| Joy Division – Atrocity Exhibition Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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The title is probably an allusion to the novel by J.G. Ballard. In earlier days people could pay to 'tour' lunatic asylums and look at the inmates, it was a popular attraction, much like going to the zoo. The British artist William Hogarth has an engraving of this, 'In the Madhouse' as part of his A Rake's Progress series. Roman arenas, nothing more need be said. You'll see the horrors of a faraway place Meet the architects of law face to face See mass murder on a scale you've never seen The law as a theme figures prominently in Kafka's writing (the story: The Law, the incomplete novel: The Trial, a fragment: The Problem of our Laws) the later of which is particular in that it asks directly what Ian promises that one will 'see'. It is not clear whether this is being referenced directly here but it is undoutable that Kafka was a strongly relevant to Ian, both in art and spirit. A more literal reading to meeting the 'architects of law' is that the listener is going to see those in power who make the law as they really are (face to face). As opposed to their generally abstract nature that a person who is born in a society is confronted with - where all the laws have already been invented codified and set into stone without his say. To 'see mass murder' seems to imply Hitler and Fascism as a referents, though the ambiguous use suggests that it was obviously meant to encompass more than that. (Both the name and origins of the band, as well as other songs such as Walked In Line, bear closer to these themes.) This is the way, step inside This is the way, step inside Take my hand and I'll show you what was and will be Essentially the narrator is inviting the listener 'IN' he is going to relate the world of past and future the and promises that it will be an 'Atrocity Exhibition'. |
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| Joy Division – Autosuggestion Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Do these people that comment actually even listen to the song? The song is called Autosuggestion. Plainly enough, a reference to Auto-suggestive therapy. From this the structure of the song and the relevant verses should make it clear enough: Here, here Everything is by design So take a chance and step outside Lose some sleep and say you tried Meet frustration face to face As for the song it's absolutely masterful, especially the Substance recording. The music - is this dark dismal sound that fills the background for its entire duration, and than you can hear the distinct voice of Ian, akin to the faint glow of candle lighting a dark room on a cold winter night. So lose some sleep and say you tried So lose some sleep and say you tried |
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| The Doors – Universal Mind Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| c'mon couldn't it be more obvious? | |
| Joy Division – Komakino Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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You mean when they were being produced by Martin Hannett? Don't know about New Order though, they suck without Ian Curtis. |
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| Joy Division – Exercise One Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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'When you're looking at life In a strange new room Maybe drowning soon Is this the start of it all?' This is - not so much a response, as a reaction perhaps to the Socratic sentiment, that an unexamined life is not worth living. 'Turn on your TV Turn down your pulse' Then the sense of alienation, wanting to escape, turning on TV, forgetting your thoughts that would drown you. 'Turn down your pulse' - escape from life. 'Turn away from it all It's all getting too much' The song looks very simple, but actually it's very powerful, there is a strong feeling of stress, claustrophobia, the desire to understand combined with the inability to make sense of things. |
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| Joy Division – A Means To An End Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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'Eternal rights we left behind We were the better kind' Like the biblical tale - the fall of Adam and Eve from paradise. |
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