"Always the Sun" is a song by English rock band The Stranglers, first released as a single on 6 October 1986, the second single from the album Dreamtime. A remixed version was released as a single on 24 December 1990. Both versions were top thirty hits in the United Kingdom. "Always the Sun" was released in October 1986 in four different formats: a seven inch single, shaped seven inch picture disc, twelve inch single, and as a double seven inch single pack.

Despite radio play and much hype, it only reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart. However, it was a hit throughout Europe (No. 15 in France, No. 16 in Ireland) and nearly broke The Stranglers in the United States due to radio play. The song also reached #21 in Australia.

Hugh Cornwell mentioned in his book The Stranglers Song by Song that he thought it could have been as big as "Golden Brown". He recalls going to CBS for a midweek prediction on how the song would chart and was amazed at the bad news. He also wrote "We'd given CBS something great to work with and I could see in this guy's face that he knew he hadn't delivered", giving the impression that Cornwell felt that CBS was to blame for this poor position.

The video for "Always the Sun" showed the Stranglers performing in a dark room, all on separate small stages with Hugh Cornwell on the ground. During the song, after Cornwell sings "Who has the fun? Is it always a man with a gun?" he takes out a gun and shoots the Aztec Sun Calendar Wheel, which then shatters.

The cover of the single (depicted on this page) shows The Stranglers band logo and the Aztec Sun Calendar Wheel glyph on a black background.

7" Single/7" shaped picture disc

12 Single

Double 7" Single

The two tracks from the seven inch single were reissued in December 1986, as half of a double seven inch release of the band's next single, "Big in America".

Following Hugh Cornwell's departure from the band in August 1990, Epic Records decided to release a greatest hits compilation album. To promote this compilation, a remix of "Always the Sun" was released as a single on 24 December 1990, Christmas Eve. The remix consisted of extra guitar work from new guitarist John Ellis and a slight variation in the music, although Hugh Cornwell's original vocals were still used.

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