On March 29th, 1994, the original motion picture soundtrack to the Alex Proyas directed film The Crow was released.
The soundtrack was reissued on vinyl for 2019’s Record Store Day in celebration of the soundtrack’s 25th anniversary.
When The Cure were asked to provide a song for the film’s soundtrack the intention was originally to use their Pornography era single “The Hanging Garden”, as James O’Barr, the creator of The Crow comic book, reprinted the lyrics to the song on an entire page.
The story goes, that Robert Smith liked the comic so much, he decided to write a new song specifically for the film. Thus was the birth of The Cure’s “Burn”, a song exclusive to the 1994 film The Crow.
Not only that, Joy Division are also a notable influence on the original comic book due to the fact that some chapters are named after songs such as “Atmosphere” and “Atrocity Exhibition”. In one panel, Eric even quotes a lyric from the song “Disorder” from the album Unknown Pleasures.
On January 4 1993, Producer Jeff Most wrote a letter New Order’s manager Rob Gretton asking if the band would like to be involved with the soundtrack for the film.
During a charity auction for his various Joy Division memorabilia, Bassist Peter Hook expressed his regret that New Order did not directly take part in the soundtrack, with only Nine Inch Nails—who were already signed on for a cover of “Dead Souls” featured on the soundtrack instead:
“The asked for our involvement. Such a shame we did not do it. Some great groups appeared on the soundtrack. I loved it the script and had read the comic. We were asked to re-record ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and’ Dead Souls’ as New Order for the film but Barney said, “Why would anyone want New Order to play a Joy Division song?” and that was the end of that!. Nine inch Nails jumped at the chance.”
Among others, The Crow’s soundtrack also featured The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Snakedriver”:
And Medicine’s “Time Baby III”, which was performed live in the film.
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