60 Miles An Hour - Worst New Order single ever? — Forum Archive

20 Aug 2004, 16:22

Just thought I'd toss this small debate into the arena :) As we know it was the last proper NO single "from an album" and had to follow in the footsteps of the #8 charted "Crystal" a few months earlier (It failed at #29). Do you think it was ever up to the job? Inspiration for this poll comes from listening to my 2001 bootlegs of the song with the live environment really revealing alot of the track's shortcomings IMO. Hooky's bass all over the place as if it can't settle on a tune, Barney and Phil's "walls" of guitar not producing anything interesting bar a deep growl, and Steve rather clumsily trying to add bongos to his drumming... In short, it sounds very hurried and cobbled together IMO. The keyboard break and accompanying guitar line is the only half decent thing about it, and what's so risky about "driving at 60mph" as Barney's lyrics state? :confused2:

Ironically the single itself was backed with one of New Order's best Get Ready efforts (Sabotage) and two top notch Someone Like You mixes (Funk D'Void & James Holden). A clear case for the b-side being "miles" (ho ho) better than the a-side? We'll disregard the Supermen Lovers remix of 60MPH because it's just incredibly shite full stop. The painful stop-start vocal samples and directionless "bouncy comedy" bassline nearly reduced CD2 to a coaster for me, what was London thinking? :nonono:

I personally thought a revamped radio mix of Someone Like You would have done a much better job both chart and quality-wise. It's got all the trademark New Order characteristics including a catchy "pop" chorus, melodic bass, and even room for barney's "jamming" he's so fond of these days. Plus loads of remixes of it were commissioned so why wasn't it released instead of 60MPH? I don't buy New Order have no control over what singles they produce and it was the record company's fault either. Even "Turn My Way" as a single would have begged "FEATURING BILLY CORGAN" stickers galore and utilised the Pumpkin's fanbase for extra sales and a higher chart placing, or am I thinking too corporate here?

No flames please, everyone's opinion will be respected (then rubbished :D hehe)

Ally.

20 Aug 2004, 17:02

it could never be the worst single New order has done...as long as WIFM is out there!!!:p

20 Aug 2004, 17:06

Originally posted by Jeff it could never be the worst single New order has done...as long as WIFM is out there!!!:p

I think Touched by the Hand of God, State of the Nation and Shellshock are worse singles...

20 Aug 2004, 17:19

Originally posted by DShamen > Originally posted by Jeff> it could never be the worst single New order has done...as long as WIFM is out there!!!:p

I think Touched by the Hand of God, State of the Nation and Shellshock are worse singles...

TBTHOG is a work of art compared to WIM, particularly if you're not English.

20 Aug 2004, 17:47

Nah...relative to other NO singles it is pretty poor, but I'm fairly sure it's not the worst. I've never got on well with the Subculture 12" mix, for example, so that'd probably be my nomination.

Oh, and WIM was and remains class, and I say this as a Scot. :laugh:

20 Aug 2004, 17:58

actually, I don't mind WIM that much...I said it for the benefit of Brother ShugzV...he hates it!!! :wink:

20 Aug 2004, 18:28

Yeah I forgot about Shellshock and State Of The Nation, they do give 60MPH a run for it's money, but at the end of the day I don't know if they're really *as* bad. At least musically they tried to be diverse whereas 60MPH is just guitary dirge that's totally unremarkable. WIM earns an exclusion cos it gave NO a #1 and so served it's purpose benefitting the band both in sales and fame. We all know it's shite by default cos it's a football song but I've always thought, for a football song it's not that bad (ie. different shades of shite :D)

I should have emphasised more the positive slant I was also trying to put on this poll as well as electing 60MPH as a pretty dire single. As far as I'm concerned there were far more worthy contenders on Get Ready that could have been better 2nd single choices not only in quality but in chart success, like SLY or TMW as I said. As well as talking about how 60MPH lacks, debating the good aspects and potential single material in other GR tracks is also interesting. (I think)

I'm not just being a complete miserable bastard :)

Ally.

PS. Touched.. was an amazing single, granted the '87 version hasn't aged well, but the 98 re-recording showed it was only the original drum machines (and production) that aged badly and not the actual songwriting (as is the case with so much of NO's mid-80s work)

20 Aug 2004, 19:12

SOTN. i mean, damn.

