BLT - The best number one that never was

How did this song never get in to the top 40? Was it too modern for 1987? Everytime I listen to this song (on substance 12" played on a decent turntbale and via late 1980's high end premap) it sounds better and better. All the tiny details of synthesis mixed with that killer Morris drum beat, and hooky's brilliant bass lines.

What was number one instead? The pet shop boys always on your mind. (although the PSBs influence on true faith was good).

Does anybody know who does the female vocals on BLT? Is it Barney going through some sort of synthesiser?

BLT reached number 4 here in Australia

The track is pretty much a lost classic here... think it made number 56 or something in the charts! :\ohwell: It's easily one of their more commercially appealing tracks so I often wonder why it never really made it

it's one of their best songs and it makes it to number 56 in their own country.

I doubt BLT was ahead of it's time in 1987, given that it was released the year earlier. Fab song though, but the fairweather NO fans prefer above-average fare like 'Blue Monday' & 'True Faith', I suppose...

This song did not work because it was too slow for a dance track (acording to european taste, american dance is usualy slower), I have always listen the 12" single adding some BPM and this way it sounds much better but never achieve the energy of a blue monday. May be the song came at a bad time after low quality singles like subculture or state of the nation and their LP brotherhood who was one of their worst and people were boring about NO. Eventualy came true faith to remember NO is a great band....

What do you expect,they didn`t put their name or song title on the bloody sleeve. People probably thought "Who the hell are Fac173?"

It was released as a single in the UK in November of 86.I always thought if they had relesed it ahead of Brotherhood in September (instead they released State Of The Nation) it would automatically have charted.Couldn`t really have bettered the 7" version .Probably Berlin with Take My Breath Away was the No 1 at the time and hogging all the airwaves.

Originally posted by SPtwo What do you expect,they didn`t put their name or song title on the bloody sleeve. People probably thought "Who the hell are Fac173?"

Originally posted by Voice Of Treason . It was released as a single in the UK in November of 86.I always thought if they had relesed it ahead of Brotherhood in September (instead they released State Of The Nation) it would automatically have charted.Couldn`t really have bettered the 7" version .Probably Berlin with Take My Breath Away was the No 1 at the time and hogging all the airwaves.

My, and what a terrible band they were.

No band or title name on the single? That sounds very factory now. I can imagine it now at the Factory board room (probably the kitchen of the flat at 86 palatine road):

Savile: I have the sleeve now, it is very plain. Gretton: It dosn't say the f**king artist how is anybody supposed to know what the f**king ell it f**king is? Wilson: We won't sell any so it dosn't f**king matter anyway Barney: Haven't we been 'ere before with Blue Monday Erasmus: Do you fancy yourself as a director now Bernard? Barney: F**k off Gretton: Now now calm down children Wislon: Its a piece of art, its a f**king great piece of art . I like it.

What ever the reason for its failure its a damn shame.

All 12" in France were sold with a sticker "nouveau new order" except ceremony of course, wasn't it the same anywhere?

It is in FACT FAC163 and 15 NOV 1986 for 2 weeks only in charts ...highest position 56. Excellent cover ARTWORK and contrasts well with STATE OF THE NATION cover. Blast from the past....ROCKET MICK And good evening everyone..........

But surely people if they heard it on the radio would have made up their mind to buy it or not regardless of the sleeve.They would have asked at the counter of the record shop if they really wanted it and couldnt find on the shelves.So its maybe more down to not enough air play and promotion at the time.Not promoted well enough i think is the verdict.

The Brotherhood version of the single really doesn't make a good dance track compared to the mix of Substance. In the winter, I was in a club in Philadelphia where the DJ played the Brotherhood version of the song, and it seemed kind of slow for a dance track.

Sure, it's a classic, perfect sort of pop song--but it lacks the melancholic edge that I expect from New Order's best stuff (see True Faith, Low Life). Too shiny happy.

Originally posted by Ian MadManc How did this song never get in to the top 40?

Not enough people bought it , simple concept the charts , so one would have assumed .

Even if it wasn't a big hit at the time, when I ask people if they know New Order, they'll recognize the band name from either its connection to JD, then BM, then TF, then BLT. It's a great song that could have done much better on the charts.

Does anybody know who does the female vocals on BLT? Is it Barney going through some sort of synthesiser?

I've always thought it was Barney going through a synthesizer, or speaking into a vocoder, which distorts his voice.

BLT was huge in the US, kind of delayed huge. My experience is dead on with Spotnicks. BLT remains one of only three or four New Order songs that are commonly known by a majority of music fans over twenty years of age.

I have never understood why it didn't chart better, but quite clearly it had a ferocious impact in the long term, belied by it's actual original position on the charts. There isn't a club, or school dance where you'd fail to hear it throughout the late eighties/nineties, and it got everyone on the floor. I think it's much better than Blue Monday, but that's just my opinion. Blue Monday clearly had an infinitely stronger impact, but BLT remains the better song in my view.

