Love Will Tear Us Apart
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" | ||||
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![]() 7" cover | ||||
Single by Joy Division | ||||
B-side | "These Days", "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Pennine version)" | |||
Released | June 1980[1] | |||
Recorded | March 1980, Strawberry Studios, Stockport, England, United Kingdom[2] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:18 | |||
Label | Factory | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Joy Division British singles and EPs singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
![]() 12" cover | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" on YouTube |
"Love Will Tear Us Apart (Permanent Mix)" | ||||
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Single by Joy Division | ||||
from the album Permanent | ||||
Released | 1995 | |||
Length | 3:37 | |||
Label | London Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | ||||
Joy Division singles chronology | ||||
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"Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a single by the English post-punk band Joy Division, released in June 1980. The song was written in August 1979; its lyrics were inspired by lead singer Ian Curtis' marriage problems and frame of mind before his suicide in May 1980.[5] Following the suicide of Curtis, his wife Deborah had the phrase "Love Will Tear Us Apart" inscribed on his memorial stone.
The single became Joy Division's first chart hit, reaching number 13 in the UK Singles Chart.[6] The following month, it topped the UK Indie Chart,[7] and it peaked at number 42 on the Billboard disco chart in October 1980.[8] "Love Will Tear Us Apart" also reached number 1 in New Zealand in June 1981.[9] In 1980, the track was named NME Single of the Year.[10]
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" was rereleased in 1983 and reached number 19 on the UK charts[11] and number 3 in New Zealand during March 1984.[9] In 1985, the 7" single was released in Poland by Tonpress in different sleeve under license from Factory and sold over 20,000 copies.[12] In November 1988, it made one more Top 40 appearance in New Zealand, peaking at number 39.[9]
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" appears on the Substance compilation album. It was first recorded for a John Peel session in November 1979, then re-recorded in January 1980 and March 1980. It is the latter version that appears on Substance. The January 1980 version, which has become known as the "Pennine version", originally appeared as one of the single's B-sides.
In 1995, to publicise the release of Permanent, the track was reissued, complete with a new remix by Arthur Baker and a new radio edit, also known as the "Permanent Mix". On 24 September 2007, the single was again reissued, in its original configuration. This time, it was to publicise the Collector's Edition re-issues of the band's three albums. Although the single was now issued on the Warner label, it retained the classic Factory packaging, including the FAC 23 catalogue number.
Recording
Joy Division first recorded "Love Will Tear Us Apart" at Pennine Studios, Oldham, on 8 January 1980, along with the B-side, "These Days". This version was similar to the version the band played live. However, singer Ian Curtis and producer Martin Hannett disliked the results, and the band reconvened at Strawberry Studios, Stockport in March to rerecord it.[2] Drummer Stephen Morris recalled:
Martin Hannett played one of his mind games when we were recording it – it sounds like he was a tyrant, but he wasn't, he was nice. We had this one battle where it was nearly midnight and I said, "Is it all right if I go home, Martin – it's been a long day?" And he said [whispers], "OK ... you go home". So I went back to the flat. Just got to sleep and the phone rings. "Martin wants you to come back and do the snare drum". At four in the morning! I said, "What's wrong with the snare drum!?" So every time I hear "Love Will Tear Us Apart", I grit my teeth and remember myself shouting down the phone, "YOU BASTARD!" ... I can feel the anger in it even now. It's a great song and it's a great production, but I do get anguished every time I hear it.[13]
The guitar on the recording, a 12-string Eko guitar, was played by Bernard Sumner.[14] While Curtis generally did not play guitar, to perform the song live, the band taught him how to strum a D major chord. Sumner said:
Ian didn't really want to play guitar, but for some reason we wanted him to play it. I can't remember the reason now ... We showed him how to play D and we wrote a song. I wonder if that's why we wrote "Love Will Tear Us Apart", you could drone a D through it. I think he played it live because I was playing keyboards.[14]
While Joy Division were recording, U2 were in the studio to see Hannett about producing their first album, Boy. U2 singer Bono said of the encounter:
