You know that feeling when a song just crawls under your skin and stays there for forty years? That’s Echo & the Bunnymen for you. Specifically, it’s that swirling, psychedelic masterpiece "Lips Like Sugar." People call them sugar kisses lips like sugar or just "that sugar song," but the reality of how this track came to be is way messier than the sweet title suggests. It wasn't some calculated pop hit. Honestly, the band kind of hated it at first.
Ian McCulloch has been famously blunt about his own discography. He once suggested the song was "too poppy," which is hilarious considering it’s the track that basically paid his mortgage for decades. It’s got that 1987 gloss. It’s slick. It’s got a bassline that feels like it’s vibrating through a neon-lit rainy street in Liverpool. But beneath the "sugar kisses," there is a weird, dark tension that defines why 80s post-punk still works today.
Why Lips Like Sugar Almost Didn’t Happen
The mid-80s were a weird time for alternative bands. You had the Smiths doing their thing, and Echo & the Bunnymen were trying to figure out if they wanted to be the next Doors or something more commercial. They went to Germany to record. They scrapped things. They fought.
The producer, Laurie Latham, was known for a very meticulous, layered sound. We're talking about a guy who worked with Paul Young and Squeeze. For a band that thrived on raw, moody energy, this was a clash of titans. McCulloch wanted grit. Latham wanted hits. The result was this polished diamond that the band felt lacked "soul," yet the rest of the world couldn't stop dancing to it. It’s a classic case of the artist being the worst judge of their own most accessible work.
"Lips Like Sugar" isn't just a song about a girl. It’s an atmosphere. When you hear those opening notes, you aren't just listening to music; you're stepping into a specific aesthetic. It’s the "sugar kisses" vibe—ethereal, slightly cold, but deeply addictive.
The Production Secrets of the 80s Sound
If you listen closely to the guitars of Will Sergeant, you’ll notice something. It’s not just strumming. It’s a texture. He uses a lot of delay and chorus, creating a shimmering effect that makes the song feel like it’s floating.
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- They used a lot of "over-dubbing," which means recording the same part multiple times to make it sound huge.
- The drums have that classic 80s "gated reverb," making every snare hit sound like a small explosion.
- Ian’s vocals are mixed with a slight slapback echo, giving him that "God-like" presence in the mix.
Actually, it's kind of wild how much tech went into making something sound so effortless. The 1987 self-titled album—often called "the grey album" by fans—was a pivot point. Some fans felt the band "sold out" to the American market. Looking back, it just sounds like a band at the peak of their melodic powers.
The Cultural Ripple of Sugar Kisses
The phrase "sugar kisses lips like sugar" has become a sort of shorthand for a specific kind of romantic nostalgia. It’s been covered by everyone. Coldplay did a version. Seal did a version. Even Smashing Pumpkins have touched that era of influence. Why? Because it captures the "cool" side of the 80s, not the neon-leg-warmer side.
It's about the yearning.
Music critics often point to the lyrics as being somewhat nonsensical, which McCulloch basically admits. He’s a "vibe" writer. Phrases like "she sells sea shells" aren't deep philosophy, but when sung with that baritone conviction, they feel like the most important secrets in the universe. That’s the trick. You don't need a PhD in poetry to feel the pull of a well-placed metaphor about sweetness and desire.
What Modern Listeners Get Wrong
A lot of people think this song is a happy love ballad. It’s really not. There’s a minor-key melancholy running through the bridge that suggests something a bit more fleeting. It’s about the idea of a person, a "sugar kiss" that might melt away by morning. This is the hallmark of British post-punk—wrapping sadness in a catchy hook.
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If you’re digging into the Bunnymen’s catalog for the first time because of this song, you might be surprised. Their earlier stuff, like Crocodiles or Heaven Up Here, is much darker. It’s jagged. It’s angry. "Lips Like Sugar" was their invitation to the mainstream, a Trojan horse of a pop song that brought their gothic sensibilities to FM radio.
How to Capture the Aesthetic Today
People are still obsessed with this look and sound. If you go on TikTok or Instagram, the "80s Goth" or "New Wave" aesthetic is massive. It's about that specific blend of leather jackets, heavy eyeliner, and a certain detached coolness.
- The Sound: If you’re a musician trying to get that "sugar" sound, look for vintage Roland Jazz Chorus amps. They provide that clean, swirling tone.
- The Visuals: Think high contrast. Black and white photography with heavy grain.
- The Vibe: It’s okay to be a little dramatic. The Bunnymen were never afraid of being "extra."
Honestly, the enduring legacy of sugar kisses lips like sugar is that it doesn't age. You could release this song in 2026 and it would still sound fresh because it relies on melody rather than gimmicks. It’s a testament to the idea that even when a band is "trying" to write a hit, their inherent weirdness will still shine through if they’re talented enough.
The Real Story Behind the "Sugar"
There’s a persistent rumor that the song was written about a specific model or a fleeting romance in a club. While McCulloch has played it coy over the years, the truth is likely more mundane. Most great songs of that era were born out of jam sessions where a phrase just "stuck" to the rhythm. The rhythm came first; the "sugar" came later.
Sometimes we want there to be a grand, tragic backstory to our favorite lyrics. Usually, it’s just a guy in a studio in West Germany trying to find words that rhyme with "sugar" while the producer yells at him to make it more commercial. And yet, that pressure created something that still gets played at every wedding, club night, and retro festival on the planet.
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Actionable Steps for the New Wave Enthusiast
If you want to truly appreciate this era of music beyond just the hits, stop listening to the "Greatest Hits" albums and start diving into the B-sides.
Start with the album Ocean Rain. It’s widely considered their masterpiece. It features "The Killing Moon," which is arguably one of the greatest songs ever written. Notice how the strings interact with the acoustic guitar—it's a much more organic sound than the polished "Lips Like Sugar."
Next, look into the influence of Velvet Underground on the band. You can hear it in the way Ian drones his notes. Understanding where they came from makes the "sugar" era make a lot more sense. It wasn't a departure; it was an evolution.
Finally, watch the live performances from the late 80s. You’ll see a band that was both incredibly tight and perpetually on the verge of falling apart. That tension is where the magic lives. Don't just settle for the studio version; find the live BBC sessions. That’s where you hear the real grit behind the sweetness.
The "sugar kisses" might be what draws you in, but the dark, swirling energy of the Bunnymen is what will keep you there. It’s a rabbit hole worth falling down, especially if you’re looking for music that feels more substantial than the processed tracks of the modern day. Dig deeper, listen louder, and don't be afraid of a little melody.