Love Will Tear Us Apart

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“Love Will Tear Us Apart”
“Love Will Tear Us Apart” cover
Single by Joy Division
from the album Substance
Released April 1980 (7")
June 1980 (12")
May 1995 (Re-release)
September 24, 2007 (2007-09-24) (Re-release)
Format 7", 12", CD
Recorded March 1980, Strawberry Studios, Stockport, England
Genre Post-punk
Length 3:26
Label Factory - FAC 23
Producer Martin Hannett and Joy Division
Joy Division singles chronology
Komakino
(1980)		 Love Will Tear Us Apart
(1980)		 Atmosphere/She's Lost Control
(1980)
Love Will Tear Us Apart
Original single sleeve
Original single sleeve

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a song by the British post-punk band Joy Division. The lyrics were written by the band's vocalist, Ian Curtis, who committed suicide a month after the song was released as a single in April 1980.

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" was written in August and September of 1979 and was debuted when the band supported Buzzcocks on their UK tour in September and October 1979, and it is one of the few songs in which Ian Curtis played guitar (albeit somewhat minimally). The title of the song is a play on the title of a Neil Sedaka song "Love Will Keep Us Together" made popular by The Captain & Tennille in 1975. [1] The lyrics are perceived to reflect the problems in Ian Curtis' marriage to Deborah Curtis, as well as his general frame of mind in the time leading up to his suicide. Deborah Curtis had the phrase "Love Will Tear Us Apart" inscribed on Ian Curtis' memorial stone.

The song was first released in April 1980 and, after Curtis' suicide that May, became the band's first chart hit, reaching number 13 in the UK. It also debuted at #1 in New Zealand in June 1981. The band broke up after his death and reformed as New Order. "Love" was re-released in 1983 and reached number 19 on the UK charts and re-appeared at #3 in New Zealand during March 1984. In November 1988, it made one more Top 40 appearance in New Zealand, peaking at #39. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" appears on the Substance compilation album. It was first recorded for a John Peel session in November 1979, then re-recorded in January 1980 and March 1980. It is the latter version that appears on Substance. The January 1980 version originally appeared as the single's B-side.

In 1995, to publicise the release of Permanent, the track was reissued, complete with a new remix done by Arthur Baker and a new radio edit, also known as the Permanent Mix. On September 24, 2007 (2007-09-24), the single was again reissued, in its original configuration. This time, it was to publicise the Collector's Edition re-issues of the band's three albums. Although the single was now issued on the Warner label, it retained all the classic Factory packaging, down to the FAC 23 catalogue number.

Contents

[edit] Popularity

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" has remained popular and was listed by NME magazine as the best single of all time in 2002. The song was listed by Rolling Stone magazine at number 179 in its top 500 songs of all time.[2] In May 2007, NME placed it at number 19 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever, one place ahead of another Joy Division song, "Transmission". The song reached number 1 in the inaugural Triple J Hottest 100 music poll of 1989 and again in 1990.

The song has also been used in television programs and in films, such as the 2001 film Donnie Darko, in a pivotal scene before Donnie has to leave his girlfriend in order to save her. The song is included in the indie film "Wristcutters", which takes place in an afterlife for people who have committed suicide. It was also included in a film about the Manchester music scene, 24 Hour Party People, during several scenes about the band and Curtis' suicide. It is heard in the Doctor Who episode "School Reunion." The film Series 7: The Contenders features a music video for the song which characters explain as being part of a school project. Their homemade music video is in the style of a cheaply made '80s video with actors dressed in stereotypical goth fashion.

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" has been covered by many artists including The Cure, Swans, Nouvelle Vague, José González, Red Mecca, Stanton Miranda, U2, Arcade Fire,Squarepusher, Honeyroot, Chris Edwards, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, and Jamie Cullum. American alternative rock band Fall Out Boy released a cover of the Joy Division single on their 2004 acoustic EP "My Heart Will Always Be the B-side to my Tongue". The Fall Out Boy cover is a faster, rock-oriented version.

[edit] Video

On the video for the song, at the very beginning, the door that swings open and shut has the initials of the band members carved into it. The video was shot by the band themselves as they recorded the song. It includes production errors with colour being 'browned out' at some points. Due to another production error the vocals as sung by Curtis during the video didn't come out as intended. The song as originally recorded in the video sounds much more like that in their Peel Session. Curtis re-recorded the vocals separately with the hint of melancholy that helps make it distinctive. The oddly-shaped guitar played by Ian Curtis is a Vox Mark VI.[citation needed]

[edit] Track listing

[edit] 7": Factory / FAC 23 (UK)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" – 3:18
  2. "These Days" – 3:21
  3. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" – 3:06

In her biography "Touching From A Distance", Deborah Curtis explains that the reason for the two versions of the song, one on each side, was a result of Curtis's slightly different singing in each one; one vocal take was allegedly done when other band members told Curtis to sing "like Frank Sinatra".

  • also released on 12" (FAC23.12)

[edit] 7": Gap Records Australia / SFA 406 (Australia)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" – 3:18
  2. "These Days" – 3:21
  • Track 1 recorded at Strawberry Studios, Stockport, early March 1980
  • Other tracks recorded at Pennine Sound Studios, Oldham, January 8, 1980

[edit] 1995 re-release

[edit] MC: London / YOJMC 1 (UK)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Radio Version)" – 3:38
  2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Original Version)" – 3:25

[edit] 12": London / YOJX1 (UK)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Original Version)" – 3:25
  2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Radio Version)" – 3:38
  3. "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Arthur Baker Remix)" – 4:12
  4. "Atmosphere" (Original Hannett 12inch) – 4:08

[edit] CD: London / YOJCD1 (UK)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Radio Version)" – 3:38
  2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Original Version)" – 3:25
  3. "These Days" – 3:25
  4. "Transmission" (Live) – 3:44

[edit] CD: London-Polygram / 422 850 129-2 (Canada)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Radio Version) – 3:38
  2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Original Version) – 3:25
  3. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Arthur Baker Remix) – 4:12
  4. "Atmosphere" – 4:08
  5. "These Days" – 3:25
  6. "Transmission" (Live) – 3:44

[edit] 2007 re-release

[edit] 7": Warner / FAC 23 (UK)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Original version) – 3:18
  2. "These Days" – 3:21
  3. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" – 3:06

[edit] CD: Warner / FAC 23CD (UK)

  1. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Original version) – 3:18
  2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart '95" (Radio Version)" – 3:38
  3. "Atmosphere" – 4:08

[edit] Sample

"Love Will Tear Us Apart"

Sample of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" from Substance
Problems listening to the file? See media help.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division Songfacts
  2. ^ The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (English). Rolling Stone (2004-12-09). Retrieved on 2007-12-06.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Joy Division
Ian Curtis • Bernard Sumner • Peter Hook • Stephen Morris
Terry Mason • Tony Tabac • Steve Brotherdale
Albums
Compilations
Live albums
Singles and EPs
"An Ideal for Living" • "Transmission" • "Licht und Blindheit" • "Komakino" • "Love Will Tear Us Apart" • "Atmosphere/She's Lost Control"
Related