The Story
“The Him” is a song by New Order, track #6 on the band’s first LP entitled “Movement.” Probably composed in 1980 and released in 1981, it is considered as transitional, being a Joy Division style song, performed by New Order (sung by Bernard Sumner) with tom-driven drums by Stephen Morris and Peter Hook’s iconic bass sound. It has been placed in the Cold Wave genre, being compared to same year releases by The Cure (e.g. )
The Cover
This is a song I have always wanted to really love, in part because the rolling drums, choir pad and bass line have such potential. And indeed, the song is great as it is… My idea was keep these great elements but rework the chorus and bit of the note progression in the verse.
For the bass, I used Modo Bass (with the critical “let ring” setting) and the Rickenbacker 4001. Bass and guitar processing is with GuitarRig 5. The choir is played with Kontakt 5/6 (Factory library is fine). The ARP bass is with ANA2 and drums with Superior Drummer 3.
The Lyrics (New Order original lyrics)
(With New Order lyrics, there are different written versions, including on various websites). The alt (alternative) reading seems to the official lyrics as published by New Order
Some days you waste your life away
These times I find no words to say
A crime I once committed failed/filled me
Too much of heaven’s eyes I saw through
Only when meanings have no reason
They’re taken beyond your sense of right
Small boy kneels humble (alt. wandering) in a great hall
He placed hands (alt. pays penance) to the air above him
White circles, black lines surround me
Reborn, so plain my eyes see
This is the reason that I came here
To be so near to such a person
I’m so tired, I’m so tired
The lyrics I sang are a bit different, as I added a sung chorus:
Some days you waste your life away
These times I find no words to say
A crime I once committed failed me
Too much of heaven’s eyes I saw through
Only now, to Him
I bow, exhausted as I die…
They’re taken beyond your sense of right
Small boy kneels humble in a great hall
He placed hands to the air above him
White circles, black lines surround me
Reborn, so plain my eyes see
This is the reason that I came here
To be so near to such a person
I’m so tired, I’m so tired
Now
The Video (Cover Version)
Original Version
Other cover versions…
To be fair and open-minded (and to promote fellow musicians), here is one other cover I could find:
