Over at the joydiv.com message board, they're trying to finding out what Ian's lyrics to Ceremony - the JD rehearsal & Birmingham versions - really are. Clearly they are very different to those recorded by NO for the single, however, the vocal melody & lyrics on the early NO versions, on the Western Works demo & the 2 live tapes, are also different to the version they recorded for the single. I believe that these versions are sung by Steve and they are much more like Ian's phrasing than the version Barney sang for the single. Clearly the band changed the lyrics and a bit of the melody just before recording it.
What's been suggested so far:
pressure's high and failed(?) unnerving when they tell the same old story but it's why the wheels are turning turn away and turn again this time thought i heard the saviour calling time again and we will be there notice that the tide walks higher think again and change its flow this time
i'll break them all, no mercy shown heaven knows i've got to get somewhere watching her, a sinking ship - that empty and quiet sailed away this time.
i'll break them all, no mercy shown heaven knows i've got to be somewhere avenues all lined with trees picture me in tenuous times
watching forever... forever... watching forever...
I've also always thought it strange that IALP was not part of the Western Works demo but perhaps it implies that a good recorded JD version of the song did exist so NO felt that there wasn't much point in demoing it again. This fits the fact the lyrics to IALP don't change much from Ian's version to the NO version.
