Temptation (New Order song)
Encyclopedia
"Temptation" is a stand-alone single released by British band New Order
on Factory Records
. The single reached #29 on the UK Singles Chart on its release in 1982.
The 12" versions of both "Temptation" and its B-side, "Hurt", appear on New Order's mopping up EP 1981–1982, released a few months after the single itself.
Neither version mentioned the band's name or the song titles on release; instead the catalogue number FAC 63 was embossed into the front of the sleeve.
The vocal track on the original 12" version features an audible scream during the song's intro. Vocalist Bernard Sumner
has since explained that the scream was from him due to fellow bandmates thrusting a snowball down his shirt during recording.
; in the film the lyrics are sung by Diane while she's taking a bath, heard very faintly in the background during breakfast not much later and again during the scene where Renton is locked in his room.
Later, after five years of inactivity, another new version of "Temptation" was recorded by the band in 1998. This recording is similar to the earlier 1987 version, but omits the long intro. Running at 4:08, this version is known as "Temptation '98" and eventually saw official release on the Retro boxset.
"Temptation" is also the song New Order have played live more than any other. The song often goes on for over ten minutes when performed live, due to the fusion of the two different 7" and 12" versions.
A different mix of "Temptation" appeared on the soundtrack for the 1986 film Something Wild. This version clocks in at 3:30.
in 1984, Bernard Sumner told the audience, "This next song's called 'Temptation'. It's a story about long lost love."
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
on Factory Records
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
. The single reached #29 on the UK Singles Chart on its release in 1982.
Original release
The 7" version is a more structured version with a commercial synthpop feel; the 12" is more chaotic with the emphasis on electronic rhythms rather than melody. The 7" version plays at 33.3rpm to accommodate its length of around five and a half minutes. Both versions bear the same catalogue number "FAC 63" despite these differences.The 12" versions of both "Temptation" and its B-side, "Hurt", appear on New Order's mopping up EP 1981–1982, released a few months after the single itself.
Neither version mentioned the band's name or the song titles on release; instead the catalogue number FAC 63 was embossed into the front of the sleeve.
The vocal track on the original 12" version features an audible scream during the song's intro. Vocalist Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner , also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer....
has since explained that the scream was from him due to fellow bandmates thrusting a snowball down his shirt during recording.
Other versions
The song was completely re-recorded and released on 1987 singles compilation Substance, sometimes known as "Temptation '87". This version is now one of New Order's best-known recordings, partly due to its appearance on the best-selling Trainspotting soundtrackTrainspotting (soundtrack)
-Trainspotting #2: Music from the Motion Picture, Vol. #2:-Complete soundtrack list:The following is a complete list of songs that appear in Trainspotting in order of appearance:#"Lust for Life" - Iggy Pop#"Carmen Suite No.2" - Georges Bizet...
; in the film the lyrics are sung by Diane while she's taking a bath, heard very faintly in the background during breakfast not much later and again during the scene where Renton is locked in his room.
Later, after five years of inactivity, another new version of "Temptation" was recorded by the band in 1998. This recording is similar to the earlier 1987 version, but omits the long intro. Running at 4:08, this version is known as "Temptation '98" and eventually saw official release on the Retro boxset.
"Temptation" is also the song New Order have played live more than any other. The song often goes on for over ten minutes when performed live, due to the fusion of the two different 7" and 12" versions.
A different mix of "Temptation" appeared on the soundtrack for the 1986 film Something Wild. This version clocks in at 3:30.
Cover versions
- Andy Hawk & The Train Wreck Endings (Another Storyline, 2011 - www.andyhawk.com)
- The Affordable Floors (All the Things I Meant to Be, 1992)
- MobyMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
(HotelHotel (album)Hotel is the seventh studio album by American electronica musician Moby, first released internationally on March 14, 2005 and then on March 22, 2005 in the United States. Hotel was recorded under the Pacha label and mixed at Moby's apartment, Electric Lady Studios, and Loho Studios in Manhattan,...
, 2005) - The WeakerthansThe WeakerthansThe Weakerthans are a four-piece Canadian indie rock band.-History:The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by John K. Samson, after he left the punk band Propagandhi to start a publishing company. Samson joined forces with bassist John P...
incorporated some "Temptation" lyrics in their song "Wellington's Wednesdays" on their debut album FallowFallow (album)Fallow is the debut album by The Weakerthans.It was released in 1997 on G7 Welcoming Committee Records in Canada, and in 1999 on Sub City Records in the United States....
