Shadowplay (song) explained

Shadowplay
Artist:Joy Division
Album:Unknown Pleasures
Released:15 June 1979
Recorded:1–17 April 1979
Studio:Strawberry, Stockport
Genre:
Length:3:55
Label:Factory
Producer:Martin Hannett, Joy Division

"Shadowplay" is a song by the English rock band Joy Division. The song appeared on their 1979 debut album Unknown Pleasures. Joy Division played "Shadowplay" live on their first television appearance on Granada TV in September 1978.

Lyrics

Early recordings of the lyrics on the Warsaw album show the first line of the song as saying "To the centre of the city where all roads meet looking for you". In later recordings the word looking is replaced with waiting.

The Killers version

Shadowplay
Cover:Shadowplay (The Killers song) cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:The Killers
Album:Sawdust
Released:9 October 2007 (U.S.)
Genre:Electronic rock, gothic rock
Length:4:09
Label:
Producer:The Killers
Prev Title:For Reasons Unknown
Prev Year:2007
Next Title:Tranquilize
Next Year:2007

The Killers recorded a version of "Shadowplay" for the 2007 film Control;[1] this version plays during the film's credits and was included on the soundtrack album. The song became a live staple for the band's 2006-2007 Sam's Town Tour.[2]

The band's recording of "Shadowplay" was also included on the group's b-sides and rarities album, Sawdust. Rolling Stone magazine said the recording "should have stayed in the vaults".[3] In April 2013, the Killers were joined onstage by Joy Division and New Order guitarist Bernard Sumner for the first time to perform this song live at Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá, Colombia. They did so once again at their 2013 Lollapalooza appearance.

The Killers version of "Shadowplay" was released as a digital download single on 9 October 2007 and peaked at #68 on the Billboard Hot 100. A music video, directed by Spencer Kaplan and Jonathan V. Sela, was released on 21 November 2007, featuring the band interspersed with clips from Control.

Charts

Chart (2007)Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[4] 68
U.S. Billboard Pop 10043
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks19
Canadian Hot 10049
115

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nme.com/news/joy-division/25825 NME, "The Killers cover Shadowplay" (15 Jan 2007)
  2. Web site: The Killers: Concert Setlist . setlist.fm . 2007-11-02 . 2017-06-05.
  3. Hoard, Christian (11/29/2007), "Sawdust". Rolling Stone. (1040):84
  4. http://acharts.us/song/28915 "The Killers - Shadowplay worldwide chart positions and trajectories"