State of the Nation (New Order song)

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"State of the Nation"
Single by New Order
from the album Brotherhood (CD only)
B-side"Shame of the Nation"
Released15 September 1986
Recorded1986
Length6:32 (12"), 3:27 (7")
LabelFactory - FAC 153
Songwriter(s)Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner[1]
Producer(s)New Order
New Order singles chronology
"Shellshock"
(1986) 		"State of the Nation"
(1986) 		"Bizarre Love Triangle"
(1986)

"State of the Nation" is a 1986 single by

Substance
.

Releases

The 12" version of the song is almost twice as long as the 7" version, and includes an additional verse.

The B-side was an alternate arrangement entitled "Shame of the Nation", which included, among other elements, backing vocals. This was written and produced with John Robie, marking the group's third collaboration with him.

The Australian 12" was the same as the UK 12", but the 7" version of the song was only released as the B-side of "Bizarre Love Triangle".

Though not included on most standard releases of the concurrently-released studio album

bonus track on some versions and was originally included on the US 12" version of "Bizarre Love Triangle". The 12" version of "Shame of the Nation" is included on the 2008 Collectors Edition of Low-Life
.

Both sides of the 12" version were collected on the Substance compilation. The 7" version of "State of the Nation" was collected on the Singles compilation. The 7" version of "Shame of the Nation" can only be found on the original 7" vinyl release, and on the B-side of the Australian 7" of "Bizarre Love Triangle".

This song has a feature rare in a New Order single (or in much of the band's material in general): the song title not only appears in the narrative, but is also the chorus. Only a few New Order singles (e.g. "Shellshock", "Regret", "Crystal", "Confusion" and "Touched by the Hand of God") have titles consisting of words which are part of the song's lyrics.

Critical reception

Robin Smith of British music newspaper Record Mirror described it as a "colourless song, colourless tune, rather like the rest of their stuff."[2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner; except where indicated

7": FAC 153 (UK)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."State of the Nation" 3:27
2."Shame of the Nation"Gilbert, Hook, Morris, John Robie, Sumner3:32
12": FAC 153 (UK)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."State of the Nation" 6:32
2."Shame of the Nation"Gilbert, Hook, Morris, Robie, Sumner7:54
12": Qwest 0-20546 (US)
No.TitleLength
1."Bizarre Love Triangle"6:41
2."I Don't Care" (Actually "Bizarre Dub Triangle")7:02
3."State of the Nation"6:31
4."Bizarre Love Triangle"3:43

Chart positions

Chart (1986) Peak
position
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 17
UK Singles Chart
 30
UK Indie Singles 1
US Billboard
Hot Dance Club Play
1 		4
US Billboard
Hot Dance Singles Sales
1 		18

Notes:

  • 1 - Charted together with "Bizarre Love Triangle".

References

  1. ^ ASCAP entry
  2. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2022 – via World Radio History.
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