When is a cover song better than the original? Only you can decide. This week José González takes on Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” MAGNET’s Edward Fairchild pulls the pin. Take cover!
Joy Division singer Ian Curtis took his own life shortly after the release of “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” He was only 23. The title of the song was inscribed on his tombstone. Even though the other members would go on to form New Order, the two JD albums recorded with Curtis have proved to have a lasting impact, inspiring new generations of bands, fans and Hot Topic customers in the 30 years since. In 2008, Curtis’ tombstone was mysteriously stolen from Macclesfield Cemetery, but later replaced with a new one. Ultimate memorabilia piece? Where would you even put that? Here is Sweden’s José González giving a proper tribute, with a touching, acoustic performance of the song.
The Cover:
The Original:
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10 Comments
Jose’s version is beautiful, but surely you understand that even asking this question borders on blasphemy.
Magnet should compile a list of cover versions that they think are better than the originals? Or have readers compile a lsit? I think it would make a compelling article/list and might garner alot of emails etc…
I have always rather liked Swans’ cover.
You might want to double check, but that doesn’t sound like the original, peeps. It’s sounds like a remixed or ‘enhanced’ updated version, no?
Just sayin’..
I like Jose Gonzalez and all, but seriously, NO CONTEST.
And john tank is right: this is NOT the original Joy Division version…
I believe it’s the BBC version (John Peel session). But correct–this is not the official single-release version of the song.
i don’t even want to listen to Jose’s version. it is preposterous to cover such a classic track. you want to cover JD, dig a little deeper than the very track that defines the band’s legacy.
Hey I undrestand a lot of the comments being written but I think Gonzalez’s version works. The catchy chords and the backdrop with its somewhat mysterious mood maybe didn’t make a classic a classic but I think it did justice to the original cut. Believe me, I am a HUGE fan of U2, one of several bands JD influenced and JD is not too far behind U2,for that matter, in terms of my ranking of rock bands. At least it wasn’t dragged down to a mass appeal version a la many country music hits coming from rock songs that WERE hits.
It’s gotta be Joy Division. But I must confess that I really really love Paul Young’s version too.