The Perfect Kiss

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"The Perfect Kiss"
Perfectkiss.jpg
Single by New Order
from the album Low-Life
B-side
  • "The Kiss of Death"
  • "Perfect Pit"
Released13 May 1985
Recorded1984
Studio
Genre
Length4:48(Album version)
8:46 (Full version)
Label Factory - FAC 123
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) New Order
New Order singles chronology
"Murder"
(1984)		"The Perfect Kiss"
(1985)		"Sub-culture"
(1985)

"The Perfect Kiss" is the ninth single by the British alternative dance and rock band New Order. It was recorded at Britannia Row Studios in London and released on 13 May 1985 by Factory Records. [1] 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.

Contents

Background

The song's themes include love ("We believe in a land of love") and death ("the perfect kiss is the kiss of death"). [6] The overall meaning of the song is unclear to its writer today. In an interview with GQ magazine, New Order's singer and guitarist Bernard Sumner said "I haven't a clue what this is about." He agreed with the interviewer that his best known lyric is in the song: "Pretending not to see his gun / I said, 'Let's go out and have some fun'". The lyrics, he added, came about after the band was visiting a man's house in the United States who showed his guns under his bed before they went out for an enjoyable night. It had been quickly written, recorded and mixed without sleep before the band went on tour in Australia. [1]

The song, while never officially remixed by the band's label, exists in many lengths, all edited from the 8:46 full-length version found on the 12-inch single. These include the 4:48 Low-life album version, the 3:51 UK 7-inch version, the 4:23 US 7-inch version, the 8:02 Substance CD/DAT version, the 4:23 Total version, and a 5:26 Canadian promotional version.

The song has also been remixed by third parties like Razormaid and Hot Tracks and has been covered by bands including Capsule Giants, Nude, [7] International, [8] Paradoxx, Razed in a New Division of Agony, and Amoeba Crunch. [9]

Reception

John Leland of Spin wrote, "A dreamy, melancholy melody runs over the electronic and unfortunately guitar-less hooks. But the best part is the end, when they turn all the machines to max and mash the thing up." [10]

Video

An 11-minute live version of the song, used as its official video, was filmed by Jonathan Demme in 1985, which Billboard in 2017 termed New Order's "most arresting visual ever." [11] There also exists a 5:18 edit of the video found on the limited edition DVD included with some copies of the US release of International , as well as an alternate recording from the same session, the audio of which was released on the limited edition bonus CD included with some copies of the Retro box set.

Track listing

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

12": FAC 123 (UK) / Qwest 9 20330-0 (US) / FACX 23 (CA)
No.TitleLength
1."The Perfect Kiss"8:46
2."The Kiss of Death"7:02
3."Perfect Pit"1:24
12" promo: PRO-A-2342 (US)
No.TitleLength
1."The Perfect Kiss (Single Edit)"4:23
2."The Perfect Kiss (Live Version From The Perfect Kiss Video)"5:18
7": FAC 123 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."The Perfect Kiss"3:51
2."The Kiss of Death"3:01
7": 9 28968-7 (US) / FAC 23 (CA)
No.TitleLength
1."The Perfect Kiss"4:23
2."The Perfect Kiss (Instrumental)"5:09

Charts

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gale, Lee (29 March 2012). "GQ&A: Bernard Sumner". GQ . New York City: Condé Nast. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  2. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (11 March 2016). "New Order Play With Their Pleasure Zones in Joyous New York City Show". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Shade, Chris (2016). "New Order - Low-Life". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 541.
  4. ↑ "Dreams Never End". Uncut . 1 January 2003. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  5. ↑ ASCAP entry
  6. ↑ Lariviere, Aaron (25 January 2013). "The 10 Best New Order Songs". Stereogum . New York City: Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "neworderonline.com" . Retrieved 17 October 2007., song browser entry for "The Perfect Kiss"
  8. ↑ "neworderonline.com" . Retrieved 17 October 2007., band bio for International
  9. ↑ "amoebacrunch.com". The Perfect Kiss. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
  10. ↑ John Leland (August 1985). "Singles". Spin . No. 4. p. 36.
  11. ↑ Unterberger, Andrew (26 April 2017). "Jonathan Demme Directed One of the Greatest Live Music Videos of All-Time for New Order". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  12. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 215. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  13. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Perfect Kiss". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Tipparade-lijst van week 29, 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "New Order – The Perfect Kiss". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "New Order: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  17. ↑ Lazell, Barry (1997). "New Order". Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums). Cherry Red Books. ISBN   0-95172-069-4. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  18. ↑ "New Order Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  19. ↑ "New Order Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  20. 1 2 "1985 The Year in Music & Video – Top Dance Sales Singles/Albums / Top Dance Club Play Singles/Albums". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. 28 December 1985. p. T-23. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
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