Touched by the Hand of God

"Touched by the Hand of God"
Single by New Order
from the album Salvation!
Released 7 December 1987
Format 7", 12", CD
Genre Alternative dance, Hi-NRG, synthpop
Length 3:42 (7"), 7:04 (12")
Label Factory - FAC 193
Writer(s) Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner[1]
Producer(s) New Order
New Order singles chronology
"True Faith"
(1987)		 "Touched by the Hand of God"
(1987)		 "Blue Monday 1988"
(1988)

"Touched by the Hand of God" was a single released by New Order on 7 December 1987. The song was originally recorded for the soundtrack to the film Salvation! and the version released as a single was remixed by Arthur Baker. The B-side was a dub remix, titled "Touched by the Hand of Dub" and the release had the catalogue number FAC 193; production duties are credited to New Order.[2]

Although not a track pulled for release from a studio album, "Touched by the Hand of God" appears on the 2008 Collector's Edition of New Order's album Brotherhood in its remix version, on the 1994 compilation The Best of New Order and in remixed form on 1995's The Rest of New Order. In the US, the song was released as the B-side to the group's following single "Blue Monday 1988", though it was billed as a double A-side on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and Maxi-Singles charts.

Video

The video that accompanied the song was directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and parodied glam metal groups of the same period, with the band miming to the music while costumed in long wigs and leather clothing. The video also contains a love scene that is intercut with the performance shots, and stars Rae Dawn Chong and a young Bill Paxton. The concept was proposed by manager Rob Gretton, and was inspired by the band having seen the clichés of then-popular videos on MTV while touring America.[3]

Track listings

All tracks written by Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner; except where indicated. 

7": FAC 193-7 (UK)
No. Title Length
1. "Touched by the Hand of God"   3:47
2. "Touched by the Hand of Dub"   4:11
7": Qwest 7-27979 / Cassette: Qwest 4-27979 (US)
No. Title Length
1. "Blue Monday 1988" (single mix) 4:10
2. "Touched by the Hand of God" (single version) 3:41
12": FAC 193 (UK)
No. Title Length
1. "Touched by the Hand of God"   7:02
2. "Touched by the Hand of Dub"   5:30
12": Qwest 0-20869 (US)
No. Title Length
1. "Blue Monday 1988" (12" Mix) 7:09
2. "Blue Monday 1988" (Dub) 7:16
3. "Touched by the Hand of God" (Remix) 7:02
4. "Touched by the Hand of God" (Dub) 5:30
CD: FACD 193 (UK)
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Touched by the Hand of God"    7:02
2. "Confusion Dub 1987"  Arthur Baker, Gilbert, Hook, Morris, Sumner 5:23
3. "Temptation" (actually the 1987 recording but incorrectly labelled as the Original Mix)  7:00

Chart positions

Chart (1987/8) Peak
position
Australia ARIA Singles Chart[4] 15
German Media Control Singles Chart[5] 37
Irish Singles Chart[6] 10
Italian Singles Chart[7] 36
New Zealand RMNZ Singles Chart 5
Norway VG-lista Singles Chart[8] 10
UK Singles Chart[9] 20
UK Independent Singles Chart[10] 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales 1 8

Notes:

References

  1. ↑ ASCAP entry
  2. ↑ "Factory Records: FAC 193". factoryrecords.org.
  3. ↑ "New Order Interview 1987".
  4. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, NSW, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 215. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ↑ "Charts Surfer - UK, German and French charts". charts-surfer.de. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  6. ↑ "The Irish Charts". IRMA. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  7. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: N". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  8. ↑ New Order at VG-lista
  9. ↑ "Chart Stats - New Order". chartstats.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-25. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  10. ↑ "Indie Hits "N"". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
Preceded by
"Prove Your Love" by Taylor Dayne		 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
(with "Blue Monday 1988")
April 30, 1988 		Succeeded by
"Adventure" by Eleanor
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