Peter Hook's New Order recorded the classic World In Motion as England's official World Cup '90 song
John Barnes (centre) in the recording studio alongside Peter Beardsley and Des Walker for the recording of England's World Cup song with New Order in 1990.(Image credit: Getty Images)
New Order released World In Motion, the greatest-ever football song on May 21, 1990.
Featuring trademark New Order synths, a Balearic beat and an iconic turn on the mic from John Barnes, the song was a breath of fresh air from the usual bland pre-tournament songs that featured a room full of tuneless footballers droning on.
It would reach number one in the UK singles chart and former New Order bassist Peter Hook is still proud of the part he played in this slice of Three Lions history.
Joy Division and New Order legend Peter Hook (Image credit: Alamy)
“It started as Love’s Got The World In Motion,” Hook tells FourFourTwo as he looks back at the recording of the song.
“It was two different songs: we never recorded the proper version, which was without the rap. It would have been a great New Order song – that’s why it sounds like a great football song.
“I enjoy playing it and people love it. We played it in America and they loved it. The good thing about being out of New Order, now that we’ve split up, is that you get to do the things you weren’t allowed to do.”
While World In Motion’s legacy is secure, Hook admits that it was hard work dealing with the FA back in 1990.
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"The FA treated us like s**t,” he continues. “The other three [in New Order] weren’t bothered – they were a bit busy – but I thought it was wonderful to be involved. To me, that was what being in a group was all about: getting chances to indulge yourself like that. It was the wackiest thing we could do; the only thing wackier would have been to do the Eurovision Song Contest.”
Paul Gascoigne at Italia 90
The band were able to bring in members of the England squad for backing vocal duties, with Hook recalling an early encounter with a 22-year-old Paul Gascoigne.
“I remember Paul Gascoigne running off the pitch and getting into a Mercedes with two girls standing up through the sunroof, holding a bottle of champagne each. I thought, ‘He’s going to do well, that boy’.”
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
