Pioneers of dance music in the 1980s and one of the first bands to effectively and popularly synthesize keyboard- and guitar-based music, New Order's members hailed from Salford and Macclesfield, England out of the ashes of Joy Division, are noted as being one of the first bands to bridge the gap between Post-Punk and Dancefloor. They were Factory Records' highest selling artist. They also funded Factory's famous Manchester club, The Haçienda. The band partnered with Quincy Jones's American label Qwest, recorded with legendary hip-hop producer Arthur Baker (on 1983's single "Confusion" and 1984's "Thieves Like Us"), and they embraced Ibizan club culture on the album, Technique.
The band was formed in 1980 by the three surviving members, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris of Joy Division after the lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide. Morris' girlfriend (and later wife) Gillian Gilbert joined in October 1980 on keyboards and occasional guitar shortly after contributing guitar to the second release of New Order's first single "Ceremony". Their early music followed in the same vein as Joy Division, most notably on debut album Movement. This is mostly seen now as a 'transitional' album where the new 4-piece band was trying to find a new identity.
They continued to develop their music and their identity with tracks such as "Procession" and "Temptation" until 1983 when, under the influence of early electro funk and Italo-Disco tracks (most notably Klein & MBO's Dirty Talk), they released "Blue Monday", arguably their most famous song and the biggest-selling 12" single of all time. This came in such a detailed Peter Saville-designed sleeve (replicating a floppy disc) that it is claimed by some that the band's record company, Factory, lost money on every copy sold.
The release of "Blue Monday" coincided with the album Power, Corruption & Lies which further developed their dance/rock crossover. Other albums followed in 1985 (Low-Life), 1986 (Brotherhood) and 1989 (Technique, influenced heavily by Ibiza's acid house scene). In 1990 the band scored their sole number 1 hit with a song written by Keith Allen and performed with the England football team, "World in Motion", the official England World Cup song. One more album, Republic followed in May 1993, which was released by London Records after the collapse of Factory in November 1992.
The band effectively split in 1993 to pursue solo projects, but returned with a triumphant gig at the Reading Festival in 1998. After the recording of 2001's Get Ready album Gillian Gilbert left the band amicably for family reasons - her and Stephen's daughter Grace had been diagnosed with Transverse myelitis and she came to the decision that it would be easier for the band to replace her than her husband. They have since gone on to produce one more album with the help of Phil Cunningham of Marion when they released their last album, Waiting For The Sirens' Call.
Hook left acrimoniously in 2007 and according to him, the band has effectively broken up. However, Sumner, Cunningham and Morris repeatedly denied that the band was over, and that if Hook no longer wanted to be in the band, that was his choice. Hook has since threatened to take legal action if they attempt to continue as New Order. In 2009, Sumner, Morris and Cunningham announced that they did not plan on continuing on as New Order without Hook. However, in September 2011 it was announced that they will reform as New Order for two concerts in October (Brussels and Paris), without Hook but with Gillian Gilbert. Hook's replacement is Tom Chapman, who is also in Bad Lieutenant with Sumner, Morris and Cunningham. The charity gigs in Brussels and Paris were very successful and New Order decided to go on tour in 2012. They played various concerts all over the world and also some big festivals in the summer.
Discography (studio albums):
Movement (1981)
Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
Low-Life (1985)
Brotherhood (1986)
Technique (1989)
Republic (1993)
Get Ready (2001)
Waiting for the Sirens' Call (2005)
Lost Sirens (2013)
Music Complete (2015)
Collaborations and other projects:
Shortly after the split, Sumner and Cunningham formed Bad Lieutenant. The band's debut album Never Cry Another Tear, released in 2009, features Morris on drums on several tracks, although he is not an official member of the band and has committed to continue musical projects with Gillian Gilbert. The band's various solo projects understandably seemed to contain elements of the New Order 'sound', and gave some clues as to each member's contribution to the band.
