Icon Joy Division Shadowplay
Songs and Lyrics
 
Ceremony

This page contains the following information about this Joy Division song:
  • details of every known studio recording and every official release;
  • details of any live performances which appear on an official release;
  • my transcription of the song lyrics, noting any significant variations;
  • known cover versions by other artists, and any other interesting facts.
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Track history
No studio recording by Joy Division, but later recorded twice by New Order
Live performance on May 2nd 1980 at Birmingham University released on Still
(the recording starts in the middle of the song; only the final verse is clearly audible)
A salvaged rehearsal performance was released on Heart and Soul

Lyrics
The first two verses are taken from a New Order recording
This is why events un-nerve me
They find it all a different story
Notice whom for wheels are turning
Turn again and turn towards this time
All she asks is the strength to hold me
Then again the same old story
Word will travel - oh so quickly
Travel first and lean towards this time

I'll break them down, no mercy shown
Heaven knows, it's got to be this time
Watching her, these things she said
The times she cried, too frail to wake this time

The final verse is taken from Still
I'll break them down, no mercy shown
Heaven knows, it's got to be this time
Avenues all lined with trees
Picture me and then you start watching
Watching forever - watching forever
Watching love grow - forever
Letting me know - forever

Other information
Cover versions by:Released on:
Allison RunSomething About Joy Division (Vox Pop VP3 1989)
AlmansoCommunity EP: A NewOrderOnline Tribute (Retroforward 02 2004)
Applied
  Communications
Moon Colony Razorblade (own release 2006)
Atlantic PopesTrue Faith: A Tribute to New Order (Synthphony SYN027 2001)
Pascal BabareThunderclap Spring (Black Maps BM003 2009)
Babbling AprilDreams Never End: A Tribute to New Order (TBTCI Records 2015)
Bernie BandicootReaction (afmusic afm125 2011)
ChildCeremonial (Mere Mortal MMP-1 1995)
ChromaticsBlack And White (own release 2012)
Diaframma8183 (Contempo CONTE 128 1989)
Downtown StrutsNothington/Downtown Struts (Asian Man AM-264 2013)
(bonus track available for downloading with split 7")
Echoing GreenMusic from the Ocean Picture (Different Drum 1047 2001)
The Evergreen Annex (Different Drum 1072 2002)
EventideRevolving World: A Tribute to New Order (Popswirl PWL13 2005)
Excès Nocturne30 years with(out) Ian Curtis: Transmission (Infrastition Fin056 2010)
The EyeThe Joy of Diving (Miltona MR 8978 2000)
Fall To
  November Sky
Rain In Desert (own release 2011)
Feliz DiaTransmitiendo Desde América Del Sur (Licor de Mono 2007)
The FictionI Told Her That I Like Living in a Box (Level Plane LP54 2004)
Galaxie 500Blue Thunder (Rough Trade T246CD 1990)
Galaxie 500 (Ryko 10355 1996 - boxed set)
On Fire (Ryko 10357 1997 - bonus track on re-issue)
Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste (Plexifilm 015 2004 - DVD)
Peter Hook
  and The Light
Unknown Pleasures / Closer: Live in Macclesfield (Play Concert 2013)
So This Is Permanence: Live in Macclesfield (Play Concert 2015)
Substance: Live in Manchester (Live Here Now 2016)
Unknown Pleasures: Live in Leeds (Westworld 104 2017)
Movement: Live in Dublin (Westworld 107 2017)
Unknown Pleasures / Closer: Live in Camden (Live Here Now 2017)
Also available on albums of live performances of New Order songs
IkonCeremony (Nile Records 2003)
The Burden of History (Equinoxe/Nile Records 2007)
KolarLove's Shattered Pride (Failure To Communicate 2005)
Joe Ladyboy2003-2014 (Valentine 087 2015)
Ian McCullochSolitude (bootleg - performed live with New Order)
MercrominaWarsaw (El Colectivo Karma 011 1998)
New OrderCeremony (Factory FAC 33 1981)
Taras Shevchenko (Factory FACT 77 / IKON 4 1983 - video)
  (recorded live at Ukrainian National Home, New York in 1981)
Substance (Factory FACD 200 1987)
Tears In Their Eyes (Factory FACD 314 1991)
New Order Story (London 087-134-3 1993 - video)
3 16 (Warner 84802 2001 - DVD)
  (recorded live at Ukrainian National Home, New York in 1981)
Retro (London 49499 2002 - boxed set)
5 11 (Warner 49366 2002 - DVD/video)
  (recorded live at Finsbury Park, London in June 2002)
International: The Best Of New Order (Warner 49226 2002)
New Order: A Collection (Warner 70484 2005 - DVD)
New Order Story (Warner 70485 2005 - DVD)
Singles (Warner 62690 2005)
Total: from Joy Division to New Order (Rhino 5249864795 2011)
Live At The London Troxy (Abbey Road Live Here Now 2011)
NOMC15 (Mute CDSTUMM420 2017)
  (recorded live at Brixton Academy, London in 2015)
Also available on other compilation albums and on bootlegs
New York Crasnals  Warszawa: Tribute To Joy Division (Kuka KR001CD 2007)
Planet BeeBalance (Ego Development 001 1997)
PopundretWest Side United (West Side WeCD 143 1997)
PureBobby Stokes Salutes The Fall Of Manchester (Ambition 1991)
RadioheadPerformed live in a webcast in November 2007
Salt Lake / WakaReMovement: Tribute to New Order (SAL SALD-0002 2001)
Sell System3.5 Decades: A Joy Division Italian Tribute (Darkitalia dar001 2014)
The SheaksCeremony: A New Order Tribute (24 Hour Service Station 40 2010)
Twelve Versions of Ceremony (24 Hour Service Station 52 2010)
StereoboyCeremony (Música Pop Desempregada MPD028 2011)
UnwomanUncovered (Unmediated Productions 2011)
Various ArtistsTwelve Versions of Ceremony (24 Hour Service Station 52 2010)
(recordings of the same song by several different artists)
Xiu XiuChapel of the Chimes (Absolutely Kosher AK023 2002)
Remixed and Covered (5 Rue Christine 77 2007)
Yes But NoCeremony: A New Order Tribute (24 Hour Service Station 40 2010)
Ceremony EP (24 Hour Service Station 50 2010)
Twelve Versions of Ceremony (24 Hour Service Station 52 2010)

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