Quite like the even shorter edit that appeared on the free Factory tape that came with a 1991 edition of Select magazine.Starts straight off with the drums with the opening bars of the album and 7" versions clipped off.

Originally posted by Voice Of Treason . Quite like the even shorter edit that appeared on the free Factory tape that came with a 1991 edition of Select magazine.Starts straight off with the drums with the opening bars of the album and 7" versions clipped off.

The Stephen Hague Mix...:)

Originally posted by SPtwo > Originally posted by Voice Of Treason .> Quite like the even shorter edit that appeared on the free Factory tape that came with a 1991 edition of Select magazine.Starts straight off with the drums with the opening bars of the album and 7" versions clipped off.

The Stephen Hague Mix...:)

Ah yes thats the one.Stepen Hague.Id forgotten it was him.May have to go and rummage around in my loft and see if i can find it.Great mix

Some woman did an acoustic version. Don't recall her name.

And by there way, if you see your mother today be sure to tell her, "FOOK THE CHARTS!!!!!!!!!!"

Bizarre Love Trinagle is indeed a title most people recognize as New Order even if they`re not a fan.Bernard took the title from a Sunday tabloid paper headline which read "GAY VICAR IN BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE".:)

Originally posted by twist Some woman did an acoustic version. Don't recall her name.And by there way, if you see your mother today be sure to tell her, "FOOK THE CHARTS!!!!!!!!!!"

Was it a band or female soloist called Frente?

Originally posted by Voice Of Treason . > Originally posted by twist> Some woman did an acoustic version. Don't recall her name.> > And by there way, if you see your mother today be sure to tell her, "FOOK THE CHARTS!!!!!!!!!!"

Was it a band or female soloist called Frente?

Frente! covered it in 1994.

Devine & Statton beat them to it though. Their cover was out in 1990.

Has anybody here heared the Dove's version recording at the Ritz in Manchester in May? I saw this live and Barney provided the vocals doing his trade mark dance it was great. You could tell the Dove's (who's mother died on the same day), Barney and the crowd were really into it.

It was kind of an accoustic version of it but with exactly the same lyric arrangement and of course the same vocals. I have no idea how I could get a coppy but I heared the Dove's recorded it for a radio session.

Originally posted by Ian MadManc Has anybody here heared the Dove's version recording at the Ritz in Manchester in May? I saw this live and Barney provided the vocals doing his trade mark dance it was great. You could tell the Dove's (who's mother died on the same day), Barney and the crowd were really into it. It was kind of an accoustic version of it but with exactly the same lyric arrangement and of course the same vocals. I have no idea how I could get a coppy but I heared the Dove's recorded it for a radio session.

If you look on the site here in the audio files you can listen to the RADIO SESSION version.

I think Bizarre Love Triangle would've been a hit if they'd've hung on until Stephen Hague did his work on it. The 'Stephen Hague Mix' from the Select tape is the same as the version that appeared on the 'Married To The Mob' soundtrack, which later had the "Doo doo's" removed from after the 1st chorus, got tweaked a little, and appeared on 'The Best Of'. Either of those two mixes would've made a great pop single for radio play, especially when backed with the 12 inch Substance mix to get it noticed on the dancefloor.

I think the original seven inch version (an edited 12 inch mix, with Hooky's guitar placed back on) was a bit weak, and poorly structured and edited. The Brotherhood version is the original and best, but could've done with being mixed as well as the Hague mix.

No female vocals on there, by the way - it's a vocoder: Barney's vocal sibilance processed with some synth pads.

Andy

Love the 12" version, but my favorite is probably the version on the otherwise mostly wretched "Married to the Mob" soundtrack. It sounds absolutely perfect on that album, combining all the elements I like back, and I love the "do-do-do's" too, lots of cymbals crashing in the drums as well. HATE the brotherhood mix, the hideous mix that ruined that album (and Movement for me, for that matter) muddied the sound, and I was never able to enjoy that version.

Which version is on the Substance 12"?

Originally posted by Ian MadManc Which version is on the Substance 12"?

It was simply entitled 'Bizarre Love Triangle' on its original 12" release, and was the remix by Shep Pettibone found on Substance.

Andy

Originally posted by Al Jarvis Am I the only one who thinks the 12" of BLT is absolute bollocks compared to the original Brotherhood version?! b]

er no. Don't really like the recent live interpretations either.

Originally posted by SPtwo What do you expect,they didn`t put their name or song title on the bloody sleeve. People probably thought "Who the hell are Fac173?"

I wonder if people saw the cover of Brotherhood and thought "who the hell are Billiton Titaanzink 0.50 1986"

It was the lowest charting full release in the UK. I am pretty sure even Run2 had a higher chart position (for a week)!

