as a follow-up to the happiest NO song thread, i thought i'd start up its opposite.
for me, it's between between Blue Monday and In A Lonely Place. i think Blue Monday actually takes the cake.
how about for you?
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New Order song that makes you feel the saddest?
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World In Motion 
(how could THAT be their first #1 single?!)
Just for the sake of interest, how much of it was Barney and how much was Keith Allen? I've always pondered that one myself....
Instant reaction was In a Lonely Place - esp after Barney's rendition at the end of the triumphant 98 comeback gig.
Originally posted by Substantial Republic of LowLifes Special, a heartbreakingly and underrated classic.
Since In A Lonely Place was a Joy Division song (ok here comes the controversy again :) I cannot legitimately vote for it.
I'm with you on Special...haunting and beautiful...when people say they can't play past the first 4 songs on Republic they are missing one of the best.
I never listen to Movement anymore, so I can't judge it appropriately and like another poster mentioned, I tend to consider In a Lonely Place a Joy Division song, covered by New Order (odd since I don't feel the same way about Ceremony although the circumstances are identical). Anyway for me the songs that fit the title are probably:
Procession-One of my all time favorite NO songs, particularly from that early period.
Leave Me Alone-Heatbreakingly beautiful.
Thieves Like us ("It's called love/and somehow it's become unmentionable") Beautiful and heartbreaking.
Lonesome Tonight-I've always loved this song, and the last verse is just incredible.
All Day Long Just excruciatingly painful lyrics, and I don't mean awful ("when you can't look after what you can't own...")
loveless A masterpiece, but its stunning as well.
Special A reviewer in an obscure magazine back in '93 referred to this song as a mastepiece that sounded like a rock and roll version of Beethoven, fronted by Baudelaire on vocals and with the lyrics. I don't know about that, but every time I listen to it, I can't believe that this song was produced during the same sessions that produced such horrifying dreck as Liar, Chemical, World and Spooky.
Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb EYES-UH !!! In A Lonely Place by a mile
of course 
and for me Lonesome Tonight:
"How many times before, did you leave my soul alone ?..." followed by the dawnfall to the end
Originally posted by Snucker leave me alone, procession...and most of movement. boy, movement is a downer.:(
Movement, oh yes:
Listen to Truth:
"Oh, it's a strange day, in such a lonely way..."
and the melodica that push the atmosphere darker......horrible.
And Doubt Even Here remind me In a Lonely Place.
Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb EYES-UH !!! In A Lonely Place by a mile
definitely. that song is almost terrifying; it's so desperate and devoid of hope.
Lonesome Tonight. There's a difference between feeling sad and feeling seriously down (In a Lonely Place, Movement).
i've always found "Run" to be very sad and emotional, especially at the break, Barney accepting a less than perfect reality... Vanishing point repeats the same sad mood but not as strong/immediate....
...not just moody or depressing, like In a Lonely place, which is just obviously dark, i can't believe that the lyrics really invoke much emotion. i think Barney was guessing at the lyrics to that song, bercause they could not understand Ian.
as far as "Special", i thought that i read that "Regret" and "Special" were the first two songs done during the last days of Factory, and then the rest were done later after Factory closed shop and the NO members were not working/writing together anymore. so some have noticed that Regret and Special sound different. based on things that i have read... just to think about.
In A Lonely Place. "How I wish you were hear with me now"
For those of you with the Heart and Soul box set, you know about the Joy Division demo- That version I can hardly listen to. Ian sounds so miserable.
Leave Me Alone as well as the rest of the PCL period, in a sort of a nostalgic way, especcially recently.
The fact that Blue Monday is 20 years old makes me feel a bit depressed, if that counts.
I think I better put on Here To Stay to help me over it...
Originally posted by KW1 In A Lonely Place. "How I wish you were hear with me now"For those of you with the Heart and Soul box set, you know about the Joy Division demo- That version I can hardly listen to. Ian sounds so miserable.
ohmygod. that cut is the most miserable thing i've ever heard.
Originally posted by Ben Aspinall Leave Me Alone, for sure. Although it does uplift me afterwards...
Definitely, and it's also their best song.
So that's cries and whispers and not mesh? "Ships sails out to see/away from me/I just stand and stare/blahblahblah/I wasn't even there" Can't remember the lyrics anymore, great, great stuff and yes, very sad too.
Doubts even here, esp. when at the end the woman-singer and Pete Hook(?) speak all those words about Ian Curtis. The Bass in this song is so tastefully and melodic. " (I missed his promised time again For my friend) Don't throw our joy away Why must you just you leave now? (Has God forgotten to approach us? Has He rememberd to not despise us?) Memories are all that's left I need you near to me now" Dirk
Originally posted by Dirk Pehrke Doubts even here, esp. when at the end the woman-singer and Pete Hook(?) speak all those words about Ian Curtis. The Bass in this song is so tastefully and melodic." (I missed his promised time againFor my friend)Don't throw our joy awayWhy must you just you leave now?(Has God forgotten to approach us?Has He rememberd to not despise us?)Memories are all that's leftI need you near to me now"Dirk
Yup, that is Mr. Hook, and that female "singer" is none other than Gillian Gilbert-Morris 
"Special" is sad, but poignant. "Avalanche" is another sad one hearing Gillian sing so sadly like it's all over (unbeknownst to us 5 years later).
Originally posted by Substantial Republic of LowLifes > Originally posted by Dirk Pehrke> Doubts even here, esp. when at the end the woman-singer and Pete Hook(?) speak all those words about Ian Curtis. The Bass in this song is so tastefully and melodic.> " (I missed his promised time again> For my friend)> Don't throw our joy away> Why must you just you leave now?> (Has God forgotten to approach us?> Has He rememberd to not despise us?)> Memories are all that's left> I need you near to me now"> Dirk
Yup, that is Mr. Hook, and that female "singer" is none other than Gillian Gilbert-Morris
and indeed it is sad esp. "Don't throw our joy away". Sounds very desperate when it comes through the loudspeakers.
Originally posted by eduardo maura And New Dawn Fades from Joy Division
oh, god. the saddest Joy Division song. that thread would be 8 million posts strong. haha.
New Dawn Fades is definitely sad. i think Decades is sadder, though (to mention only one.)
Rock The Shock... it makes me want to kill myself
Seriously though, basically almost all of 1981EP
Originally posted by PAUL TROWELL loveless is kind of sad...
yes, Love Less is a mopey little song. but somehow, for me, the music keeps it un-sad. it's like a content resignation to sadness.
does that make sense?
The great thing about New Order is they won't lift you out of depression, but they won't bog down happiness either.
I put "Love Less" on a CD of songs that is classified as "happy songs" but only because it expresses such near-elation at unrequited love. "I spent a lifetime working on you/And you won't even talk to me".
"Your Silent Face" is a good one to feel alone and depressed to. The "You've caught me at a bad time" bit.
"Bizarre Love Triangle"'s first verse makes me sad "Every time I think you/I get shot right through with a bolt of blue..." Tragic stuff.
The instrumental track of "Thieves Like Us" makes me nostalgic for the house I lived in before 1993. I don't know why, except for the fact that it reminds me of how simple life is when you're 8 and not 18. :(
Another vote for Doubts Even Here : a mega-rare spoken word vocal from Gillian, but the lyrics...hand me the rzor blade.
As far as JD goes, Decades does for me every time
Maybe the bass drum sound that's like someone knocking on a door and barney says, "Come in..." at the begining of the instrumental. I can understand that, Thieves like us is powerfully nostalgic to me, it really pushes forward a kind of encapsulation of emotions and thoughts, and dreams, broad and saddening. Both the instrumental, and the vocal version.
It's really Gillian Gilbert speaking in Doubts even here? Wow, I never was sure of that. Even heard that it's not Hooky but Steven or Barney pitched. Why the hell didn't New Order use her voice more often this way. Her voice is very impressing. When I saw the long version of the New Order Story, I thought the woman reading the comments from Paul Morley would be the one, who spoke on Doubts even here. Glad to see that others love this song too. Before most people were bashing it as a kind of Atmosphere/Decades copy.
One other song that comes to my mind is "As it is when it was" in live versions. It's pretty clear, if you listen to live-recordings of the mid-80ies, that this isn't a love song as it seems to be on Brotherhood. Instead it's about the dissapointment about Ian leaving. O.k. O.k. I'm outing myself as part of the conspiracy stating that every little bit New Order is doing is just a secret comment about Ian Curtis, but I swear this time it's true. Wish I could understand all of the lyrics, when Barney gets somehow angry and desperat towards the end of the song. There's even one line going the last time I saw you hanging in the kitchen... Dirk
Originally posted by Marco Pleil "Sub-culture" Low-Life album version, 'cos of Barney's out-of-tune vocal...
haha.
what about the Demo version of Atmosphere (Chance)? now that's some bad singing. :)
not that i don't love it to death. :)
Originally posted by Stephen Smith Maybe the bass drum sound that's like someone knocking on a door and barney says, "Come in..." at the begining of the instrumental. I can understand that, Thieves like us is powerfully nostalgic to me, it really pushes forward a kind of encapsulation of emotions and thoughts, and dreams, broad and saddening. Both the instrumental, and the vocal version.
it's powerful for me, too. it has a very nostalgic kind of sound. i think both versions are somehow flawed, though. i'd love to remix them, due to the incredible strength of some of the songs' elements.
but it still makes me think of Molly Ringwald making that hideous dress.
Sooner Than You Think
That is my saddest NO song. I am suprised that no one mentioned it yet.
Originally posted by Chris Guevara Sooner Than You ThinkThat is my saddest NO song. I am suprised that no one mentioned it yet.
Share your feelings Chris. Let it all out.
Originally posted by Jim Reilly ELEGIA Nuff said.
god, that song is such a tearjerker. it's like a sonic heartbreak or something.
Originally posted by film586 > Originally posted by Jim Reilly> ELEGIA Nuff said.
god, that song is such a tearjerker. it's like a sonic heartbreak or something.
A real brooding and drifting melodic sound
Mind you the full length version sends me to sleep 
Originally posted by Jim Reilly > Originally posted by film586> > > > Originally posted by Jim Reilly> > ELEGIA Nuff said.>
god, that song is such a tearjerker. it's like a sonic heartbreak or something.
A real brooding and drifting melodic sound
Mind you the full length version sends me to sleep
A bit like YOUR posts eh?
Originally posted by Rocket Mick > Originally posted by Jim Reilly> > > > Originally posted by film586> > > > > > > Originally posted by Jim Reilly> > > ELEGIA Nuff said.> > >
god, that song is such a tearjerker. it's like a sonic heartbreak or something.
A real brooding and drifting melodic sound
Mind you the full length version sends me to sleep
A bit like YOUR posts eh?
careful Rocket...... I'll find you .....
Another vote for All Day Long. Everytime I listen to Brotherhood, I always stop and reflect on the lyrics to that one.
Originally posted by Chris Guevara Sooner Than You ThinkThat is my saddest NO song. I am suprised that no one mentioned it yet.
Interesting. I feel Sooner Than You Think is the lightest song on Low Life. I've always thought the title was a jokey answer to the Smiths' How Soon is Now?.
Touched By The Hand Of God doesn't necessarily make me sad, but it makes me feel so much that it can easily make me sad, you know? it's like True Faith in that sense (interesting that they both came out around the same time).
For me, It's True faith. the song touches uncomfortably close to home for me, and everything about it seems strange to me for some reason. I remember when the song was released being horrified watching people having great fun dancing to it while I was in the corner being emotionally slapped around by it. The disturbing video probably doesn't help. "the morning sun is a drug that brings me near, to the childhood I lost, replaced by fear" WOW.
Oh, even though this is not a Joy division poll, I wanted to mention that two J.D. tracks are especially sadenning to me. First is heart and soul. My god, what a lyrical and musical masterpiece. Second is Decades, especially the live version from Still. Anybody with emotional and/or mental issues should not be allowed to hear these songs, and anybody without said issues will probably have them after listening to them.
Originally posted by Dirk Pehrke One other song that comes to my mind is "As it is when it was" in live versions. It's pretty clear, if you listen to live-recordings of the mid-80ies, that this isn't a love song as it seems to be on Brotherhood. Instead it's about the dissapointment about Ian leaving. O.k. O.k. I'm outing myself as part of the conspiracy stating that every little bit New Order is doing is just a secret comment about Ian Curtis, but I swear this time it's true. Wish I could understand all of the lyrics, when Barney gets somehow angry and desperat towards the end of the song. There's even one line going the last time I saw you hanging in the kitchen...Dirk
Can't say I've heard that line !!
Originally posted by Andy > Originally posted by Chris Guevara> Sooner Than You Think> > That is my saddest NO song. I am suprised that no one mentioned it yet.
Interesting. I feel Sooner Than You Think is the lightest song on Low Life. I've always thought the title was a jokey answer to the Smiths' How Soon is Now?.
Indeed it was - glad you spotted that Andy, it seems to have escaped most people !!
Originally posted by Ben Aspinall Leave Me Alone, for sure. Although it does uplift me afterwards...
I'll go along with that
Originally posted by Ghost is luminous Oh, even though this is not a Joy division poll, I wanted to mention that two J.D. tracks are especially sadenning to me. First is heart and soul. My god, what a lyrical and musical masterpiece. Second is Decades, especially the live version from Still. Anybody with emotional and/or mental issues should not be allowed to hear these songs, and anybody without said issues will probably have them after listening to them.
those songs are definitely heart-breaking - particularly Decades. but Twenty Four Hours is the real heart-wrenching one for me. jesus, it's depressing.
Originally posted by Ghost is luminous For me, It's True faith. the song touches uncomfortably close to home for me, and everything about it seems strange to me for some reason. I remember when the song was released being horrified watching people having great fun dancing to it while I was in the corner being emotionally slapped around by it. The disturbing video probably doesn't help. "the morning sun is a drug that brings me near, to the childhood I lost, replaced by fear" WOW.
same here. that song is so powerful and intense...it just makes me feel so much that i can't say it makes me necessarily happy or sad...it just makes me FEEL, you know? but it makes me feel vulnerable, and thus at least somewhat melancholy. it's a great song. it's definitely one i sit and listen to, rather than dance.
Originally posted by Roonaldo > Originally posted by Ben Aspinall> Leave Me Alone, for sure. Although it does uplift me afterwards...
I'll go along with that
Leave Me Alone is such a heart-breaking song. such a great album closer! i love it!
