Confusion (New Order song)

"Confusion"
Single by New Order
Released	August 1983
Format	12" (1983) CD (1995, 2002)
Genre	Synthpop, freestyle
Length	8:12 (1983)
Label	Factory - FAC 93
Writer(s)	Arthur Baker Gillian Gilbert Peter Hook Stephen Morris Bernard Sumner
Producer	New Order, Arthur Baker, John Robie
New Order singles chronology
"Blue Monday" (1983) "Confusion" (1983) "Thieves Like Us" (1984)

"Confusion" is a single released by British group New Order in August 1983 with the catalogue number Fac 93. It was the follow-up to their massive club hit "Blue Monday". The song is produced by influential New York DJ Arthur Baker. As a result it was recorded in New York, a first for the band (though in September 1980 the band, as a three-piece, recorded the first versions of "Ceremony" and "In a Lonely Place" at E.A.R.S. (Eastern Artists Recording Studio) East Orange, New Jersey USA). Three remixes served as B-sides on the initial 12" release: "Confused Beats", "Confusion Instrumental" and "Confusion Rough Mix".

Music video

The video for the single features live footage of the band in concert, intercut with images of nightlife in New York City and producer Arthur Baker at work.

Legacy

A re-recorded "Confusion" as well as the original "Confusion Instrumental" appear on the group's 1987 Substance release. The track reappeared on the 1995 remix collection The Rest of New Order as a radical acid techno remix by Pump Panel. This new version was used in 1998 as part of the Blade film soundtrack. An edit of the Rough Mix represents the single on the 2005 compilation Singles. The song ranked #2 on UpVenue's list of top songs that make you drive faster.

The song (in its Pump Panel remixed form) has also been sampled on three popular dance tracks, "Play it Louder" by Randy Katana, "Operation Blade" by Public Domain and "Phat Bass" by Warp Bros and Aquagen. Operation Blade and Phat Bass both came out in the UK in the same month, December 2000, a fact that was played up by the latter song by including the sticker "The original Blade theme - accept no imitations" on the front of the CD single. Both songs reached the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart.

Track listing

UK 12" - FAC 93

1. "Confusion" – 8:12
2. "Confused Beats" – 5:19
3. "Confusion Instrumental" – 7:38
4. "Confusion" (Rough Mix) – 8:04

12": QAL-249 [Minimal Records 1990 release]

1. "Confusion" (Alternative Mix) – 5:30
2. "Confusion" (Essential Mix) – 5:10
3. "Confusion" (Trip 1-Ambient Confusion) – 3:40
4. "Confusion" (a cappella) – 1:17
5. "Confusion" (Con-om-fus-ars-ion Mix) – 7:05
6. "Confusion" (Ooh-Wee Dub) – 6:50

CD: FCD260 [ffrr 1995 release]

1. "Confusion" (Pump Panel Reconstruction Mix) – 10:11
2. "Confusion" (Pump Panel Flotation Mix) – 9:15

CD: WACKT002 [Whacked Records 2002 release]

1. "Confusion" (Koma and Bones Edit) – 3:45
2. "Confusion" (Arthur Baker 2002 Edit) – 3:09
3. "Confusion" (Electroclash Edit) – 3:40
4. "Confusion" (Outputs Nu-Rocktro Edit) – 3:41
5. "Confusion" (Asto Dazed Edit) – 4:22

Chart positions

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australia ARIA Singles Chart	72
Irish Singles Chart	7
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart	7
UK Singles Chart	12
UK Indie Singles	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	5
U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles	71
Chart (2002)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart [A]	64

• [A] – Whacked Records re-release