Elegia (song)

Last updated
"Elegia"
New Order - Elegia.webp
2012 reissue cover
Instrumental by New Order
from the album Low-Life
Released13 May 1985
Recorded1984
Studio Jam and Britannia Row Studios, London
Genre
Length4:56 (album version)
17:29 (full length version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) New Order
Official audio
"Elegia" (2015 Remaster) on YouTube

"Elegia" is an instrumental composed and performed by the English rock band New Order. It was released as the fifth track on their third studio album, Low-Life (1985). The track was written and produced by Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner.

Contents

"Elegia" was written as a tribute to Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. [2] The band had originally dissolved as a result of Curtis' suicide, after which the surviving members would later form New Order. [3] The song's name is Greek for elegy, a reflective poem made in honour of the dead. [4]

The song has appeared in several pieces of media, including Pretty in Pink , Stranger Things , and The Crown.

Background and recording

"Elegia" was originally written for a film commissioned by i-D magazine. The song was inspired by Ennio Morricone's For A Few Dollars More score. The film was never made, causing "Elegia" to be cut down for inclusion on Low-Life . [5]

"Elegia" was recorded at CTS Studios in Wembley during a single 24-hour session, where it went under the working title "Ben and Justin". [6] The song uses the E-mu Emulator II for several of its sounds, including its synth choir and strings. [7]

Full length version

The original recording of "Elegia" had a duration of 17:29, which was edited down to 4:56 for the album version on Low-Life . [5] [2] The full version was first featured on the 2002 5-CD box set Retro , which had become rare over time. [3] It was also included on the 2008 Collector's Edition reissue of Low-Life. [2] As a result, the song was reissued as a twelve-inch EP in 2012 through the record label Slow To Speak. This EP had two additional tracks: "5 8 6", as it was featured on the Peel Sessions compilation album, as well as the song "The Him", originally from New Order's debut studio album, Movement (1981); the latter track is also dedicated to Curtis. [3] The full version of "Elegia" was once again featured on the Definitive Edition reissue of Low-Life in 2022. [8]

Track listing

Track listing adapted from the 2012 reissue. [3]

No.TitleLength
1."Elegia" (Full Length Version)17:29
2."5-8-6" (Peel Session)6:08
3."The Him"5:30
Total length:29:05

Appearances in media

Since the release of Low-Life in 1985, "Elegia" has been used in the following media productions:

References

  1. 1 2 "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985-2014)". Spin . 11 May 2015. p. 4. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "New Order's Full 18-Minute Ian Curtis Tribute "Elegia" Gets Vinyl Release | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Fact (2012-04-12). "New Order releasing 18-minute "Elegia" on vinyl". Fact Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  4. ↑ Taysom, Joe (2020-12-28). "The song New Order wrote in tribute to Ian Curtis - Far Out Magazine". faroutmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  5. 1 2 "Low-life: Why New Order's Third Album Remains A Career High". Dig!. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  6. ↑ Hook, Peter (2016). Substance : inside New Order. London. ISBN   978-1-4711-3240-7. OCLC   960088964.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ↑ "New Order's "Elegia" Synth Sounds | Reverb Machine". reverbmachine.com. 2022-05-09. Archived from the original on 2022-07-08. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  8. ↑ "New Order / Low-Life box set – SuperDeluxeEdition". 2022-11-10. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  9. ↑ Delgado, Lisa (20 September 2001). "Indie filmmaker's push for 'More'". Wired . Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "Neon Nostalgia: The Pretty In Pink Soundtrack 30 Years Later". Stereogum. 2016-02-12. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  11. ↑ Kielty, Martin (20 August 2022). "'Stranger Things' Creators Surprised by Kate Bush Song Explosion". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  12. ↑ KONAMI公式 (2015-06-15). 【公式】METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN | E3 2015 Trailer [Long] (JP) . Retrieved 2024-11-12– via YouTube.
  13. ↑ KONAMI公式 (2015-06-15). METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN | E3 2015 Trailer [Long] (EU) . Retrieved 2024-11-12– via YouTube.
  14. ↑ KONAMI公式 (2015-06-15). METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN | E3 2015 Trailer [Long] (US) . Retrieved 2024-11-12– via YouTube.
  15. ↑ Melrose, Kevin (2019-01-17). "Deadly Class Pilot's Soundtrack Is the Start of a Killer '80s Playlist". CBR. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
  16. ↑ "'The Crown' Season 4 Soundtrack Album Details | Film Music Reporter". Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
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