THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

619-Joy Division-Love Will Tear Us Apart.

1980-Number 13 single. When it was re-released in 1983, it reached Number 19, and when re-released for a second time in 1995, it once again made Number 19.

Best Bit-At 0.14. Ian Curtis knew of the song ‘Love Will Keep Us Together,’ by the ‘Captain & Tennille,’ and with that in mind, he wrote about his own experiences of love.

Joy Division were formed in Salford, England, in 1976, with the classic line up consisting of Ian Curtis, (1956-1980) (lead vocals, and guitar) Bernard Sumner, (guitar, and keyboards) Peter Hook, (bass) and Stephen Morris (drums.) They initially called themselves ‘Warsaw,’ taking the name from the David Bowie (1948-2016) song ‘Warszawa,’ from his 1977 Album ‘Low,’ but in order to stop confusion with another group called ‘Warsaw Pakt,’ they renamed themselves Joy Division in early 1978, borrowing the name from the sexual slavery wing of a Nazi concentration camp mentioned in the 1955 novel ‘House of Dolls,’ by the author ‘Ka-tzetnik 135633.’ When first forming, they were greatly influenced by the then current ‘Punk Rock’ scene, especially after some of the band members had seen the ‘Sex Pistols’ (see also best songs 576-92 and 27) play live in 1976, but over time they began to develop their own ‘Post Punk’ sound. After Ian Curtis committed suicide in 1980, the three remaining members dropped the name ‘Joy Division,’ and re-formed later that year as ‘New Order’ (see also best songs 885.) Despite their short career, Joy Division have still become regarded as a major influence on many other acts, with the music critic John Bush of the American online music database ‘AllMusic,’ arguing that they, ‘Became the first band in the Post-Punk movement, by emphasising not anger and energy, but mood and expression, pointing ahead to the rise of melancholy Alternative Music in the ’80’s.”

The discography of Joy Division includes two studio Albums ‘Unknown Pleasures,’ released in 1979, and ‘Closer,’ released in 1980, there are also 12 official compilation Albums, and four live Albums available. Joy Division issued five singles between 1979-1980, which were all issued before appearing on either studio Album. In the UK, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’ is their highest charting single, when peaking at Number 13 in 1980, with their only other hit being the 1988 re-issue of ‘Atmosphere,’ (1980) and ‘She’s Lost Control,’ (1979) as a double ‘A’ sided single, making Number 34. Joy Division had their biggest chart success in New Zealand, where their debut studio Album ‘Unknown Pleasures,’ reached Number 1, and two of their singles, including ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’ also made the Number 1 spot.

‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ was written by all four members of Joy Division at that time, with the production credited to Joy Division, and Martin Hannett, who was born James Martin Hannett, on May 31st, 1948, in Manchester, England. Hannett’s career declined in his later years due to his heavy use of alcohol and drugs, especially heroin. He died on April 18th, 1991, as a result of heart failure, at the age of 42. Martin Hannett was a prolific music producer, who helped shape the sound for acts, including Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and Happy Mondays, for the other songs that he produced in this ‘Best 1000 Songs,’ (see also best songs 1016 and 816.) His headstone which is at the ‘Southern Cemetery,’ Manchester, pays him tribute, as the creator of ‘The Manchester Sound.’

Ian Kevin Curtis was born on July 15th, 1956, in Stretford, Lancashire, England, he died by committing suicide, by hanging on May 18th, 1980, at the age of 23. Curtis had written the lyrics to ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ based on his own personal experiences, he had recently ended his marriage, and had been diagnosed with epilepsy, causing him to have fits when performing on stage. Bernard Sumner has spoken about Ian Curtis,’He’d got married very, very young. And by the time of that song, he’d come to a fork in the road, relationship-wise. His life had changed enormously, and he had to make a choice. We thought his head space was OK. But Ian had two faces, the public face for the band, and the private troubles he had at home, and the way they came out through his lyrics. We didn’t really listen to the lyrics. Joy Division was four people on pedestals, and we didn’t communicate with each other about what the songs are about.’ The title of this song ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’ are the words inscribed as an epitaph on Ian Curtis’s tombstone.

‘When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low, and resentment rides high, but emotions won’t grow, and we’re changing our ways, taking different roads. Love, love will tear us apart again.’