Bernard Sumner worked with Johnny Marr (formerly of The Smiths) and Neil Tennant (of The Pet Shop Boys) in the 'supergroup', Electronic. Peter Hook formed the bands Revenge and, later, Monaco. These projects gained some commercial success. Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert recorded two albums of songs as The Other Two, and also did scoring work for film and television.
Each of New Order's four original members have, at various times, acted as producers and/or guest musicians under the moniker of Be Music for a myriad of Factory labelmates and other artists, including: Section 25, A Certain Ratio, Happy Mondays, Paul Haig, The Stockholm Monsters, The Stone Roses, and Stanton Miranda.
586
New Order Lyrics
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On the corner sent by me
Shadows the ways
Straight away you ran from me
I heard you calling
Yes, I heard you calling
I heard you calling
Yes, I heard you calling
I hear silence in my heart [house]
From a distance
Turn your back and run [hide] from me
Heard you calling
Yes, I heard you calling
Heard you calling
Yes, I heard you calling
When it happens
You will be no friend of mine
Take the first chance
When I am no longer free
Heard you calling
Yes, I heard you calling
Heard you calling
Yes, I heard you calling
In the future
When you want me in your heart
I won't be there [help you]
If you call out in the dark
Heard you calling
Yes, I heard you calling
Heard you calling
Oh yes I heard you, heard you, heard you, heard you calling
Can you hear me deep inside
From these feelings I can't hide
Can you hear me deep inside
From these feelings I can't hide
Oh, can you hear me deep inside
From these feelings i can't hide
Can you hear me calling you
Can you hear me calling you
Can you hear me calling you
Can you head me calling you
The lyrics to New Order's song "586" describe a sense of impending danger and isolation. The first verse sets the ominous tone with the singer seeing danger on the corner and someone running away from them. The second verse intensifies this feeling of isolation with the singer hearing silence in their heart and someone turning their back and hiding from them. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that there has been some kind of falling out between the singer and the person they address in the lyrics. The chorus repeats the phrase "Heard you calling" multiple times, indicating that the singer is aware of the other person's attempts to reach out to them, but they have turned away. The final verse seals the emotional distance, promising that the singer will not be there to help the other person in the future.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of unease and emotional distance, exploring themes of isolation, abandonment, and mistrust in relationships. The repetition of the phrase "Heard you calling" highlights the idea that communication has broken down between the singer and the other person, despite attempts on both sides to connect.
Line by Line Meaning
I see danger
I sense trouble or harm in the near vicinity
On the corner sent by me
I am positioned at a street intersection, observing my surroundings
Shadows the ways
Darkness looms over the paths ahead
Straight away you ran from me
Immediately, you fled in the opposite direction out of fear or avoidance of me
I heard you calling
I received your attempt to reach out for help, support or communication
Yes, I heard you calling
Affirmation that I am aware and attuned to your call
I hear silence
I perceive neither sound nor response
I hear silence in my heart [house]
Within my being, I sense that no one is responding or reaching out
From a distance
Far from where I currently am
Turn your back and run [hide] from me
You are deliberately avoiding or hiding from me by fleeing in the opposite direction
When it happens
When a particular event or scenario takes place
You will be no friend of mine
You will no longer be a close associate or ally of mine
Take the first chance
Seize the initial or earliest opportunity
When I am no longer free
When I become unavailable, detained or confined
In the future
At a later time or period
When you want me in your heart
When you desire to have me as a significant part of your life or innermost being
I won't be there [help you]
I will not be present or available to fulfill that role or provide aid in that aspect
If you call out in the dark
If you seek help, guidance or support in times of obscurity or conception
Can you hear me deep inside
Can you perceive the innermost feelings I'm trying to convey or communicate
From these feelings I can't hide
I am unable to suppress or conceal the emotions I am experiencing
Can you hear me calling you
Do you perceive my attempts to contact, connect or summon you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS, PETER HOOK, BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind