Dead Souls

damn telemarketers

Ian Curtis supposedly had various flashbacks to a previous life, which could well be what the first two lines are refering too. Elsewhere, in general the severe epilepsy and general schitzophrenic personality Curtis had would have created many delusions and distorted his reality. In this song hes talking about these other realities intruding on his everyday life.

Oh and by the way for those of you insulting Nine inch nails, you realize the reason Morris' drums sound perfect is that Martin Hannet dubbed every drum sound indivisually to create the metronome effect. so thats basically synthetic as well - not that theres anything wrong with this technique, the production was one of the things that made Joy Division so unique and brilliant.

The book Dead Souls is comedy (not in a funny sense, but as in a story of the outrageous and hyperbolic) that examines the Russian landscape through a character named Chichikov. Chichikov, attempting to build wealth and property, tries purchasing dead slaves (serfs) from local landowners. Though they are dead, it won't be official until the next census therefore he can amass a register of serfs cheaply. One of the themes has to do with the irony of the lifelessness of the actual living landowners and characters in the book compared to the dead serfs who are often described lively and talented. One critic described it as not dealing with life and death, but the death of life.

The song is chilling for some odd reason. Seems like he's plagued by something and he can't get away from it. The consistant bass line in the background brings it to a much higher level of chill, also.

i'm just proud he used the word "conquistadors" in a song and made it work.

Well, I know that the title "Dead Souls" was taken from the story by a Russian writer named Nikolai Gogol.

this might not be what its about at all, but it is what i get from it... its like ian is talking about how he's haunted by his past. maybe not dead people, but the people he knew and wanted to leave behind him.

"Someone take these dreams away That point me to another day " -- could be about something that he doesn't like to think about anymore, or wants to hide.

"A duel of personalities That stretch all true realities" --could be about the person that people used to know, that he doesn't believe he is anymore.

"When figures from the past stand tall And mocking voices ring the hall Imperialistic house of prayer Conquistadors who took their share " --this could about the people that keep bringing up his past that he so badly tries to forget and hide and pretend like never happened.

"That keep calling me They keep calling me Keep on calling me They keep calling me" -- would, of course, be these people/things coming back to him no matter what.

I see it as an expression of an obsession with the horrors of history: "dreams that point me to another day."

In my interpretation, I always thought this song reffered to his demon's. Simply put.

This might be the despair of Ian before he commited suicide.