New Wave Classic: "Under the Milky Way" by The Church

A timeless New Wave classic by the Australian band The Church that is hauntingly beautiful. This post explores the song, the band, and two piano solo arrangements of "Under the Milky Way" by Jennifer Eklund.

This post is part five of the Sonic Surprises Sheet Music Series.

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I’m obsessed with this song! It gets pretty regular airplay on the “1st Wave” channel on SiriusXM (Channel 33) and I usually make a point to stop and really listen to it. This song is never just background music when it comes on. I hope you’ll enjoy learning about it if it’s new to you. My piano solo arrangements of this song are published and available on Musicnotes.com

Under the Milky Way (Intermediate Piano)

Under the Milky Way, as performed by The Church, stylishly arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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Under the Milky Way (Intermediate Piano: Abridged)

Under the Milky Way, as performed by The Church, stylishly abridged and arranged for intermediate piano by Jennifer Eklund.

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About The Church:

Image (The Church - 2015) by Anna Hanks, CC BY 2.0

The Church is an Australian rock band formed in 1980 in Sydney. Their music has traversed various genres, starting with new wave, neo-psychedelia, and indie rock, and later incorporating elements of alternative rock, dream pop, and post-rock. The band’s sound is often described as ethereal and psychedelic, featuring distinctive guitar-driven pop. The original lineup included Steve Kilbey on lead vocals and bass guitar, Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper on guitars, and Nick Ward on drums. Ward was replaced by Richard Ploog, who played drums for most of the 1980s. The band has had a series of drummers over the years, including Jay Dee Daugherty, Tim Powles, and currently Tim Powles.

The Church gained attention with their debut album “Of Skins and Heart” in 1981, which included their first radio hit, “The Unguarded Moment.” They signed with major labels in Australia, Europe, and the US. Although their second album was not released by their US label, they returned to the charts with their 1988 album “Starfish” and the hit “Under the Milky Way.” The band has maintained a dedicated international fanbase despite intermittent mainstream success. They were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2010. The Church has continued to tour and record, with their latest album “The Hypnogogue” released in February 2023, marking their 26th studio album.

About “Under the Milky Way” (1988):

The top comment on the official music video encapsulates this song perfectly:

“Music is the closest thing we have to a time machine.”
— @williamhulser7354

“Under the Milky Way” is a standout single by the Australian alternative rock group The Church, released on February 15, 1988, as part of their fifth studio album titled “Starfish.” The song’s composition is credited to Steve Kilbey, the band’s lead vocalist and bassist, along with Karin Jansson from Curious (Yellow), who was Kilbey’s girlfriend at the time. The track achieved notable chart success, reaching No. 22 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart, No. 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and No. 25 on the New Zealand Singles Chart. The song’s excellence was recognized with the ‘Single of the Year’ award at the 1989 ARIA Music Awards. Its release was simultaneous in 7” and 12” vinyl formats via Arista Records (internationally) and Mushroom Records (Australia).

The backdrop to the song reveals that in 1987, The Church journeyed to Los Angeles to create their fifth studio album, “Starfish,” collaborating with producers Waddy Wachtel and Greg Ladanyi. While crafting “Under the Milky Way,” the band faced challenges in recording the drum track, leading to session musician Russ Kunkel being brought in to handle drums and percussion after initial struggles with drummer Richard Ploog. The song’s creative roots trace back to the partnership between Kilbey and Jansson, who began their friendship in 1983 and cohabited in Australia from 1986. Kilbey recalled a spontaneous joint-induced piano session with Jansson that led to the song’s inception. The song’s title references a music and cultural venue called Melkweg in Amsterdam, a place Kilbey frequented.

The composition of “Under the Milky Way” is distinctive, featuring a 12-string acoustic guitar melody, a solo created using an EBow on a Fender Jazzmaster, and recorded on a Synclavier, which imparts a bagpipe-like quality to the sound. The song’s emotional impact, distinct from Kilbey’s other works, resonated with a universal audience.

The single was released on February 15, 1988, in both 7” and 12” vinyl formats through Arista Records (internationally) and Mushroom Records (Australia). The release was closely synchronized with the album “Starfish.” Various versions of the single with different cover art designs were distributed globally, and an acoustic version was also released across different formats. The song’s chart performance saw it reach No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Mainstream Rock chart in the United States, in addition to its chart success in other countries.

“Under the Milky Way” achieved further recognition with its ARIA Music Award win in 1989, although Kilbey declined to attend the ceremony due to his criticisms of the Australian music industry. Despite Kilbey’s reservations about the recording’s quality, it became a widely licensed track, contributing to its financial success. The song also found placements in various media contexts, including the film “Donnie Darko” in 2001 and a performance with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the 2006 Commonwealth Games’ opening ceremony. The song was regarded as the best Australian song of the last 20 years by readers of The Weekend Australian Magazine in 2008, underlining its enduring impact.

“Under the Milky Way” Intermediate Piano Solo (Full Version)

Key features:

In the original key of A minor
This a full version that matches up to the original recording in terms of length
Nice thick textures through out for a “full” sound
I raised the vocal line up an octave
Run-time is just under 5 minutes
6 total pages