Talking to Ian Curtis is ... or was a strange experience because he's very warm ... he talked—it was like two people inside of him—he talked very light, and he talked very well-mannered, and very polite. But when he got behind the microphone he really surged forth; there was another energy. It seemed like he was just two people and, you know, "Love Will Tear Us Apart", it was like [when] that record was released ... it was like, as if, there were the personalities, separate; there they were, torn apart.[15]
Cover photo
According to Curtis's wife Deborah, to create the single cover photo, the song title was etched upon a sheet of metal; this was aged with acid and exposed to the weather to create the appearance of a stone slab.[16] For the 12" version of the single, a photograph of a grieving angel on the Ribaudo family tomb in Genoa's Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno (sculpted by Onorato Toso circa 1910) was used. This photograph was taken by Bernard Pierre Wolff in 1978.[17]
Music video
The video was shot by the band themselves on 25 April 1980[18] as they rehearsed the song at T.J. Davidson's studio, where the band had previously rehearsed during the early days of their career. At the start of the video, the door that opens and shuts is carved with Ian Curtis' name; reportedly this was the beginning of an abusive message (the rest later erased) carved into the door.
Due to poor production, the video's colour is 'browned out' at some points. Also, as the track recorded during the recording of the video was poor, it was replaced with the single-edit recording of the song by the band's record company in Australia, leading to problems with the synchronisation of music and video. This edited version of the music video would later become the official version due to the improvement of sound quality.
This was the only promotional video the band ever produced as Ian Curtis committed suicide three weeks after the video was recorded.[19]
Legacy
![A gray stone with "Ian Curtis, 18-5-80, Love Will Tear Us Apart" carved into it in block letters](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Ian_Curtis_post-2008_memorial_stone_at_Macclesfield_Cemetery.jpg/220px-Ian_Curtis_post-2008_memorial_stone_at_Macclesfield_Cemetery.jpg)
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" has remained popular and was listed by NME as the best single of all time in 2002. In 2004, the song was listed by Rolling Stone magazine at number 179 in its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[20] In 2011, the song was listed at number 181.[21] In May 2007, NME placed it at number 19 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever, one place ahead of another Joy Division song, "Transmission". The song is also listed as being one of the 5 best indie songs of all time in the "All Time Indie Top 50".[22]
The song reached number 1 in the inaugural Triple J Hottest 100 music poll of 1989 and again in 1990. When being interviewed for New Order Story, Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys stated that "Love Will Tear Us Apart" was his favourite pop song of all time. At Christmas 2011, listeners of Dublin's Phantom FM voted "Love Will Tear Us Apart" as their favourite song of all time. Furthermore, in 2012, in celebration of the NME's 60th anniversary, a list of the 100 Greatest Songs of NME's Lifetime was compiled, and the list was topped by "Love Will Tear Us Apart". Serbian rock musician, journalist and writer Dejan Cukić wrote about "Love Will Tear Us Apart" as one of the 46 songs that changed history of popular music in his 2007 book 45 obrtaja: Priče o pesmama. In 2015, the online magazine Pitchfork listed "Love Will Tear Us Apart" as number 7 upon their "200 best songs of the 1980s" compilation.[23]
Following Curtis's suicide, his wife Deborah had the phrase "Love Will Tear Us Apart" inscribed on his memorial stone.[24]
In June 2013, Mighty Box Games released Will Love Tear Us Apart?, a browser-based video game that adapts every verse of the song into a level.[25]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" | 3:18 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "These Days" | 3:21 |
2. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Pennine version)[a]" | 3:06 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (radio version) | 3:38 |
2. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (original version) | 3:25 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (original version) | 3:25 |
2. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (radio version) | 3:38 |
3. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Arthur Baker remix) | 4:12 |
4. | "Atmosphere" (original Hannett 12") | 4:08 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (radio version) | 3:38 |
2. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (original version) | 3:25 |
3. | "These Days" | 3:25 |
4. | "Transmission" (live) | 3:44 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (original version) | 3:18 |
2. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart '95" (radio version) | 3:38 |
3. | "Atmosphere" | 4:08 |
- ^ Not listed on original 7" single and not listed as being alternate version where it was; the "Pennine version" label did not come into use until years later.
- Track 1 recorded at Strawberry Studios, Stockport, early March 1980
- Tracks 2 and 3 recorded at Pennine Sound Studios, Oldham, 8 January 1980
- In her biography Touching from a Distance, Deborah Curtis explains that the reason for the two versions of the song, one on each side, was a result of Curtis's slightly different singing in each one; one vocal take was allegedly done when other band members told Curtis to sing "like Frank Sinatra".
- Like other Joy Division releases, including Transmission and An Ideal For Living, the 7" and 12" versions share the same tracks, but have different sleeves.
Charts
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Cover versions
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" was first covered and recorded by Austrian new wave band Chuzpe in 1980 [30] (GIG Records 111 103) and has since been covered by many artists, including Paul Young (1983),[31] Squarepusher (2002),[32] José González (2004),[33] Fall Out Boy (2004),[34] Nouvelle Vague (2004),[35] Calexico (2005),[36] Honeyroot (2005),[37] Susanna and the Magical Orchestra (2006),[38] the Mulhollands (2010),[39] June Tabor with Oysterband (2012),[40] Absinthè (2012)[41] and Soul Asylum (2013).[42]
On 11 November 2009, the song was also performed in the opening scene of Season 5 Episode 7 of the CBS television series Criminal Minds, by the musician character Dante[43] (actual song sung by Gavin Rossdale).[44]
The chorus of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" features heavily on the last third of Sufjan Stevens's song "Christmas Unicorn" from volume 10 of his second Christmas-themed box set, Silver & Gold (2012).[45]
Charts
Chuzpe version
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Paul Young version
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Honeyroot version
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Swans version
Untitled | |
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Love Will Tear Us Apart is an EP by the New York band Swans, its ninth release. It features a cover version of the Joy Division song. It was originally released in two different versions with Jarboe (black sleeve) and Gira (red sleeve) providing vocals, along with two semi-acoustic versions of songs from their 1987 LP Children of God. On some versions, a fourth song was appended: A solo acoustic version of "New Mind".[48]
EP track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" | 3:40 |
2. | "Trust Me" | 3:07 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Our Love Lies" | 6:56 |
Musicians
- Michael Gira – guitar, vocals
- Jarboe – keyboards, vocals
- Algis Kizys – bass guitar
- Norman Westberg – guitar
Charts
Chart (1988) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC)[49] | 85 |
UK Indie Chart[50] | 2 |
See also
References
- ^ Curtis, Deborah (2014) [1995]. Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division. London: Faber and Faber. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-571-32241-1.
- ^ a b "Joy Division studio sessions". Joydiv.org. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ Friskics-Warren, Bill (2005). I'll Take You There: Pop Music and the Urge for Transcendence. Continuum. p. 98. ISBN 0-8264-1700-0.
the cascading melody of Joy Division's sublimely gloomy post-punk anthem, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'
- ^ Floman, Scott. "Joy Division – Substance (Qwest '88)". Retrieved 23 October 2013.
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" is simply a lovely synth pop song with affecting lyrics that linger in listener's memories long after the last note.
- ^ "500 Must-Have Music Tracks". The Daily Telegraph. 1 February 2014. p. X8.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Indie Hits". Archived from the original on 16 October 2007 – via Cherry Red Records.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Disco Top 100". Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 43. 25 October 1980. p. 33. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b c d e f "Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ "1980 Best Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ Buda, Andrzej (2006). Historia rocka, popu i hip-hopu – według krytyków: 1974–2000 (in Polish). Wydawn. Niezależne (Independent editors). ISBN 83-915272-8-X.