20 Aug 2004, 19:33

WIM and Shellsock are worse. I think State of the Nation isn't THAT bad, but Shame of the Nation sure is. :nonono:

20 Aug 2004, 20:17

SOTN and Shame OTN are both awful. New Order trying to take a page out of Midnight Oil lyrics. Dance and politics? :nonono:

20 Aug 2004, 20:46

am i the only one who likes 60MaH? you have to ignore Barney's lyrics as usual but the music is good in my opinion. my least favorte single would be SubCulture...great song, terrible mixes.

20 Aug 2004, 21:19

i like shellshock, its not a bad song

20 Aug 2004, 21:36

WIM is the worst single of NO

Jeff is the worst single of NOOL

20 Aug 2004, 23:11

i never knew touched by the hand of god was looked down upon this much... i love the song, im not as fond as the studio version, but the live version thats on the BBC sessions album is awesome, plus its one of the first NO tunes i learned on bass

state of the nations not bad too either

i never cared for world in motion

20 Aug 2004, 23:20

60mph is just dull, but Fine Time, at least the radio edit, is pure crap. Also, Run is rather dull. WIM is what it is - a football song. I happen to like Shellshock and TBTHOG, but SOTN is better than 60mph.

21 Aug 2004, 01:44

Originally posted by Biznotic Love Trapezoid am i the only one who likes 60MaH? you have to ignore Barney's lyrics as usual but the music is good in my opinion. my least favorte single would be SubCulture...great song, terrible mixes.

Not even Nostradamus would have predicted that me and me pal Bri would have had exactly the same views on something. Afraid this either makes you wrong, a twat, or both! :laugh:

21 Aug 2004, 02:29

Originally posted by Biznotic Love Trapezoid am i the only one who likes 60MaH? you have to ignore Barney's lyrics as usual but the music is good in my opinion. my least favorte single would be SubCulture...great song, terrible mixes.

Blasphemer. He's said it again! Stone the bastard:D

There was one amazing remix, the version on the record mirror single (which was edited down) can't remember who it was, I've had that discussion before as well :lol:

I am a big fan of 60mph, and if everyone remembers correctly from the gigs here and abroad, 60 mph got a brilliant crowd reaction :nod:

21 Aug 2004, 02:30

Originally posted by Server Error in "/" Application WIM is the worst single of NOJeff is the worst single of NOOL

:lol: :clap: Absolutely true.

21 Aug 2004, 02:34

Originally posted by ShugZV© > Originally posted by Biznotic Love Trapezoid> am i the only one who likes 60MaH? you have to ignore Barney's lyrics as usual but the music is good in my opinion. my least favorte single would be SubCulture...great song, terrible mixes.

Blasphemer. He's said it again! Stone the bastard:D

There was one amazing remix, the version on the record mirror single (which was edited down) can't remember who it was, I've had that discussion before as well :lol:

For about the gazillionth time: The RM version is just a fade-out version of the first Razormaid remix.

About 60mph: Say what you want about the track, but the video is the best and most hilarious video every produced for the gang.

/TLV

21 Aug 2004, 02:48

Originally posted by TLV > Originally posted by ShugZV© > Originally posted by Biznotic Love Trapezoid> am i the only one who likes 60MaH? you have to ignore Barney's lyrics as usual but the music is good in my opinion. my least favorte single would be SubCulture...great song, terrible mixes.

Blasphemer. He's said it again! Stone the bastard:D

There was one amazing remix, the version on the record mirror single (which was edited down) can't remember who it was, I've had that discussion before as well :lol:

For about the gazillionth time: The RM version is just a fade-out version of the first Razormaid remix.

About 60mph: Say what you want about the track, but the video is the best and most hilarious video every produced for the gang.

/TLV

You know me, I'll probably have forgotten by next week;) 60mph video is good, but I still think Touched is even funnier:D

21 Aug 2004, 03:35

I like Bernards vocal style on 60 MPH.The lyrics i quite like as well "id have the devil round for tea" and "we could worship pagan idols".The music itself i guess is a bit dull in places although the synth and guitar break are superb.Video is well funny.Very New Order type of humour when i first saw it.My ex girlfriend hated Crystal but loved 60 MPH - maybe the lyrics appeal to the female more.

21 Aug 2004, 05:07

I think SOTN is the worst single and WIM come very close from behind....and SHELLSHOCK is next.....no way, 60 m.a.h belongs to the basket of poor singles.

