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Radiohead Covers Joy Division’s Ceremony

From a livestream recorded many years ago, this is Radiohead covering Joy Division’s Ceremony. The song was originally written by Joy Division but the version most people know is New Order’s — it was their first single. From Wikipedia:

“Ceremony” was one of the last Joy Division songs to be composed, with lyrics written by Ian Curtis. According to guitarist Bernard Sumner, the group wrote the song a few weeks before Ian Curtis died “to try and heal him through music” and keep him “involved in the band and involved in music and remind him of what … a great future he had”. Sumner concluded, “Unfortunately, it didn’t work”.

Just three versions of Joy Division performing the song exist, including one on the group’s compilation album Still.

Comments  4

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Tim CarmodyMOD Edited

I don't know if you remember, but Karen and I walked into our wedding reception to "Ceremony," only it was the (quite stately, not quite so faithful) Galaxie 500 cover.

L
Lacey V

!! My spouse and I walked down the aisle to Aphex Twin's "Avril 14th" and used the New Order version of "Ceremony" for our exit music... I may have been slightly influenced by the Marie Antoinette soundtrack at the time.

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David E. Wheeler

Hot damn, one of the all time great songs. Great cover.

Dunstan Orchard

I've had this on repeat today. Lovely stuff.

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