The Black Sorrows are an Australian blues rock band formed in 1983 by mainstay vocalist Joe Camilleri. The band is most well known for their songs "Chained to the Wheel", "Harley + Rose" and "Never Let Me Go", released in the late '80s and early '90s. Faithful Satellite, released in September 2016, is the band's 18th studio album. Citizen John was released in March 2019.
The band have had three albums peak inside the top 10 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Their top 40 singles are "Chained to the Wheel" (February 1989), "Harley + Rose" (August 1990) and "Snake Skin Shoes" (July 1994).
Albums Studio albums Title Details Peak chart positions NotesAUSAustralian chart peaks: Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to 12 June 1988: N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988. Top 50 (ARIA) peaks from 13 June 1988: Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: "The Chosen Ones" (ARIA) peak: Certified Blue (ARIA) peak: All ARIA-era singles chart peaks to 29 May 2018: N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the singles's peak on the national chart. The peak for "Come On, Come On" is missing from this.NORNZSWESonolaReleased: June 1984 Label: Spirit50———Rockin' ZydecoReleased: March 1985 Label: Spirit————A Place in the WorldReleased: November 1985 Label: Spirit————Dear Children Released: April 1987 Label: CBS22———Hold on to MeReleased: September 1988 Label: CBS763518 Harley and RoseReleased: August 1990 Label: CBS35—36 ARIA: 2× Platinum Better Times Released: September 1992 Label: Columbia13———Lucky Charm Released: November 1994 Label: Columbia20———Beat ClubReleased: November 1998 Label: Mushroom————One Mo' Time Released: August 2004 Label: Liberation————Roarin' TownReleased: October 2006 Label: Warner Music————4 Days in Sing Sing Released: September 2009 Label: Head————Crooked Little Thoughts Released: 24 February 2012 Label: Head————Certified BlueReleased: 4 April 2014 Label: Head73——— No. 5 on 2014 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart No. 49 on 2015 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart.Endless Sleep Chapter 46Released: 13 April 2015 Label: Head————Nominated for the ARIA Award for Best Blues and Roots Album in 2015Endless Sleep Chapter 47Released: 13 April 2015 Label: Head————Faithful SatelliteReleased: 16 September 2016 Label: Head————Citizen JohnReleased: 29 March 2019 Label: Bloodlines, Mushroom11———Saint Georges RoadReleased: 10 September 2021 Label: Ambition14——— No. 8 on 2021 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart. No. 26 on 2022 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart. No. 26 on 2022 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart. No. 36 on 2023 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart.The Way We Do BusinessReleased: 18 October 2024 Label: Black Sorrows / ABC———— No. 9 on 2024 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart. No. 20 on 2025 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart. "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Live albums Title DetailsRadio WavesReleased: March 1996 Label: Mushroom Contains three discsLive! At the PalmsReleased: 2019 (Germany) Label: Blue Rose Recorded live at the Palms Crown, Melbourne, October 2018Live at the Shangri-LaReleased: July 2025 Label: ABC
Compilations Title Details Peak chart positions CertificationsAUSNZThe Chosen Ones – Greatest HitsReleased: November 1993 Label: Columbia423 ARIA: Platinum No. 50 on the 1994 year-end Australian chart.The Very Best of The Black SorrowsReleased: November 1997 Label: Mushroom——The Essential Black Sorrows Released: 28 July 2007 Label: Sony BMG——The Quintessential Black Sorrows Released: 24 October 2025 Label: ABC/ORCH50— No. 13 on 2025 Jazz and Blues Australian year-end chart. "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Singles Year Title Chart positions Album AUS NZ1984"Brown Eyed Girl"/"What a Difference a Day Makes" — — Sonola1985"Shape I'm In" — — Rockin' Zydeco"Sons of the Sea" — — A Place in the World1986"Country Girls" — —1987"Daughters of Glory" 48 —Dear Children"Maybe Tomorrow" 91 —"The Last Frontier" — —1988"Hold on to Me" 41 —Hold On to Me"The Chosen Ones" 65 321989"Chained to the Wheel" 9 42"The Crack Up" 40 —"Fire Down Below" 74 —1990"Harley + Rose" 24 —Harley and Rose"Angel Street" 97 —1991"Never Let Me Go" 30 —"Hold It Up to the Mirror" 97 —1992"Ain't Love the Strangest Thing" 46 —Better Times"Better Times" 74 —1993"Come On, Come On" 70 —"Sweet Inspiration" 136 —"Stir It Up" 58 20 The Chosen Ones – Greatest Hits1994"Snake Skin Shoes" 16 —Lucky Charm"Last One Standing for You"(with Jon Stevens) 46 —1995"Lucky Charm" 158 —1997"New Craze" 177 —Beat Club2016"Fix My Bail" — —Faithful Satellite"It Ain't Ever Gonna Happen" — —2017"Raise Your Hands" — —2018"Silvio" — —Citizen John2019"Wednesday's Child" — —2021"Livin' Like Kings" — —Saint Georges Road"Revolutionary Blues" — —"Chiquita" — — 2022"Saint Georges Road" — — 2023"A Little Love"(with Joe Camilleri and Darlinghurst) — — 2024"One Door Slams" — — The Way We Do Business"Crazy Look" — — 2025"For Your Love" — — The Quintessential Black Sorrows
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