21 Aug 2004, 06:19

Originally posted by Spenser Stone i never knew touched by the hand of god was looked down upon this much... i love the song, im not as fond as the studio version, but the live version thats on the BBC sessions album is awesome, plus its one of the first NO tunes i learned on bassstate of the nations not bad too eitheri never cared for world in motion

I only really like the Biff & Memphis mix of Touched by the Hand of God. As for 60 Miles An Hour... it's not crap, but it's hardly good either. Bogstandard guitar fluff. :sleep:

21 Aug 2004, 07:27

How can anyone not like 60 MPH at least a little bit? :shrug: :nuts:

21 Aug 2004, 10:29

Originally posted by TLV > Originally posted by ShugZV© > Originally posted by Biznotic Love Trapezoid> am i the only one who likes 60MaH? you have to ignore Barney's lyrics as usual but the music is good in my opinion. my least favorte single would be SubCulture...great song, terrible mixes.

Blasphemer. He's said it again! Stone the bastard:D

There was one amazing remix, the version on the record mirror single (which was edited down) can't remember who it was, I've had that discussion before as well :lol:

For about the gazillionth time: The RM version is just a fade-out version of the first Razormaid remix.

About 60mph: Say what you want about the track, but the video is the best and most hilarious video every produced for the gang.

/TLV

In the other hand, the Razormaid remix of 586 is by far the best version of the song - much better than the original.

21 Aug 2004, 14:38

I like the song, though the lyrics do jar a bit, the only risky possibility of driving 60 mph is if you do it in a school zone.

Not a classic NO single to be sure, it's definitely in the bottom half of the lineup, the worst would be SOTN. Also, thanks to this board, I've been able to see what WIM means to many fans, except Shug of course :) , some aspects I didn't totally comprehend in the pre-Internet days of 1990, as I'd also quit reading the weekly rags by then as well.

21 Aug 2004, 20:22

SC & SOTN-worst of the dance stuff;Rock The Shack & Skullcrusher-worst of the guitar stuff IMHO

21 Aug 2004, 20:24

SC 12", not the album version>

22 Aug 2004, 21:41

60mph is cool :clap:

22 Aug 2004, 22:11

I liked 60 MPH, its not like No had much to go on, aside from Crystal and Viscious Streak, Get Ready wasnt very good IMHO.

60 MPH is fun to dance to, the first time I heard it was in a goth-industial club (I was really bored that night, okay?). It has dumb lyrics though.

Z

22 Aug 2004, 22:19

Originally posted by Shergold Six SC & SOTN-worst of the dance stuff;Rock The Shack & Skullcrusher-worst of the guitar stuff IMHO

Skullcrusher is great live!

22 Aug 2004, 22:36

I love the chorus (whatever you call it) when Hooky's bass comes in, the rest of the song is...um...well...likable.

23 Aug 2004, 00:43

I like 60 Miles An Hour. Album track it is, single it ain't. Someone Like You should have been Crystal's follow up. Could never understand why Gabriel & Dresden got slagged for coming on here when they did a couple of decent remixes to the song. :scratch:

23 Aug 2004, 01:03

60 mph is pretty good. i thought the consensus for worst ever single was "world in motion". i cant actually think of a single that was horrible by new order. fine time, dislike it very much but even that was anok song. but was it a single? dont shoot me for not knowing new orders discography by heart :(

23 Aug 2004, 01:15

Originally posted by Casey Ryback I like 60 Miles An Hour. Album track it is, single it ain't. Someone Like You should have been Crystal's follow up. Could never understand why Gabriel & Dresden got slagged for coming on here when they did a couple of decent remixes to the song.

The 911 mix they did was far better than the New Order version, added the right bits to the song and took away the bits that shouldn't have been there in the first place.

23 Aug 2004, 15:11

I just watched the video for 60 MPH...its one of the worst music videos I have ever seen.....

23 Aug 2004, 15:30

I've always been confused at the lukewarm reception the entire album received. I don't think they could have made a more brilliant record.

23 Aug 2004, 17:06

Nothing wrong with 60 miles an hour, listen to it now and again.

23 Aug 2004, 17:06

Nothing wrong with 60 miles an hour, listen to it now and again. At least it's a bit catchy "I'll be there for you when...". To change the subject completely, i'm looking for a live version of Regret, any1 got a link to it?

15 Sep 2004, 18:25

I like "60 Miles an Hour" just fine. At least it's danceable.

60mph is just dull, but Fine Time, at least the radio edit, is pure crap.

WORD. Terrible, terrible song. Wish it was dead. But at least it's danceable.

📊60 Miles An Hour - Worst New Order single ever?

60 Miles An Hour - Worst New Order single ever?