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.
Subculture
New Order Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One of these days
I like walking in the park
When it gets late at night
I move 'round in the dark (the dark)
And leave when it gets light
I sit around by day
Tied up in chains so tight
So wrong they could be
What do I get out of this?
I always try, I always miss (woah)
One of these days you'll go back to your home (one of these days)
You won't even notice that you are alone
One of these days when you sit by yourself (one of these days)
You'll realize you can't shaft without someone else
In the end you will submit
It's got to hurt a little bit
I like talking in my sleep
When people work so hard
They need what they can't keep
A choice that leaves them scarred
A room without a view
Unveils the truth so soon
And when the sun goes down
You've lost what you had
What do I get out of this?
I always try, I always miss (woah)
One of these days you'll go back to your home
You won't even notice that you are alone
One of these days when you sit by yourself (one of these days)
You'll realise you can't shaft without someone else
In the end you will submit (one of these days)
It's got to hurt a little bit
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days (woah)
One of these days you'll go back to your home (one of these days)
One of these days when you sit by yourself (one of these days)
You'll realise you can't shaft without someone else
In the end you will, in the end you will, in the end you will submit
It's got to hurt a, got to hurt a, got to hurt a little bit
One of these days
Woah, one of these days you'll go back to your home (one of these days)
Woah, one of these days when you sit by yourself (one of these days)
In the end you will submit (one of these days)
It's got to hurt a little bit
"Subculture" by New Order is a song about the human desire for connection and the loneliness that can come with being disconnected. The song uses the imagery of walking in a park at night and talking in one's sleep to convey this longing for connection, as well as the idea that we often hold ourselves back with "crazy words" that prevent us from finding it. The chorus emphasizes the inevitability of realizing that we can't go it alone, that we need someone else to "shaft" with (a raunchy lyric that suggests the physical and emotional intimacy we crave). The repetition of "one of these days" throughout the song reinforces the idea that this realization may not come until we are forced to confront our loneliness.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of resignation about this reality - the line "in the end you will submit / it's got to hurt a little bit" suggests that we can't escape the pain of loneliness and the vulnerability required to connect with others. The use of the word "submit" also implies that connecting with others requires a certain level of surrendering control and letting yourself be vulnerable, which can be scary and painful.
Overall, "Subculture" is a melancholy but ultimately hopeful song about the human need for connection, and the pain that can come with both seeking it and lacking it.
Line by Line Meaning
One of these days
At some point in the future
One of these days
Again, at some point in the future
I like walking in the park
I enjoy taking walks
When it gets late at night
During the late hours of the night
I move 'round in the dark (the dark)
I wander around in the darkness
And leave when it gets light
I depart when the sun rises
I sit around by day
I spend my days idle
Tied up in chains so tight
I feel constrained and limited
These crazy words of mine
My rambling, nonsensical thoughts
So wrong they could be
My thoughts are so misguided they may be incorrect
What do I get out of this?
Why do I bother with this (whatever 'this' may be)?
I always try, I always miss (woah)
I attempt to do things, but rarely succeed
One of these days you'll go back to your home (one of these days)
Eventually, you'll return to your dwelling
You won't even notice that you are alone
You'll be so accustomed to being without a companion, you won't feel it anymore
One of these days when you sit by yourself (one of these days)
Later on, when you're alone
You'll realize you can't shaft without someone else
You'll come to understand you can't con or cheat others without their participation
In the end you will submit
Eventually, you will surrender or give up
It's got to hurt a little bit
It will be painful, but necessary
I like talking in my sleep
I enjoy speaking in my subconscious state
When people work so hard
When folks are toiling away
They need what they can't keep
They desire things that they're unable to hang onto
A choice that leaves them scarred
A decision that injures or harms them in some way
A room without a view
A space that lacks a pleasant aspect
Unveils the truth so soon
Quickly reveals the reality of the situation
And when the sun goes down
As the daylight fades away
You've lost what you had
You no longer possess what you once had
Woah, one of these days you'll go back to your home (one of these days)
Reiteration of earlier point
Woah, one of these days when you sit by yourself (one of these days)
Reiteration of earlier point
In the end you will submit (one of these days)
Reiteration of earlier point
It's got to hurt a little bit
Reiteration of earlier point
One of these days (woah)
Musing about the future again
One of these days you'll go back to your home (one of these days)
Once more, predicting returning home
One of these days when you sit by yourself (one of these days)
Again, discussing a future moment alone
In the end you will, in the end you will, in the end you will submit
Reiteration of earlier point with added emphasis
It's got to hurt a, got to hurt a, got to hurt a little bit
Reiteration of earlier point with added emphasis
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, PETER HOOK, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@henrywallace7996
New Order were the best at making dance music to be lonely to.
@byteme007
I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion, but it's absolutely correct.
@speez71
If you had no friends
@josemaria8177
Released in 1985. Stills sounds amazing and futuristic in 2022. Amazing song from an amazing band
@rrus73
И это правда.
@TheHangman666
I was 16!
@julioangeldavalosvera9580
Good song new order join depeche Mode and others...
@rrus73
@@julioangeldavalosvera9580 , DM несмотря на всю свою изначальную перекрутость в самомнении, был ведь на самом деле гораздо нежнее в тех ранних темах, чем New Order в своем честном, раннем 'new wave'.
@the_emmo
@@TheHangman666 i was -12 haha
@yellowswallowtail33
When I hear his voice come in, gives me a flashback to my youth.