Thursday, April 5, 2012

New Order. The 15 Best Songs

Most of you have probably heard the songs 'Blue Monday' or 'Bizarre Love Triangle,' but not everyone knows that New Order formed out of one of the greatest bands of the last 40+ years - if not all time - Joy Division. On the brink of JD's first US tour - and the release of their second album, Closer - singer Ian Curtis took his own life. After a short break, the remaining three members (with the addition of drummer Stephen Morris' girlfriend, Gillian Gilbert) created a new group, that went on to create some pretty amazing work. I've always claimed that New Order is/was a great singles band, so it was educating to go back and listen to every song, including all of the deep album cuts and b-sides.

Scroll down to the bottom for a Spotify playlist featuring these songs. So without further delay, I'd like to present my list of the 15 Best Songs of New Order.



15.  Waiting for the Sirens' Call
Released as single; appeared on the album Waiting For The Sirens' Call (2005)
The 15th place is a difficult one - so many good songs fighting for it. Let's go with the title track to their 2005 LP.

14.  Age of Consent
From the album Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
I've always loved the melodic interplay between the guitar and bass.

13.  Procession
Released as New Order's second, non-album single (1981)
Features backing vocals by Gillian Gilbert.


12.  The Him
From the album Movement (1981)
Haunting. And how about the outro - Hooky's galloping bass, the rolling toms, Bernard's signature jagged rhythm stabs and that keyboard line. Stunning.

11.  True Faith
Released as a non-album single; and compiled on Substance (1987)
We all attach memories to songs of our youth. Every time I hear this one, I smell orange blossoms in the Arizona night.

10.  Dreams Never End
From the album Movement (1981)
The opening track on NO's debut LP - that's bass player Peter Hook on vocals.


09.  In a Lonely Place
Released as a b-side to the Ceremony single (1981)
This track was written in the Joy Division days, with lyrics by Ian Curtis.

08.  Everything's Gone Green
Released as the band's third single (1981); and complied on Substance (1987)
One of the first New Order songs that I fell in love with back in my teenage days.

07.  Vanishing Point
From the album Technique (1989)
Brilliant how Hooky's bass playing adds another melodic element to the refrains and instrumental parts of this otherwise electronic piece.


06.  Blue Monday
The best-selling 12-inch single of all time (1983)
The original packaging was die-cut, and made to look like a 5 1/4 inch floppy disc.

05.  Bizarre Love Triangle
Released as single; appeared on the album Brotherhood (1986)
Even if you've never heard of New Order, I reckon you've heard this song.

04.  Temptation
Released as a non-album single (1982)
"Oh you've got green eyes, oh you've got blue eyes, oh you've got grey eyes..."


03.  Run
Released as remixed single; appeared on the album Technique (1989)
Every time that first guitar break kicks in... goosebumps - such a great sound.

02.  Regret
Released as single; appeared on the album Republic (1993)
I used to listen to 'Regret' over and over and over again when it came out. In fact, I still do.

01.  Ceremony
Released as the very first New Order single (1981)
This was also a Joy Division song that made the transition over to New Order - becoming their very first single - amazing.

Listen in on Spotify



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9 comments:

  1. Nothing from Republic, nor any album after, should be represented in such a list. At least you got, #1 right.

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  3. What??!! Regret is amazing!!! :)

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  4. IMO, "Regret" is a little derivative. It's catchy, but it doesn't make my top 21:

    1) Ceremony
    2) Procession
    3) Your Silent Face
    4) Age Of Consent
    5) Love Vigilantes
    6) Way Of Life
    7) Temptation
    8) Love Less
    9) Thieves Like Us
    10) This Time Of Night
    11) Bizarre Love Triangle
    12) True Faith
    13) Leave Me Alone
    14) Dream Attack
    15) Lonesome Tonight
    16) Truth
    17) Dreams Never End
    18) The Perfect Kiss
    19) Every Little Counts
    20) As It Is When It Was
    21) All Day Long

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  5. My top 15, (not in order):
    Your Silent Face
    Vanishing Pointe
    Waiting For The Sirens Call
    Run
    Vicious Street
    Krafty
    Turn My Way
    Touch By The Hand Of God
    Thieves Like Us
    All Day Long
    Bizarre Love Triangle
    Age of Consent
    Ceremony
    Regret
    Love Vigilantes

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  6. You're missing The Perfect Kiss and Closer Than You Think. I especially love the long version of The Perfect Kiss.

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  7. Such a hard list to come up with because songs mean such different things to all of us. My to 15:

    1. Temptation
    2. Your Silent Face
    3. True Faith
    4. Blue Monday
    5. Touched by the Hand of God
    6. Waiting for the Sirens Call
    7. Everything's Gone Green
    8. Hurt
    9. The Perfect Kiss
    10. Face Up
    11. Plastic
    12. Ceremony
    13. In a Lonely Place
    13. Bizarre Love Triangle
    14. Tuti Frutti
    15. Loves Vigilante

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  8. Leave Me Alone, people. Leave Me Alone! What's wrong with you all? Their masterpieces:

    1- Ceremony
    2- Temptation
    3- Your Silent Face
    4- Leave Me Alone

    then come the really catchy things:

    5- Bizarre Love Triangle
    6- True Faith

    and then back to some pretty things:

    7- Vanishing Point
    8- Lonesome Tonight

    and then some solid things:

    9- Singularity
    10- Everything's Gone Green

    Regret is an excellent song, but it doesn't make the list. Blue Monday and Fine Time are outstanding and danceable, but they don't make the list. Such is New Order.

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