My Gen X Playlist: Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division

One of the football coaches taught my high school social studies class. On Friday mornings, he would describe a funny scene from Cheers that aired the night before. He’d laugh his ass off after the punch line. I still remember his loud hearty laugh. Because of him, I started watching the show and was hooked. The show had great characters and always good for a laugh. But what’s a high school kid watching a TV show about a bar?

I continued watching the show into college. By then, I’d frequented many bars and felt right at home. My friends and I dreamt one day of opening a bar where everybody knew your name. We conceded we’d probably drink all the profits. Maybe not the best idea.

There are very few series that I’ve watched until the very end. The ones that come to mind are M*A*S*H, Friends and The Cosby Show. I jumped on the Seinfeld band wagon a little late, but then watched it through to the season finale. Cheers will always be my fan favorite. It definitely was Must See TV. I remember watching the finale and was sad to see it end. It had a good run, though. One for the ages.

I was looking up great last singles released by bands and found a list by Radio X. I gravitated to a few, but ultimately chose Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division.

This was written as a cynical response to “Love Will Keep Us Together” by The Captain & Tennille. Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis wrote the lyric at a horrendous time in his life when his marriage was breaking up.

This song was released after Curtis’ death. His death ultimately lead to the break up of the band.

The members had made a pact long before Curtis’s death that, should any member leave, the remaining members would change the band name. The band re-formed as New Order . . .

Wikipedia

I grew up listening to New Order and didn’t know their history back then. This may be the only song I know from Joy Division. But if I’m only going to know one song from them, this is the one.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

When routine bites hard
And ambitions are low
And resentment rides high
But emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways
Taking different roads

Love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love will tear us apart again

Why is the bedroom so cold?
Turned away on your side
Is my timing that flawed?
Our respect run so dry?
Yet there's still this appeal
That we've kept through our lives

But love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love will tear us apart again

Do you cry out in your sleep?
All my failings exposed
Gets a taste in my mouth
As desperation takes hold
And it's something so good
Just can't function no more?

Love, love will tear us apart again