Love Will Tear Us Apart

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"Love Will Tear Us Apart"
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" cover
Single by Joy Division
Released April 1980 (7")
June 1980 (12")
May 1995 (Re-release)
Format 7", 12", CD
Recorded March 1980, Strawberry Studios, Stockport, England
Genre Post-punk
Length 3:26
Label Factory Records
Producer(s) Martin Hannett and Joy Division
Chart positions
  • #13 (UK)
Joy Division singles chronology
"Transmission"
(1979)		 "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
(1980)		 "Atmosphere"
(1980)

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a 1980 song by Joy Division. It features the eerie baritone vocals of Ian Curtis as well as being one of the band's most famous songs, it is also hailed by some to be one of the greatest songs ever written.

Although the list changes contantly, the single is often at #1 of the Rate Your Music: Top 1000 Singles Of All-Time

Contents

[edit] History

The song was written in August and September of 1979 and was debuted when the band supported Buzzcocks on their UK tour in September and October of 1979. 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.

It was originally released in June 1980, and after Curtis' suicide that May, became the band's only hit, reaching number 13 on the UK charts. 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.

The song 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.

The song has remained popular, and was listed by the NME as the best single of all time in 2002.

The song has also been used in television programs and in films, such as the 2001 film Donnie Darko, in a scene where Donnie has to leave his girlfriend in order to save her. 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 film Series 7: The Contenders and in the Doctor Who episode "School Reunion".

[edit] Cover versions

Numerous cover versions have been recorded, by Paul Young, The Cure, Unbroken, Fall Out Boy, Squarepusher, Nick Cave, and The Frames among others, whilst the most recent version to be a hit single in the UK Top 75 Singles Chart is an ambient reading of the song by Glenn Gregory and his band Honeyroot. There were also two versions done by Swans, one sung by Michael Gira in his own drawling baritone, the other by female singer Jarboe. Anything Box side project The Diary covered the song on their 1995 Page One album, and there is a version on the South American release of Darkness and Hope by Moonspell, a Portuguese death metal band. Likewise, Yat Kha, a Russian Tuvinian punk band, does a Kargyraa throat singing rendition on their 2005 album Recovers. Bono regularly plays a snippet from the track during U2's live performances of "With or Without You", and U2 played a full cover with The Arcade Fire in 2005. Nouvelle Vague also released a cover of the song on their 2005 eponymous debut album, a collection of new wave and punk songs performed in a bossa nova style. More recently, Jose Gonzalez covered the song acoustically for his album, Veneer, as did Fall Out Boy on their 2004 acoustic EP My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue. In 2006 Susanna and the Magical Orchestra released a version on their album Melody Mountain.

[edit] Releases

[edit] Love Will Tear Us Apart 7"

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

Track 1 recorded at Strawberry Studios, Stockport, early March 1980

Tracks 2-3 recorded at Pennine Sound Studios, Oldham, January 8, 1980.

Australian release does not include Track 3

7" Factory UK (FAC23) April 1980
7" Gap Records Australia (SFA 406) February 1981
7" Factory US (FACUS23) June 1981

[edit] Love Will Tear Us Apart 12"

Same tracks as 7" release

12" Factory UK (FAC23.12) June 1980
12" Gap Records Australia (SFA 406) February 1981
12" Factory US (FACUS23) June 1981

[edit] Love Will Tear Us Apart Single Re-release

Single Re-release cover art
Enlarge
Single Re-release cover art

Released in May 1995

Canadian release:

  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

UK CD omits track 3 and 4

UK 12" omits tracks 5 and 6

Australian release omits tracks 3-6

[edit] Sample

[edit] External links


Joy Division
Ian Curtis | Bernard Sumner | Peter Hook | Stephen Morris
Former members: Terry Mason | Tony Tabac | Steve Brotherdale
Discography
Albums: Unknown Pleasures | Closer
Compilation Albums: The Peel Sessions | The Complete BBC Recordings |
Permanent | Heart and Soul | Preston Warehouse | Les Bains Douches | The Warsaw Demo | Fractured Box Set | Still | Substance
Singles & EPs: An Ideal for Living | Transmission | Licht und Blindheit | Komakino | Love Will Tear Us Apart | Atmosphere/She's Lost Control
Related articles
Factory Records | The Haçienda | 24 Hour Party People | Martin Hannett | Peter Saville | Tony Wilson | Rob Gretton | New Order
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