Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Recycle 15: Touched By The Hand Of God

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[Link removed 20 November 2012] (71 MB)

Touched By The Hand Of God
Factory Records FAC 193
Produced by New Order. Touched By The Hand Of God mixed by Arthur Baker.
December 1987

Tracklisting:

1. Touched By The Hand Of God
2. Touched By The Hand Of Dub (7" Edit)
3. Confusion Dub 1987
4. Temptation (1987 Version)
5. Touched By The Hand Of God (12" Mix)
6. Touched By The Hand Of Dub

1 and 6 sourced from PolyGram CA Blue Monday 1988 CD single 870 354-2
2 edited from 6
3-5 sourced from Factory UK CD single Facd193

Notes from the restorer:

Written for the soundtrack to the movie Salvation!, Touched By The Hand Of God isn't one of the group's stronger tracks IMHO, although there's nothing offensive about it either. The single version was remixed by Arthur Baker, and it sounds very much of its time, complete with the ubiquitous orchestra hits. The vinyl was backed with a mostly-instrumental dub mix, and the CD single came with two other unique tracks… or at least, it was supposed to. Along with a previously-unreleased dub mix of the 1987 version of Confusion, the sleeve claimed to have the original mix of Temptation which was not on CD at the time. In actual fact, the disc plays the 1987 version found on Substance, helping to establish a long tradition of the band's releases having the wrong track names or details (one which Warner/Rhino has generously continued on through to the 21st century with the recent re-issues).

One truly remarkable thing about this song is the video for it, which consists of scenes of car chases along with footage of the band dressed up as a cheesy hair-metal act, acting out every cliché of the genre. It's hilarious, and even more so when you remember that back then, there were actually people who listened to (and even performed in) hair metal bands without irony.
The version as it appears on the soundtrack to Salvation! is actually very raw - almost like a demo. It was refined for the single release, and despite what the above says I think it's one of the better late-80's New Order tracks.

Apart from the band dressed in over the top heavy metal gear, the video also features Bill Paxton and Rae Dawn Chong in uncredited roles.

I still remember the day when my local record shop got the CD single in. It was December of my Senior year, and I'd skipped out of school. I was so excited I couldn't wait to get home and play it. A year later I'd have almost the same experience with Fine Time.

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