And if they'd released the album version, people would have bought it. No, they always know better, don't they

Live since 1998 it's been four minutes to forget. Can't stand the live mix of this or True Faith. Especially as they have to wheel it out at every single gig. Bastards.

Originally posted by Slippy It was the lowest charting full release in the UK. I am pretty sure even Run2 had a higher chart position (for a week)!

Yes I believe a boy band called Sued knocked it off the charts with their release of Leaving om a Jet Plane.

I remember buying The Best of New Order when I decided to check NO out, and BLT was the only song I recognized (besides "Blue Monday", of course). I also saw the video on TV a few weeks ago, so it must have done okay on the charts in America.

By the way, I think BLT is the best song New Order have ever done. EVER. I've never understood why "True Faith" gets people so hot and bothered when BLT is the better song.

Originally posted by Andy > Originally posted by Voice Of Treason .> > > > Originally posted by twist> > Some woman did an acoustic version. Don't recall her name.> > > > And by there way, if you see your mother today be sure to tell her, "FOOK THE CHARTS!!!!!!!!!!">

Was it a band or female soloist called Frente?

Frente! covered it in 1994.

Devine & Statton beat them to it though. Their cover was out in 1990.

Sorry, Andy....I have the Aussie band EVEN AS WE SPEAK 7" release of 'Suburban Blue Skies' with an acoustic version of BLT on the B-side and this was released about SUBSTANCE time, can't remember exact year and there's no year printed on the label...but I know I bought it when I was spending my 2 summers in Sydney back in 87 and 88.

By the way, BLT was really huge in Oz ( no. 4 in the charts as BUFFER mentioned here earlier )...and even today, the song is recognised by many in my office....and so is 'BOYS' by SABRINA

As far as the United Kingdom goes anyway, I don't even think 'BLT' can even be classed as the greatest No.1 NewOrder never had. Usually such accolades go to songs that just miss out on the No.1 position, or go Top 10 at least, not something that stalled at around 60-something.

Probably the greatest No.1 NO never had was 'Regret', as it was such an amazing comeback single, it deserved to get higher than it did (though for NO, it did do pretty well, did it get to 8 or 9 in the UK charts?...) Ironically, wasn't Sub Sub's Robs Records-release 'Ain't No Love' topping the charts around the same time? That song was shit, & Doves ought to be totally embarrassed about it (as should Rob Gretton, but he's dead, so I'll let him off...)

well i agree that blt is great, i mean lets face it there is no better combo than bacon lettuce and tomato on a sandwich. OH u mean biz love three sided thingy,yep it was deffo ahead of its time,just check out the video it still stands up today in its concept and execution. the reason it wasnt a hit is anyones guess,if it gets played at any parties i go to everyone knows it and goes (sigh) "remember this" cue singalong time. who cares though,its still a top tune and im glad ive got it.

Originally posted by Find-My-'Bowl'-As-I-Go-Home > Originally posted by Andy> > > > Originally posted by Voice Of Treason .> > > > > > > Originally posted by twist> > > Some woman did an acoustic version. Don't recall her name.> > > > > > And by there way, if you see your mother today be sure to tell her, "FOOK THE CHARTS!!!!!!!!!!"> > >

Was it a band or female soloist called Frente?

Frente! covered it in 1994.

Devine & Statton beat them to it though. Their cover was out in 1990.

Sorry, Andy....I have the Aussie band EVEN AS WE SPEAK 7" release of 'Suburban Blue Skies' with an acoustic version of BLT on the B-side and this was released about SUBSTANCE time, can't remember exact year and there's no year printed on the label...but I know I bought it when I was spending my 2 summers in Sydney back in 87 and 88.

By the way, BLT was really huge in Oz ( no. 4 in the charts as BUFFER mentioned here earlier )...and even today, the song is recognised by many in my office....and so is 'BOYS' by SABRINA

Why are you apologizing?

Originally posted by Andy Why are you apologizing?

oh, I wasn't apologizing - I was meaning to say that Aussie band EVEN AS WE SPEAK beat DEVINE & STATTON in covering BLT earlier cuz the Oz 7" single was released in 87 or 88.:)

Originally posted by James Stephen Barnes As far as the United Kingdom goes anyway, I don't even think 'BLT' can even be classed as the greatest No.1 NewOrder never had. Usually such accolades go to songs that just miss out on the No.1 position, or go Top 10 at least, not something that stalled at around 60-something.Probably the greatest No.1 NO never had was 'Regret', as it was such an amazing comeback single, it deserved to get higher than it did (though for NO, it did do pretty well, did it get to 8 or 9 in the UK charts?...) Ironically, wasn't Sub Sub's Robs Records-release 'Ain't No Love' topping the charts around the same time? That song was shit, & Doves ought to be totally embarrassed about it (as should Rob Gretton, but he's dead, so I'll let him off...)

I agree, "Regret" should have been a number 1, better than that "World In Motion" craptacular.