First of all, that's my favorite Joy Division song. Everything is perfect: the bass line, the drums, the guitar solos and the arpeggio when Ian sings. The break between the two verses is so pure and natural. This song goes so fluent... Ian's voice rising at the end of the song and of course, great lyrics. To me, this is why the word masterpiece exists.
As for the meaning, in my opinion, it's only about suicide after a break-up. Nothing more. Maybe I'm "down to earth" on it... On the first verse, he calmly looks at his relationship with his wife and realizes that it's all wrong. He realizes that they can't match with each other. I think it's all about differences between people and when people love each other, they don't care about their differences and moreover, they dig the differences of their lover that enrich them. And when it's over, one has the impression that the person whom he loved has changed. "a change of speed, a change of style..."
He thought they could match and he still loves her, so he plans to commit suicide and he has already told her so. What is really powerful and poignant is how aware and lucid he is about his situation and his decision. His situation is so directionless that he knows he can go away with no regrets. And at the same time, he's been too far with her, so he knows there is only one solution.
"a loaded gun won't set you free - so you say" So powerful...
Second verse: an angry voice and one who cried is also beautiful. It shows how different they are and how, now, they can't deal with it. Now, the final lines are really deep. "Cant's seem to feel it anymore". He once loves a girl but now he does not feel it anymore. He wish he could feel it because he does not want anything else in his life. But she is too distant from him now. So he says one last time "it was me..." He talks about him in the past which means I don't exist anymore. She was hoping for something more from him but he tells her "that's me, I can't offer more than me!"
Just my interpretation on it... it's just that i've experienced in real life that a ot of break-ups happen because of differences between people and one of the two lovers reproaching the other not being this or that and the other "takes the blame" (while there's no blame, there is just a mistake, it was the wrong person, that's it!) and when they finally break up, the one who took the blame has to say "hey, that's me, that's how I am, if you're not good with it, don't blame me. If you look for smthg more, it's not my mistake". So basically, the problem is that Ian Curtis was suicidal. A random man would have a two months depression and would say "life goes on".
@garveym I think it's finally sunk in that he is the person he is, someone who cannot form meaningful relationships and concludes as a result that it's not a life worth living.
@garveym I think it's finally sunk in that he is the person he is, someone who cannot form meaningful relationships and concludes as a result that it's not a life worth living.
All the issues in his relationships boil down to that fact and the penny drops there's no life ahead for him, not one he'd find acceptable.
All the issues in his relationships boil down to that fact and the penny drops there's no life ahead for him, not one he'd find acceptable.
The band/record company promising him everything (we'll give you everything and more) not understanding that none of this can reach him.
The band/record company promising him everything (we'll give you everything and more) not understanding that none of this can reach him.
First of all, that's my favorite Joy Division song. Everything is perfect: the bass line, the drums, the guitar solos and the arpeggio when Ian sings. The break between the two verses is so pure and natural. This song goes so fluent... Ian's voice rising at the end of the song and of course, great lyrics. To me, this is why the word masterpiece exists.
As for the meaning, in my opinion, it's only about suicide after a break-up. Nothing more. Maybe I'm "down to earth" on it... On the first verse, he calmly looks at his relationship with his wife and realizes that it's all wrong. He realizes that they can't match with each other. I think it's all about differences between people and when people love each other, they don't care about their differences and moreover, they dig the differences of their lover that enrich them. And when it's over, one has the impression that the person whom he loved has changed. "a change of speed, a change of style..." He thought they could match and he still loves her, so he plans to commit suicide and he has already told her so. What is really powerful and poignant is how aware and lucid he is about his situation and his decision. His situation is so directionless that he knows he can go away with no regrets. And at the same time, he's been too far with her, so he knows there is only one solution. "a loaded gun won't set you free - so you say" So powerful... Second verse: an angry voice and one who cried is also beautiful. It shows how different they are and how, now, they can't deal with it. Now, the final lines are really deep. "Cant's seem to feel it anymore". He once loves a girl but now he does not feel it anymore. He wish he could feel it because he does not want anything else in his life. But she is too distant from him now. So he says one last time "it was me..." He talks about him in the past which means I don't exist anymore. She was hoping for something more from him but he tells her "that's me, I can't offer more than me!"
Just my interpretation on it... it's just that i've experienced in real life that a ot of break-ups happen because of differences between people and one of the two lovers reproaching the other not being this or that and the other "takes the blame" (while there's no blame, there is just a mistake, it was the wrong person, that's it!) and when they finally break up, the one who took the blame has to say "hey, that's me, that's how I am, if you're not good with it, don't blame me. If you look for smthg more, it's not my mistake". So basically, the problem is that Ian Curtis was suicidal. A random man would have a two months depression and would say "life goes on".
Sad song created by a sad genius.
@garveym I think it's finally sunk in that he is the person he is, someone who cannot form meaningful relationships and concludes as a result that it's not a life worth living.
@garveym I think it's finally sunk in that he is the person he is, someone who cannot form meaningful relationships and concludes as a result that it's not a life worth living.
All the issues in his relationships boil down to that fact and the penny drops there's no life ahead for him, not one he'd find acceptable.
All the issues in his relationships boil down to that fact and the penny drops there's no life ahead for him, not one he'd find acceptable.
The band/record company promising him everything (we'll give you everything and more) not understanding that none of this can reach him.
The band/record company promising him everything (we'll give you everything and more) not understanding that none of this can reach him.