Crystal by New Order Lyrics Meaning – The Fragility of Love and Human Connection
Lyrics
(Hey)
We break easy
(Hoo)
I’m a poor man
(Hey)
If you leave me
(Hoo)
I’m applauded
(Hey)
Then forgotten
It was summer
(Hey)
Now it’s autumn
(Hoo)
I don’t know what to say
You don’t care anyway
I’m a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It’s like honey
You can’t buy it with money
You’re not alone anymore (Whenever you’re here with me)
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
(Hoo, hey)
We’re like crystal
It’s not easy
(Hoo)
With your love
(Hey)
You could feed me
(Hoo)
Every man (every man)
(Hey)
And every woman (every woman)
Needs someone
(Hey)
So keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming (keep it coming)
I don’t know what to say
You don’t care anyway
I’m a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It’s like honey
You can’t buy it with money
You’re not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
I don’t know what to say
You don’t care anyway
I’m a man in a rage
With a girl I betrayed
Here comes love
It’s like honey
You can’t buy it with money
You’re not alone anymore
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
You shook me to the core
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Keep it coming
Bearing the luminescent signature of New Order’s electronic rock phenomenon, ‘Crystal’ proves itself to be more than a mere blend of synth and bass. It’s an introspective narrative wrapped in the crisp sheen of its production, a single that from the surface sparkles with the allure of pop simplicity but within its structured beats pulses the heart of human fragility and desire.
Tormented by the emotional strife of misunderstandings and the ruthless march of time, ‘Crystal’ pulls at the threads of passionate connections, unraveling them to reveal a raw, bittersweet vulnerability. The poetic musing set against relentless audio energy creates a poignant contrast that captures the listener, urging them to look deeper into the crystal ball of its metaphors and melodies.
Shattering the Silence: The Breakable Nature of Love
The song opens with a comparison to crystal, a material known for both its beauty and its fragility. This duality sets the stage for the narrative to come, as love too can be splendidly alluring yet able to fracture at the slightest pressure. The metaphor resonates with many who understand that with great love comes the risk of great pain, a truth that New Order delivers with both subtlety and an echoing resonance throughout the track.
The character self-identified as a ‘poor man’ accents this fragility, suggesting an authentic sense of inadequacy in the face of love. Poverty here is emotional, not material, highlighting a sense of loss that echoes louder than the lack of finances could ever.
The Echoes of Autumn: A Seasonal Metaphor for Change
‘It was summer, now it’s autumn,’ these lyrics sing of change, portraying a shift not only in seasons but also in emotional landscapes. Summer, typically representing warmth and vibrancy in a relationship, gives way to autumn, a season of change, maturity, and sometimes decay. The indisputable transition from a time of full bloom to one of reflection and inevitable decline paints the love story in hues of impermanence.
Through the music, there’s an acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of relationships and the tough reality that periods of happiness can and will shift into times of difficulty and confrontation, a process as natural and unavoidable as the seasons.
A Rage Against Betrayal: The Song’s Visceral Emotion
One of the most poignant themes of ‘Crystal’ is the raw anger and regret stemming from betrayal. The protagonist’s admission of being ‘a man in a rage with a girl I betrayed’ serves as a stark confession that opens a floodgate of emotions. This line lingers for a moment longer than the others, carrying the weight of a past mistake that forever alters the narrative.
The song doesn’t dwell on the specific act but rather the ensuing emotional turmoil. It’s a battle of inner demons, a rage against oneself for the destruction wrought on something as delicate as crystal.
The Unpurchaseable Honey of Love: Exploring the Song’s Memorable Lines
‘Here comes love, it’s like honey. You can’t buy it with money.’ This vivid imagery compares love to the sweetness of honey, reinforcing its natural, uncontrollable essence. An entity that cannot be purchased, love remains a domain immune to the materialism of the external world, available only through genuine human connection.
The repetition of this line throughout ‘Crystal’ serves as a mantra, reminding listeners that genuine emotion and care transcend any physical transaction. It elevates love to a higher status, inaccessible to those who wish to treat it as mere commodity.
The Looming Legacy of ‘Keep It Coming’: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
The concluding phrase, ‘keep it coming,’ is a plea, a directive, and perhaps even a cry of desperation. In the context of the song, it can be perceived as the protagonist urging for a constancy of love, a steady stream to fill the void carved by betrayal and temporal disparity.
Yet this repeated request isn’t just about love from another; it’s an invocation for self-love, for growth, and for the perseverance of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The continual motion suggested by ‘keep it coming’ becomes a rhythmic beat to live by—never stagnant, always forward, like the unyielding pulse of the song itself.
