| "State of the Nation" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by New Order | ||||
| Released | September 1986 | |||
| Format | 7", 12" | |||
| Recorded | 1986 | |||
| Genre | Alternative dance | |||
| Length | 6:32 (12"), 3:27 (7") | |||
| Label | Factory - FAC 153 | |||
| Writer(s) | Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert | |||
| Producer | New Order | |||
| New Order singles chronology | ||||
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"State of the Nation" is a 1986 single by New Order.
Contents |
The 12" version of the song is almost twice as long as the 7" version, and includes an additional verse.
The B-side was an alternate arrangement entitled "Shame of the Nation", which included, among other elements, backing vocals. This was written and produced with John Robie, marking the group's third collaboration with him.
The Australian 12" was the same as the UK 12", but the 7" version of the song was only released as the B-side of "Bizarre Love Triangle".
Though not included on most standard releases of the concurrently-released studio album Brotherhood, the 12" version of the song was included as a bonus track on some versions and was originally included on the US 12" version of "Bizarre Love Triangle". The 12" version of "Shame of the Nation" is included on the 2008 Collectors Edition of Low-Life.
The 12" version and "Shame of the Nation" were collected on the Substance compilation. The 7" version was collected on the Singles compilation. The 7" version of "Shame of the Nation" can only be found on the original 7" vinyl release.
This song has a feature rare in a New Order single (or in much of the band's material in general): the song title not only appears in the narrative, but is also the chorus. Only a few New Order singles (most notably "Shellshock", "Regret", "Crystal", and "Touched by the Hand of God") have titles consisting of words which are part of the song's lyrics.
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 17 |
| UK Singles Chart | 30 |
| UK Indie singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1 | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales 1 | 18 |
Notes: