"True Faith" is a 1987 track from New Order, produced by Stephen Hague. It was the first New Order single since their debut "Ceremony" to be issued in the UK as two separate 12" singles. The second 12" single features two remixes of "True Faith" by Shep Pettibone. Both versions of the 12" (and also the edited 7") also include the song "1963." It is one of New Order's most popular songs.The single charted at number 4 in the United Kingdom on its original release in 1987.

Original releases

New Order wrote and recorded "True Faith" and "1963" during a 10-day studio session with producer Stephen Hague. The two songs were written as new material for New Order's first singles compilation album, Substance 1987. After the two songs were recorded, the band's US management decided that "True Faith" was the stronger track and would be released as the new single, with "1963" as the B-side. "1963" was remixed and issued as a single in its own right in 1994."True Faith" was never used as a track on a regular album, though it did appear on most of New Order's "best of" collections (Substance 1987, The Best of New Order, Retro, "Singles" and International). The first public performance of the song took place at the 1987 Glastonbury Festival; this version appears on the group's BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert album.

Video

The release of "True Faith" was accompanied by a surreal music video directed by Philippe Decouflé. In it bizarrely costumed dancers leap about, fight and slap each other in time to the music; while a girl in dark green makeup emerges from a flower bulb and signs the lyrics. The video has often been voted amongst the best music videos of its year. Sky Television's channel The Amp, for instance, has it rated as the best video of 1987, and it won the BPI award for Best Promotional Video in 1988. The overall tonality, themes and various elements from the video re-occurred in Decouflé's scenography and choreography for the inauguration ceremonies of the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville.

Lyrics

As is the case for many New Order songs, the words in the title (in this case "true" and "faith") do not appear anywhere in the lyrics.The song is about heroin addiction. This is more obvious in the original lyrics, which contain the line, "They're all taking drugs with me," in place of, "They're afraid of what they see." The line was changed at the last minute due to pressure from label executives, but the original line is often used when the band performs the song live.The band was surprised by the fact that the single widened their audience with younger children, due to the fact that the video's characters were reminiscent of children's programming, even though the real theme of the song is adult.

Re-releases

A remixed version charted again in 1994 at number 9. A "True Faith" remix 12" single and CD single were released in 1994, and another "True Faith" remix 12" single and CD single were released in 2001.

In film

This track was used in the opening nightclub scene in Mary Harron's film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's novel American Psycho and in James Bridges's 1988 film adaptation of Jay McInerny's novel Bright Lights, Big City.

Track listing

UK 7" - FAC 183-7

1. "True Faith" (4:02)
2. "1963" (5:32)

UK 12" 1 - FAC 183

1. "True Faith" (5:55)
2. "1963" (5:32)

UK 12" 2 - FAC 183R

1. "True Faith (Remix)" (8:59)
2. "1963" (5:32)
3. "True Dub" (10:41)

UK PAL CD - FACDV 183

1. "True Faith (Remix)" (8:59)
2. "Evil Dust" (3:43)
3. "True Faith (7 inch)" (4:06)
4. "True Faith (Video)"

True Faith-94 CD

1. "True Faith-94 (Radio Edit)" (4:28)
2. "True Faith-94 (Perfecto Radio Edit)" (4:05)
3. "True Faith-94 (Perfecto Mix)" (6:23)
4. "True Faith-94" (5:34)
5. "True Faith-94 (TWA Grim Up North Mix)" (6:11)

True Faith-94 - NUO5 7"

1. "True Faith-94 (Radio Edit)" (4:28)
2. "True Faith-94 (Perfecto Radio Edit)" (4:05)

References

External links

• Stephen Hague talks about recording True Faith

New Order songs1987 singlesSynthpop songs