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.
Crystal
New Order Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Hey)
We break easy
(Hoo)
I'm a poor man
(Hey)
If you leave me
(Hoo)
(Hey)
Then forgotten
It was summer
(Hey)
Now it's autumn
(Hoo)
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore (Whenever you're here with me)
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
(Hoo, hey)
We're like crystal
It's not easy
(Hoo)
With your love
(Hey)
You could feed me
(Hoo)
Every man (every man)
(Hey)
And every woman (every woman)
Needs someone
(Hey)
So keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming (keep it coming)
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
The song "Crystal" by New Order is a reflection on the fragility of relationships and how they can break easily like crystal. The opening lines "We're like crystal, we break easy" sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer admits he is a "poor man" and "applauded then forgotten" - suggesting that he is not wealthy or famous, but still experiences love and loss like everyone else. The chorus "I'm a man in a rage with a girl I betrayed, here comes love" reveals the complicated emotions of the singer towards the person who he potentially hurt, but who also brings him love.
The line "It was summer, now it's autumn" signifies the passage of time and how relationships can change and come to an end. The lyrics "Here comes love, it's like honey, you can't buy it with money" highlights how love is valuable and cannot be purchased. The repeated refrain "You shook me to the core" suggests that the singer has been deeply affected by their relationship, and that this person has had a significant impact on his life.
Overall, "Crystal" is a melancholic yet hopeful song about the ups and downs of relationships, the importance of love, and how it can transform someone.
Line by Line Meaning
We're like crystal
We are fragile and vulnerable
We break easy
We are easily damaged or broken
I'm a poor man
I am not wealthy or powerful
If you leave me
If you go away from me
I'm applauded
I am praised and celebrated
Then forgotten
But soon after, I am ignored and abandoned
It was summer
It was a time of happiness and warmth
Now it's autumn
Now it is a time of sadness and loss
I don't know what to say
I am at a loss for words
You don't care anyway
You are indifferent and apathetic
I'm a man in a rage
I am angry and frustrated
With a girl I betrayed
Because I have hurt the person I love
Here comes love
Now love is coming back to me
It's like honey
Love is sweet and irresistible
You can't buy it with money
Love is not something that can be purchased
You're not alone anymore (Whenever you're here with me)
You are no longer lonely when you are with me
You shook me to the core
You have deeply affected me emotionally
With your love
With your love and affection
You could feed me
You could provide for me and sustain me
Every man (every man)
Every person, every human being
And every woman (every woman)
Including every woman
Needs someone
Needs to have a companion or partner
So keep it coming
So keep giving me love and attention
Keep it coming
Don't stop giving me love and attention
Keep it coming
Keep providing me with support and affection
Keep it coming
Keep showing me love and care
Keep it coming
Keep giving me what I need emotionally
Keep it coming (keep it coming)
Continue providing me with love and support
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Paul David Morris, Gillian Lesley Gilbert
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fabiopedrazzi
We're like crystal (Hey)
We break easy (Hoo)
I'm a poor man (Hey)
If you leave me (Hoo)
I'm applauded (Hey)
Then forgotten
It was summer (Hey)
Now it's autumn (Hoo)
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
We're like crystal (Hey)
It's not easy (Hoo)
With your love (Hey)
You could feed me (Hoo)
Every man (Hey)
And every woman (Hoo)
Needs someone (Hey)
So keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
@impresosrimactalleresgrafi8107
We're like crystal
We break easy
I'm a poor man
If you leave me
I'm applauded
Then forgotten
It was summer
Now it's autumn
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore (Whenever you're here with me)
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
We're like crystal
It's not easy
With your love
You could feed me
Every man
And every woman
Needs someone
So keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming (keep it coming)
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
I don't know what to say
You don't care anyway
I'm a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It's like honey
You can't buy it with money
You're not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
Keep it coming
@chatorink1208
this song came out in 2001 and looks like it was recorded last week.
Unbeliveble!!!
@anthonystewart677
I'm not a huge New Order fan, but this hit the spot the very first time I heard it and it still does. That performance they did on Jools Holland was fantastic as well. I also loved that "Get The Message" track, by Sumner and Marr in their band Electronic.
@bonoman1987
Very, Very strong track. The intro is spectacular, and then when the keyboardist hits that single note, we're catapulted into the stratosphere....One of the best songs ever...
@Chris-om8si
❤❤❤
@deadstar44
This is not the real intro. Listen to the album version, they cut the actual beautiful intro. It builds up with a female voice ad-libbing over a bed of atmospheric synths then the drums enter when the female singer hits the high note. It's even more cooler when they unleash the guitars and the bass after that prelude.
@altonyoung3734
You mean The Killers😉
@gonadman2
@@deadstar44 You're dead right. I couldn't work out what this was missing until I went back and grabbed my CD!
@goldenboy2674
This song hasn't aged on bit. Even the music video looks just as good.
@bs27v1b
@Patrick Whelpley Fresh really doesn't matter if it's good. I guess we found something that is actually good.
@jamescorbett5729
As an 1980s New Order fan, this brought tears to my eyes the first time I heard it.