. - BisBis (band)Bis are a Scottish indie pop band composed of Steven Clark , John Clark , and Amanda MacKinnon . Formed in 1994, the band broke up in 2003, but reformed briefly in 2007 for a series of concerts.-History:...
covered "Hurt" on their FACT2002Fact 2002Fact 2002 was a 12 inch record released by the pop group Bis, paying tribute to Factory Records. The EP was given a low-key release....
EP - During live sets, The Chemical BrothersThe Chemical BrothersThe Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...
have mixed riffs from "Temptation" into the beginning of their song Star GuitarStar Guitar"Star Guitar" is the second single from The Chemical Brothers 2002 album Come with Us. The song reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart and number two on the American dance chart.-Structure:...
. A live recording from a performance at the Brixton Academy was officially released on AmericanEPAmericanEPAmericanEP is an EP by English big beat duo The Chemical Brothers, released in 2002 following the release of their successful fourth studio album Come with Us.- Track listing :# "Star Guitar " – 7:06...
. - During live sets, Hot ChipHot ChipHot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...
sing the chorus to "Temptation" for the last two minutes of their song "No Fit State". - Jeremy WarmsleyJeremy WarmsleyJeremy Warmsley is a West London based singer-songwriter signed to Transgressive Records.-Biography:His musical style displays an electronica influenced approach to melodic pop songwriting, first heard on debut single 'I Believe In The Way You Move' , and further developed on his 'The Art Of...
recorded a cover of "Temptation" which appears on the B-side of the 7" single for "The Boat Song". - The postmodern cabaret duo Kiki & Herb performed the song in their Carnegie HallCarnegie HallCarnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
concert, released on CD as Kiki & Herb Will Die For You. - Jukebox the GhostJukebox The Ghost-Everything Under the Sun:Jukebox the Ghost's second album was released on September 7, 2010. 'Empire' the first single, was released on June 1, 2010.-External links:* * * * *...
recorded a cover which appears as a bonus track on the vinyl re-release of their 2008 Let Live & Let GhostsJukebox The Ghost-Everything Under the Sun:Jukebox the Ghost's second album was released on September 7, 2010. 'Empire' the first single, was released on June 1, 2010.-External links:* * * * *...
. - Handsome FursHandsome FursHandsome Furs is a Montreal-based indie rock duo which consists of Dan Boeckner, of Wolf Parade and Atlas Strategic, and his wife, writer Alexei Perry.-Music:...
used the lyrics from the first verse in their song "All We Want, Baby, Is Everything" from 2009's "Face ControlFace Control-Additional personnel:* Jouko Lehtola - Artwork* Harris Newman - Mastering, Remastering* Dusty Summers - Art Direction* Arlen Thompson - Audio Engineer, Engineer, Mixing-Charts:-Videos:* - Radio K in-studio performance.* - Radio K in-studio performance....
" - Pop NoirPop NoirPop Noir is a Los Angeles-based indie dancerock trio formed by British-born twin brothers Joe and Luke McGarry in 2004, while they were 16-year-old students at the Orange County High School of the Arts...
often incorporate a cover version of "Temptation" in their live sets. They performed it on the 10th Anniversary of late New OrderNew OrderNew Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
manager Rob GrettonRob GrettonRob Gretton was the manager of Joy Division and New Order. He was also a partner in Factory Records, proprietor of the Rob's Records label and a co-founder along with Tony Wilson of The Haçienda nightclub in Manchester, England. In 1977, Gretton became a leading figure in the Manchester punk...
's death, May 15, 2009, while opening for Doves at the House of Blues, Anaheim.
Remixes
- An updated remix of "Temptation" by CJ Bolland appears on some versions of the 1995 remix compilation The Rest of New OrderThe Rest of New OrderNew Order or The Rest of New Order is a remix album by New Order released in August 1995 again by Qwest/London Records.-Overview:...
. - Another remix by Secret Machines was released as the b-side of the "Waiting For The Sirens' Call" single in September 2005.
Meaning
Introducing the song at a performance at the Zurich VolkshausVolkshaus
The Volkshaus is a building in Zürich, Switzerland.New Order performed at the venue during a European tour on April 2, 1984. The concert was entirely broadcast on DMS3-FM radio....
in 1984, Bernard Sumner told the audience, "This next song's called 'Temptation'. It's a story about long lost love."
Availability
Both the 7" and 12" versions of "Temptation" can now be found on the 2008 Collector's Edition of New Order's 1981 album Movement.Chart positions
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
29 |
| UK Independent Singles Chart UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 68 |