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.
Hey Now What You Doing
New Order Lyrics
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Don't go down the road to ruin
Look back at where you came from
Count to ten before you go wrong
You had the brightest future
Writing songs on your computer
But you couldn't walk that extra mile
You've gotta hold your head up high
You know it's not too late to try
You've gotta lift that heavy load
You've gotta get back in control
The things you say to me
What is it that your eyes see
Is it love or is it hate
Banging on an open gate
Hey now, who's that with you
What's that thing I saw him give you
Turn round don't come no closer
You took it from my shoulder holster
You've gotta hold your head up high
You know it's not too late to try
You've gotta lift that heavy load
You've gotta get back in control
You've gotta hold your head up high
You know it's not too late to try
You've gotta lift that heavy load
You've gotta get back in control
Why don't you put that gun right down
Before you kill the love you found
Hey now what you doing (what you doing)
Don't go down the road to ruin
The song "Hey Now What You Doing" by New Order is a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting one's life get out of control. The first verse warns against going down "the road to ruin," urging the listener to look back at where they came from and take a breath before making any rash decisions. The second verse speaks directly to an individual who had a lot of potential but failed to walk "that extra mile." The lyrics go on to encourage the listener to hold their head up high and take control of their life before it's too late.
The chorus underscores this message with its repeated refrain: "You've gotta hold your head up high / You know it's not too late to try / You've gotta lift that heavy load / You've gotta get back in control." The third verse introduces a new character, someone who is potentially causing the listener harm. They see something they shouldn't have, and the lyrics suggest that this interaction could turn dangerous. The final verse appeals to the listener to put down their gun and not "kill the love you found."
Overall, the song presents a message of hope amidst a warning of the dangers of losing control. It urges the listener to take responsibility for their life and actions, and to not let their potential slip away.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey now what you doing
Asks the person what they are doing and warns them not to go down a destructive path.
Don't go down the road to ruin
Advises against taking a path that leads to destruction or failure.
Look back at where you came from
Encourages reflecting on past experiences and choices to gain insight and wisdom.
Count to ten before you go wrong
Suggests taking a moment to pause and think before making a decision that could have negative consequences.
You had the brightest future
Acknowledges that the person once had great potential and many opportunities.
Writing songs on your computer
Highlights a specific talent or interest the person had that gave them potential for success.
But you couldn't walk that extra mile
Points out that the person did not follow through on their potential and instead gave up or failed to put in the necessary effort.
And now your life is running wild
Describes the negative consequences of not making good choices or following through on potential - the person's life has become chaotic and unmanageable.
You've gotta hold your head up high
Encourages the person to be confident and positive, even in difficult situations.
You know it's not too late to try
Assures the person that they still have the opportunity to make positive changes and turn their life around.
You've gotta lift that heavy load
Metaphorically refers to the burdens and challenges the person is facing, and encourages them to take action to overcome them.
You've gotta get back in control
Emphasizes the importance of taking charge of one's life and making positive, proactive choices.
The things you say to me
Refers to the person's words and communication, potentially suggesting that they are not communicating effectively or honestly.
What is it that your eyes see
Questions the person's perspective, and wonders what they are seeing or perceiving in a situation.
Is it love or is it hate
Contrasts two opposite emotions, perhaps suggesting that the person's motives or feelings are unclear or confusing.
Banging on an open gate
Uses a metaphor to describe a fruitless or pointless action - banging on an open gate achieves nothing, since the gate is already open.
Hey now, who's that with you
Asks the person who they are with, perhaps expressing suspicion or concern about their companions.
What's that thing I saw him give you
Questions the nature of an object or gift that the person received from someone else, suggesting possible secrets or hidden agendas.
Turn round don't come no closer
Tells someone to stay away and keep their distance, perhaps out of fear or mistrust.
You took it from my shoulder holster
Suggests that the person may have taken something (such as a weapon or other object) from someone else, indicating a potential conflict or danger.
Why don't you put that gun right down
Urges someone who is holding a gun to put it down, perhaps to prevent violence or harm.
Before you kill the love you found
Uses a metaphor to describe the potential harm that can come from destructive behavior - the 'love you found' could be any positive and valuable aspect of the person's life that they risk damaging or destroying.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PHILIP CUNNINGHAM, BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, PETER HOOK, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind