Round & Round (New Order song)

Last updated
"Round & Round"
Round & Round.jpg
Single by New Order
from the album Technique
B-side "Best & Marsh"
Released27 February 1989
Recorded1988
Studio Mediterranean Studios
(Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain)
Real World Studios
(Box, Wiltshire, England)
Genre
Length4:31(LP version)
4:00 (7" version)
6:52 (12" version)
Label Factory (FAC 263)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
New Order singles chronology
"Fine Time"
(1988)		"Round & Round"
(1989)		"Run 2"
(1989)
Music video
"Round & Round" on YouTube

"Round & Round" is the seventeenth single by the English band New Order from their fifth studio album Technique (1989). The song was written by band members Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner, and the album version was produced entirely by New Order. "Round & Round" was re-recorded for a single release, with Stephen Hague as co-producer.

Contents

Musically, it is one of the band's most dance-centred songs, with few guitar or bass lines. Like the majority of New Order songs, the song's title is not mentioned in its lyrics. "Round & Round" was selected as the second single from the album by Factory Records' Tony Wilson over the wishes of the band, who wanted to issue "Vanishing Point" instead.

Background

The song is about New Order's then-souring relationship with Tony Wilson, the owner of Factory Records, which was the band's label at the time. On the documentary "New Order Story", Bernard Sumner discusses that he did not originally intend the song to be about Tony Wilson and the tension between Wilson and the group, but Sumner admits that growing tension between the two men ultimately was channelled into the song when it was being written.

Release

Music video

The music video for "Round & Round" features a series of eight successive black-and-white head-and-shoulder shots of young, female models, casually sitting in front of a camera as it records them, with the women occasionally talking (though what they say is not heard in the video). Randomly intercut into the footage of the women are various colorized short clips of flowers or marbles.

During the filming of the various models, it was decided to film additional footage of one model (Patty Sylvia) for an alternative cut of the video that features only Sylvia and the brief one-second color intercuts. Veronica Webb is featured with a dreadlock hairstyle in the video. A very young Cynthia Bailey is also featured. Fabienne Terwinghe is the fourth model. Elaine Irwin is the last model shown.

Artwork

The artwork by Peter Saville mirrors the Technique album cover, but uses a different statue with a red or blue (depending on which version is owned) background. With the single following the New Order tradition of not including the title within the lyrics, the line "The picture you see is no portrait of me" was stickered on varying sleeves.

Critical reception

Malu Halasa, reviewer of British music newspaper Record Mirror , found the track "flamboyant, eminently danceable" with sound of "traditional gem from the Joy Division / New Order period". [4] In turn Simon Williams New Musical Express chided the song for lack of novelty. He wrote: "New Order haven't seriously affected my tender young hormones since "1963". And their latest evacuee from Technology unwittingly exacerbates this unsatisfying state of affairs, as the customary swathes of synths, rhythmic ribbons and bass bandages wrap themselves around a once-skeletal framework... I'm sure that it sounds great at le discotheque after 15 gallons of hyper-toxic, liver-sizzling Latvian lager, but what doesn't?". [5]

Official versions

The band recorded three versions:

These versions and other remixes were distributed on over twenty 7", 12", and CD single formats, many with exclusive artwork. [6] "Round & Round" has also appeared in various forms on New Order compilations. In 1994, "Round & Round" was remixed once again by Stephen Hague with Mike 'Spike' Drake for the compilation (the best of) New Order . This version revised Hague's 1989 seven inch remix removing many of the echoed refrains. [7]

B-sides

The single's main B-side was an instrumental, "Best & Marsh", which was written as the theme for a Granada TV series of the same name, featuring footballers George Best and Rodney Marsh. [8] The CD single also included an instrumental remix of "Vanishing Point", produced for the BBC drama series Making Out .

Track listing and formats

All tracks are written by Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner

7": FAC 263 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Round & Round"4:02
2."Best & Marsh"3:34
12" #1: FAC 263 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Round & Round"6:52
2."Best & Marsh"4:26
12" #2: FAC 263R (UK) - Round & Remix
No.TitleLength
1."Round & Round" (Club Mix) (Remixed by Ben Grosse and Kevin Saunderson)7:07
2."Round & Round" (Detroit Mix) (Remixed by Kevin Saunderson)6:29
5" CD: FAC 263-12 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Round & Round" (7" version)4:02
2."Vanishing Point" (Instrumental Making Out Mix)5:13
3."Round & Round" (12" version)6:52
4."Best & Marsh"3:34
3" CD: FACD 263R (UK) - Round & Remix
No.TitleLength
1."Round & Round" (Club Mix) (Remixed by Ben Grosse and Kevin Saunderson)7:07
2."Round & Round" (Remixed by Ben Grosse; not to be confused with "Round & Round" (12" version) 5" CD track 3 or 12" #1 track 1)6:52
3."Round & Round" (Detroit Mix) (Remixed by Kevin Saunderson)6:29

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1989)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [9] 67
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [10] 81
Ireland (IRMA) [11] 10
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [12] 13
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [13] 21
UK Independent Singles Chart [14] 2
US Billboard Hot 100 [15] 64
US Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [15] 6
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) [15] 1
US Dance/Electronic Singles Sales (Billboard) [15] 5

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Beasley, Corey (9 November 2011). "The 15 Best New Order Songs". PopMatters . Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Mathers, Ian (11 February 2009). "From Safety to Where: The Factory Years of New Order". PopMatters . Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  3. ↑ Shade, Chris (2016). "New Order - Technique". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 609.
  4. ↑ Halasa, Malu (11 March 1989). "Review: New Order – "Round & Round"" (PDF). Record Mirror . London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 29. ISSN   0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021– via World Radio History.
  5. ↑ Williams, Simon (11 March 1989). "Review: New Order – "Round & Round" (Factory)". New Musical Express . London: IPC Limited. p. 29. ISSN   0028-6362.
  6. ↑ Entry for Round & Round in the New Order discography
  7. ↑ "New Order:Albums:? - (The Best of New Order)". Copyright 1992-2012 R. P. Kernin, Dennis Remmer, and T. Ivarsson. Retrieved 2014-05-17. That, re-recorded seven inch mix was then re-mastered with a little tweaking for 'The Best Of' in 1994. The only really noticeable difference is the wide stereo panning of the opening orchestra hits, and the lack of delays on Barney's voice in the verse ('Done to me, done to me, done to me', etc.)
  8. ↑ Football And Music: "Best and Marsh" (retrieved 6 May 2012)
  9. ↑ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry (submitted to charts.mail@aria.com.au), received 2014-01-17". imgur.com. Retrieved 2015-03-08.
  10. ↑ RPM Top Singles - May 8, 1989 RPM Magazine
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts". IRMA. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  12. ↑ "New Order – Round & Round". Top 40 Singles.
  13. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - New Order". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  14. ↑ "Indie Hits "N"". Cherry Red Records. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "New Order: Billboard singles". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-11-23.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Order (band)</span> English band

New Order are an English band whose integration of post-punk with electronic and dance music made them one of the most acclaimed and influential bands of the 1980s. The band was formed in 1980 by vocalist and guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook, and drummer Stephen Morris. The members regrouped after the disbandment of their previous band Joy Division due to the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis. They were joined by Gillian Gilbert on keyboards later that year. They were the flagship band for Manchester-based independent record label Factory Records and its nightclub The Haçienda, and they worked in long-term collaboration with graphic designer Peter Saville.

<i>Substance 1987</i> 1987 compilation album by New Order

Substance is a compilation album by English alternative dance band New Order. It was released in August 1987 by Factory Records. The album compiles all of the band's singles at that point in their 12-inch versions, along with their respective B-side tracks. The then-newly released non-album single "True Faith" is also featured, along with its B-side "1963" and new versions of "Temptation" and "Confusion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Monday (New Order song)</span> 1983 single by New Order

"Blue Monday" is the fifth single by the British rock band New Order. It was released as a 12-inch single on 7 March 1983 through Factory Records. It appears on certain cassette and CD versions of New Order's second studio album, Power, Corruption & Lies (1983). The track was written and produced by Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner.

<i>Technique</i> (album) 1989 studio album by New Order

Technique is the fifth studio album by English band New Order. Released on 30 January 1989 by Factory Records, the album was partly recorded on the island of Ibiza, and incorporates Balearic beat and acid house influences into the group's dance-rock sound. The album was influenced by the then growing acid scene, and Sumner's experiences at Shoom in London.

<i>The Best of New Order</i> 1994 greatest hits album by New Order

The Best of New Order is a greatest hits album by English band New Order. It was released in the United Kingdom on 21 November 1994 by London Records and, with a different track listing, in the United States on 14 March 1995 by Qwest Records and Warner Bros. Records. Like Republic, the band's most recent studio album at the time, the cover and liner notes stylise the group's name as one word (NewOrder) instead of the usual New Order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">True Faith (song)</span> 1987 single by New Order

"True Faith" is the fourteenth single by New Order, co-written and co-produced by the band and Stephen Hague. It was the first New Order single since their debut "Ceremony" to be issued in the UK as two separate 12" singles. The second 12" single features two remixes of "True Faith" by Shep Pettibone. Both versions of the 12" include the song "1963". "True Faith" is one of New Order's most popular songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Perfect Kiss</span> 1985 single by New Order

"The Perfect Kiss" is the ninth single by the English alternative dance and rock band New Order. It was recorded at Britannia Row Studios in London and released on 13 May 1985. It is the first New Order song to be released as a single while also included on a studio album (Low-Life). The vinyl version has Factory catalogue number FAC 123 and the video has the opposite number, FAC 321.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceremony (New Order song)</span> 1981 single

"Ceremony" is a song written by Joy Division, and first released as New Order's debut single in 1981. The track and its B-side, "In a Lonely Place", were recorded as Joy Division prior to the death of Ian Curtis. Both were re-recorded and carried over to Joy Division's re-formation as New Order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everything's Gone Green</span> 1981 single by New Order

"Everything's Gone Green" is the third single by the English rock band New Order, released in December 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temptation (New Order song)</span> 1982 single by New Order

"Temptation" is the fourth single released by English band New Order on Factory Records in 1982. Released as the last of a string of stand-alone singles early in the band's career, "Temptation" reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sub-culture (song)</span> 1985 single by New Order

"Sub-culture" is the tenth single by English rock band New Order. It was released as the second and final single from their third studio album, Low-Life (1985) on 28 October 1985 by Factory Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Touched by the Hand of God</span> 1987 single by New Order

"Touched by the Hand of God" is the fifteenth single by English band New Order, released as a single on 7 December 1987. The song was originally recorded for the soundtrack to the film Salvation! and the version released as a single was remixed by Arthur Baker. The B-side was a dub remix, titled "Touched by the Hand of Dub", and the release had the catalogue number FAC 193; its production is credited to New Order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World in Motion</span> 1990 single by New Order

"World in Motion..." is the nineteenth single by British band New Order. The song is New Order's only number-one song on the UK Singles Chart. It was produced for the England national football team's 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign, and features a guest rap by England footballer John Barnes and additional vocals by several members of the English team of 1990 and comedian Keith Allen, who co-wrote the lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shellshock (song)</span> 1986 single by New Order

"Shellshock" is the eleventh single released by British group New Order on 17 March 1986. The song originally appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Pretty in Pink one month prior to its single release. Production is credited to New Order and John Robie, and is loosely inspired by the 1983 Robie-produced R&B club hit, "One More Shot"—a studio project where Robie performed under the band name, C-Bank, and featuring vocals by Jenny Burton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run 2</span> 1989 single by New Order

"Run 2" is the nineteenth single by English rock and alternative dance band New Order. It was released by Factory Records on 28 August 1989 as the third and final single from their fifth studio album, Technique (1989). The album version was listed as simply "Run".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1963 (song)</span>

"1963" is a track by English rock group New Order. It was originally released as a B-side to "True Faith" in 1987 and appeared on the Substance compilation of the same year. It was then released as a single in January 1995, in a radio mix by Arthur Baker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal (New Order song)</span> 2001 single by New Order

"Crystal" is the twenty-fifth single by English rock band New Order. The song was released on 11 July 2001 as the first single from their seventh studio album, Get Ready (2001). "Crystal" entered the UK Singles Chart at number eight, attracting considerable attention and critical praise as the band's comeback single, their first original since 1993. The song also found success internationally, peaking at number three in Canada, number seven in Finland, and reaching the top 50 in Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden. "Crystal" appears as the first track on the album in a version different from the single release, with an extended intro and coda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World (The Price of Love)</span> 1993 single by New Order

"World (The Price of Love)" is twenty-second single by English band New Order, released in August 1993 by London Records as the third single from their sixth studio album, Republic (1993). Simply listed as "World" on the album, the subtitle "The Price of Love" was added for the single release, as it is repeated during the chorus. A 7:34 dance remix of the track by Paul Oakenfold, called the "Perfecto mix", was included on many releases of the single and was used for an alternate edit of the video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spooky (New Order song)</span> 1993 single by New Order

"Spooky" is the twenty-third single by English rock band New Order. It was released in December 1993 by CentreDate Co. Ltd/London as the fourth and final single from their sixth studio album, Republic (1993). The song would be their last single proper until 2001's "Crystal".

Bad Lieutenant was an English alternative rock supergroup formed following the second breakup of New Order. The band consisted of then-former New Order members Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham as well as Rambo & Leroy's Jake Evans.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.