In the late 70s, punk rock grew experimental, giving rise to a new, loosely defined genre called “post-punk.” Here are some songs from the 80s that you might recognize, whether you’re a fan of this subgenre or not.
“Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division
When lead singer Ian Curtis wrote this one, he drew inspiration from his marital troubles with his then-wife, Deborah Woodruff. He was also taking inspiration from the struggle of being epileptic and trying to navigate a career in music. Lyrically, the song sounds like it’s about a relationship that is hanging by a thread.
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When routine bites hard and ambitions are low
And resentment rides high, but emotions won’t grow
And we’re changing our ways, taking different roads
Then love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love will tear us apart again.
Curtis’ voice on this one will always be haunting, especially in the chorus.
“Under The Milky Way” by The Church
Steve Kilbey, the lead vocalist and bass guitarist of The Church, wrote this tune with his girlfriend at the time, Karin Jansson. Kilbey told Australian broadcaster Tracee Anderson that: “I smoked aย joint and started playing the piano and she came in the room and we just made it up.”
“Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order
“Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order is a rather chaotic song that clearly reflects some pretty chaotic feelings. The name of the song, “Bizarre Love Triangle,” actually does not appear anywhere in it. However, I would argue that the vibe of this one pretty much speaks for itself.
“Lips Like Sugar” by Echo & the Bunnymen
This song by Echo & the Bunnymen ended up charting in multiple countries and even gained significant attention in the US, where it didn’t chart at all. It’s still one of the group’s biggest hits. Ironically, though, as the band’s lead singer, Ian McCulloch, shared with Q Magazine, “Lips Like Sugar” wasn’t a completely accurate representation of the band’s sound.
“It was an OK song, I suppose, but it didn’t sound like us,” he shared. “We just got sucked into a new mentality on that last album, the sound of Radio America.”
Photo by: Rob Verhorst/Redferns