Highlights from My Vinyl Collection, Part 11

This is the eleventh installment of "Highlights from My Vinyl Collection," an appreciation of great music, not necessarily rare finds or expensive imports. This is not about "deleted Smiths singles and original, not rereleased - underlined - Frank Zappa albums," as Rob Gordon so eloquently put it, though a small few select gems might appear every now and again.



New Order - Temptation (12" Single)

I'll be honest. I have no idea whether this record belongs to me or my brother. Growing up with many of the same tastes in music meant that we liked each other's records and would tend to buy similar albums and singles. There are some records that I definitely know are mine. I remember where I bought them and the sights, sounds, and smells of that particular day in the record store. But, other memories elude me. As such, this one might point to it belonging to my brother. As of right now, there are nine New Order records in my possession; this is one my favorites. "Temptation" is among a large group of great New Order songs. A shared trait of many popular songs is at least one memorable hook. "Temptation" has at least four, arguably five. From the opening childlike chant of "Oh you've got green eyes / Oh you've got blue eyes / Oh you've got grey eyes," to the chorus of "Up, down, turn around / Please don't let me hit the ground / Tonight, I think I'll walk alone / I'll find my soul as I go home," "Temptation" reels in listeners with hook after hook. With typically ambiguous lyrics, Bernard Sumner leads the group in their early phoenix-like years of the early 80s, displaying a stylistic change from fairly moody and ethereal first three post-Joy Division singles into a more upbeat, dance direction, one that would last up until their eventual demise some 20+ years later. Gone were the fairly funereal synths, replaced by a poppier version of said instrument. Gone was Sumner's mumbly drone, substituted with a voice-cracking, more emotionally open romantic. The song even transcends interpretation, with some believing it to be about drugs, and others thinking it more of a surface level look at first love. Though Sumner has said it is about "long lost love," it doesn't seem to matter. Plus, that itself is interpretable. The b-side, "Hurt," is equally fascinating, with Sumner's voice sounding the most off-key it's ever been, and most likely on purpose. There are punk elements as well as dance elements, while holding onto some of that earlier moody atmosphere. Less than a year later, New Order would release "Blue Monday," one of their biggest worldwide hits, and a dance anthem that would play in clubs ad infinitum. There are shades of "Blue Monday" in "Hurt," almost as if it were rehearsal for their big dance debut. I love this record; not only the music, but the Peter Saville minimalist design record cover, complete with embossed title, and the fact that each track lasts over eight minutes. There used to be a day when extended versions and remixes were more in both quality and quantity. New Order's singles were certainly indicative of that, "Temptation" a stellar example of such.