Song of the Day: Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart”
“Love Will Tear Us Apart” is an interesting entry into Joy Division‘s discography. The song is easily one of the most pop-forward and focused songs that the group ever attempted. With its gently ebbing minor-key synths, warm guitars and dance beat, the song effectively is the bridge between the post-punk of Joy Division and their subsequent transformation into an out and out electro-pop group as New Order. The song was also sadly the last single that they would record with singer Ian Curtis, who tragically took his own life just as the song was beginning to blow-up on independent radio in America and open new in-roads for the band. In many ways, it is a deeply fitting final act from Curtis and is easily one of the best pop songs to come out of the post-punk movement.
Joy Division were founded in Manchester in 1977 by Ian Curtis (voice), Bernard Sumner (guitar), Peter Hook (bass) and Stephen Morris (drums). The group initially combined the the aggression of punk with goth guitar music and dark but highly literate lyrics from Curtis. Throughout the mere two years of their existence, Joy Division became the flagship signing of the nascent Factory Records label, recorded two albums with the famed producer/ madman Martin Hannett, a live album/ rarities comp and a handful of non-album singles. Following Curtis‘ tragic suicide at the age of only 23, the other members of the band soldiered on, adding keyboard player Gillian Gilbert, fully embraced dance-pop and became New Order.
Happy Valentine’s Day! Let us hope that love does not tear you apart, but rather brings you closer together.
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