A-side "True Faith" Recorded 1987 | Released 20 July 1987 Length 5:32 | |
Format Vinyl record (12" and 7")
CD Genre Alternative rock, synthpop | ||
"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.
Contents
"1963"'s B-sides were all remixes of the title track or songs previously released.
Lyrics
In New Order Music 1981–89, the band's lyricist Bernard Sumner writes a tongue-in-cheek account of the song's lyrics that relate it to the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. Sumner theorises that Kennedy arranged for Lee Harvey Oswald to shoot his wife so that "J.F. could do one with M. Monroe". Monroe commits suicide when Oswald hits the wrong target (in reality, Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, over a year before the assassination took place) and Oswald is later shot by his boss for "doing such a bad job and causing his hit-man business to go bust."
The producer Stephen Hague has referred to the song as "the only song about domestic violence that you can dance to."
Versions
The original 1987 version ended in a fade-out while repeating the last line of the outro, "I will always feel free". The "94 album mix", also included on the international edition of (The Best of) New Order as "1963-94", had all new orchestration and is similar in structure to the original version, except that the outro is removed and replaced with a repeat of the final bridge and chorus, faded out. The 1995 Arthur Baker remix restores the original outro, and, instead of fading out, has a cold ending after four repeats of the last line.
An extended mix of "1963-94" appeared on the 2005 Singles compilation, while the 2016 re-release of Singles features the Arthur Baker remix.
Music video
The video for the single's release, featuring the "95 Arthur Baker Radio remix", was directed by Gina Birch and produced by Michael H. Shamberg. It depicts British comic actress Jane Horrocks waking up in a box in the countryside and hitch-hiking to the city. Jane's suitcase becomes bigger in each camera take.
Track listing
All tracks written by Gillian Gilbert, Stephen Hague, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner; except where indicated.