The death of Ian Curtis was a heavy blow to the members of Joy Division. Fortunately for the band’s fans, the musicians were able to recover from the loss. They brought in Gillian Gilbert and continued to make music as part of New Order.
The composition Bizarre Love Triangle was one of the first fruits of their joint work.
Bizarre Love Triangle Song Story
It all started long before the final studio version was born. The band often played it live, making adjustments to the lyrics and music along the way. The working titles also changed several times. Options included Broken Guitar Strings and Broken Promises.
In an interview with SongFacts.com, the band’s bassist Peter Hook revealed that the song was recorded very quickly and was originally given a special role on the record.
It was conceived as a track that would open the second side of the album Brotherhood, sustained in the style of rock music with a fair amount of acoustics.
Meaning of Bizarre Love Triangle
What idea the authors put into the song is not exactly known. In any case, we did not meet their explanations.
Judging by the title and text of the composition, it can be assumed that we are talking about the need to choose between two girls for whom the main character has romantic feelings.
Release and achievements
In November 1986, the track was released as a single from Brotherhood. It failed in the biggest charts. In the UK it peaked at number 56, and on the Billboard Hot 100 it was able to enter the top 100 only after a re-release in 1995.
But the song rose high in the dance charts in different countries, including UK Indie and US Dance Club Songs. Bizarre Love Triangle was incredibly popular in the clubs and became very famous on both sides of the Atlantic. This is probably why Rolling Stone magazine included it in the list of the five hundred greatest songs of all time.
The track has been covered by many famous singers and bands including The Black Eyed Peas, Frente!, Nada Surf and Vendetta.
Bizarre Love Triangle music video
The music video for the song was directed by artist Robert Longo. He is known for his series of paintings Men in the Cities, which depict well-dressed people in unusual poses.
Let’s watch the clip Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order.
Interesting Facts
- The phrase used as the title never appears in the lyrics of the song.
- In the Bizarre Love Triangle video, there is a black-and-white scene during which actress Jodi Long’s character declares to Eric Max Fry’s character, “I don’t believe in reincarnation because I refuse to come back as a bug or a rabbit!”
Bizarre Love Triangle Lyrics
Every time I think of you
I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue
It’s no problem of mine
But it’s a problem I find
Living a life that I can’t leave behind
But there’s no sense in telling me
The wisdom of the fool won’t set you free
But that’s the way that it goes
And it’s what nobody knows
Well every day my confusion grows
chorus:
Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
I’m waiting for that final moment
You say the words that I can’t say
I feel fine and I feel good
I’m feeling like I never should
Whenever I get this way
I just don’t know what to say
Why can’t we be ourselves like we were yesterday
I’m not sure what this could mean
I don’t think you’re what you seem
I do admit to myself
That if I hurt someone else
Then I’ll never see just what we’re meant to be
Bizarre Love Triangle Lyrics Alternate
Every time I think about you
It seems to me that longing pierces me with an arrow
It’s not my problem,
But I ran into her
Living a life you can’t just leave
But it makes no sense to convince me of something
The wisdom of a fool won’t set you free
But that’s how it goes
And no one knows what to do
And I’m only getting more confused every day
Chorus:
Every time I see you fall in love
I get down on my knees and pray
I’m waiting for the fateful hour
When you say what I can’t say
I’m very well,
I feel better than ever
Previously in situations like this
I just don’t know what to say
Why can’t we be ourselves like yesterday
I’m not sure what that could mean
I don’t think you are what you seem
But I admit
What if I hurt someone else
I’ll never understand how we should be
