger than Fiction" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 1991 as the lead single from his ninth studio album '' Laughter & Lust''. It was written by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and Ed Roynesdal. "Stranger than Fiction" reached No. 53 in Germany, No. 71 in the Netherlands, and No. 79 on Canada's ''RPM'' 100 Singles chart. A music video was filmed to promote the single.

Critical reception

On its release, Alan Jones of ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

'' commented, "Lighter than his latter work, 'Stranger than Fiction' is oddly reminiscent of the Hollies. Probably not a hit, but a mouthwatering taster for Jackson's forthcoming album." ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' wrote, "His first Virgin release and what a smash song too! Jackson has returned to pop. The chorus will be whistled from every grocery shop to every petrol station all over Europe." Barbara Ellen of ''

New Musical Express ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' described the song as "not bad" but added that "yet another whirl around low-rent suburbia is not quite what the 'kids' are into at the moment". Jon Wilde of ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'' was critical, calling it "sub- Costello gripe". Andrew Hirst of the ''

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'' felt the song "lacks the tuneful sting to scratch too deep beneath its cheerfully witty veneer". In a review of ''Laughter & Lust'', ''

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'' described the song as "Rundgren-esque". Tom Long of the ''

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'' felt the song "harkens back" to Jackson's 1979 hit "

Is She Really Going Out with Him? "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" is a song written and performed by British musician Joe Jackson. It was released in October 1978 as his debut single and was later included on Jackson's debut album, '' Look Sharp!'' The track was one of the ...

" in terms of "sheer listenability". John Everson of the ''

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'' considered it "a sweet ballad with a sleek '60s-ish organ solo that just begs to be played on pop radio". Dan Bennett of the ''North County Blade-Citizen'' wrote, "Jackson's wisecracking but still vulnerable take on love and folly is indeed the ultimate single."

Track listing

;7" single #"Stranger than Fiction" - 3:40 #"Drowning" - 5:09 ;12" single #"Stranger than Fiction" - 3:40 #"Different For Girls (New Recording)" - 3:37 #"Drowning" - 5:09 ;Cassette single (US release) #"Stranger than Fiction" - 3:40 #"Jenny Jenny" - 2:44 ;CD single (UK release) #"Stranger than Fiction" - 3:40 #"Different For Girls (New Recording)" - 3:37 #"Drowning" - 5:09 ;CD single (US promo) #"Stranger than Fiction" - 3:40 ;CD single (Japanese promo) #"Stranger than Fiction" - 3:44 #"Drowning" - 5:10

Personnel

* Joe Jackson - vocals, keyboards * Tom Teeley - guitar * Joy Askew - keyboards, backing vocals *

Graham Maby Graham Maby (born 1 September 1952), is an English bass guitar player. He has recorded and toured with Joe Jackson since his first album, appearing on most of Jackson's albums and tours. He has continued to record and tour with Jackson even w ...

- bass * Dan Hickey - drums * Sue Hadjopoulos - drums, percussion ;Production * Joe Jackson - producer (all tracks) * Ed Roynesdal - producer on "Stranger than Fiction" and "Drowning" * Larry Alexander - engineer *

Bob Ludwig Robert C. Ludwig (born c. 1945) is an American mastering engineer. He has mastered recordings on all the major recording formats for all the major record labels, and on projects by more than 1,300 artists including Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, Qu ...

- mastering ;Other * Calef Brown - illustration * Patrik Andersson - photography

Charts

References

{{Joe Jackson 1991 songs 1991 singles Songs written by Joe Jackson (musician) Joe Jackson (musician) songs Virgin Records singles