Lyric discussion by LaTragedieHumaine 

Cover art for A Design For Life lyrics by Manic Street Preachers

The idea of A Design For Life is based on "designed for living", commercial slogan of american car company Ford, and on ''an ideal for living', title of Joy Division's 1978 ep. It is also the title of a biography of Joy Division, by Mark Johnson, called 'An Ideal For Living: A History Of Joy Division'.