- ^ Gale, Lee (17 December 2010). "An Ideal for Reliving". GQ. New York City. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ a b Graham, Pat (2011). Instrument. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 40. ISBN 1-4521-0895-1.
- ^ "Bono on Joy Division, 1980, RTE radio, Ireland." on YouTube
- ^ Curtis, Deborah (2005) [1995]. Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division. Faber and Faber. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-571-17445-4.
- ^ "Bernard Pierre Wolff: Genova, Italy, 1978: Il Staglieno". Enkiri.com. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ^ Curtis, Deborah (2005) [1995]. Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division. Faber and Faber. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-571-17445-4.
- ^ Hook, Peter (2012). Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division. London: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-06-222258-9.
- ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (1-500)". Archived from the original on 20 August 2006.. Rolling Stone.
- ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time > 181 – Joy Division, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'". Rolling Stone. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
- ^ "All Time Indie Top 50". 23 Indie Street. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Staff (24 August 2015). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ Curtis, Deborah (2014) [1995]. Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division. London: Faber and Faber. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-571-32241-1.
- ^ Farokhmanesh, Megan (3 June 2013). "Will Love Tear Us Apart? transforms Joy Division song into a game". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Love Will Tear Us Apart". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Chuzpe – Love Will Tear Us Apart" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Paul Young – Love Will Tear Us Apart" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ Bush, John. "Squarepusher – Do You Know Squarepusher". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ Evans, Jonathan. "Cover Songs: Metaphor or Object of Study?" (PDF). Sapienza University of Rome. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2016.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Loftus, Johnny. "Fall Out Boy – My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue [EP]". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ Louis (4 August 2007). "Critique de l'album Nouvelle Vague de Nouvelle Vague – Albumrock.net" (in French). Albumrock. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ Street, Andrew P. (18 September 2013). "Calexico – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ "Susanna med to låter på "Grey's Anatomy"" (in Norwegian). Ballade.no. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ "iTunes – Music – Oh My! by The Mulhollands". iTunes Store. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ^ "Love Will Tear Us Apart remix 7 vinyl STOP2012". Topic Records. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ "Absinthè – 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' Video & Gig Guide". LW Mag. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Soul Asylum". Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Criminal Minds 05X07 – Dante sings "Love Will Tear Us Apart". YouTube. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ Gavin Rossdale Covering Love Will Tear Us Apart. YouTube. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ "Christmas Unicorn from Silver & Gold by Sufjan Stevens". Asthmatic Kitty Records. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Paul Young - Love Will Tear Us Apart" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ "Paul Young – Love Will Tear Us Apart" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ "'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (Swans version)" at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved 8 August 2013.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
- ^ Lazell, Barry (1997) "Indie Hits 1980–1989". Archived from the original on 6 June 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help). Cherry Red Books.
External links
- "Love Will Tear Us Apart" official music video on YouTube
- Template:MetroLyrics song
- ""Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Joy Division's version)" at Discogs (list of releases)
- ""Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Swans version)" at Discogs (list of releases)
- Usage in film and television: see "Joy Division. Soundtrack. 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'" at IMDb
- Accolades archived at Acclaimed Music
- Use dmy dates from September 2012
- Single chart usages for Germany2
- 1980 singles
- 1986 singles
- 1995 singles
- 2007 singles
- 1980 songs
- Albums produced by Michael Gira
- British synthpop songs
- Factory Records singles
- Joy Division songs
- London Records singles
- Number-one singles in New Zealand
- Song recordings produced by Martin Hannett
- Songs written by Bernard Sumner
- Songs written by Ian Curtis
- Songs written by Peter Hook
- Songs written by Stephen Morris (musician)
- Swans (band) EPs
- Swans (band) songs