Personally, I think 'Closer' as a whole album tells a concept story of Ian Curtis's own death. With side two being the aftermath and side one being the leadup, ending at "A Means to An End", followed by "Heart and Soul" where he kills himself.
Colony has a place in this story. Analysis wise, I'm pretty sure the song has nothing to do with Africa or Nazis, though Ian may have used them symbolically to make a point out his own life. Verse by verse:
"A cry for help, a hint of anesthesia,
The sound from broken homes,
We used to always meet here.
As he lays asleep, she takes him in her arms,
Some things I have to do, but I don't mean you harm."
This verse describes the falling apart of the relationship between Ian and Debbie, who he probably knew would leave him. Some things she had to do but doesn't mean him harm.
"A worried parent's glance, a kiss, a last goodbye,
Hands him the bag she packed, the tears she tries to hide,
A cruel wind that blows down to our lunacy
And leaves him standing cold here in this colony."
She's packing her bags to leave him but doesn't really want to deep down. When she finally does, she leaves him isolated in the taxing life of Joy Division. The "colony" that is his other, second life. Peter Hook described Joy Division as being almost a second life to Ian. There was the "domestic" Ian Curtis and the "rock star" Ian Curtis. Now he is confined to nothing but this colony.
"I can't see why all these confrontations,
I can't see why all these dislocations,
No family life, this makes me feel uneasy,
Stood alone here in this colony.
In this colony, in this colony, in this colony, in this colony."
No family life -- it sums up what I just said about him being left alone with Joy Division.
"
Dear God in his wisdom took you by the hand,
God in his wisdom made you understand.
God in his wisdom took you by the hand,
God in his wisdom made you understand."
Almost as though he is blaming her and sarcastically saying "you understood why you had to leave me to this".
It's a super fucking dark song. It's Ian crying out that he's been abandoned and really begins the process of him deciding to kill himself. Which is why "A Means to An End" (the divorce on the album), is followed by Side 2's "Post-Death Ian Curtis".
Guy was a genius the way he ordered this album to tell a story.
Personally, I think 'Closer' as a whole album tells a concept story of Ian Curtis's own death. With side two being the aftermath and side one being the leadup, ending at "A Means to An End", followed by "Heart and Soul" where he kills himself. Colony has a place in this story. Analysis wise, I'm pretty sure the song has nothing to do with Africa or Nazis, though Ian may have used them symbolically to make a point out his own life. Verse by verse:
"A cry for help, a hint of anesthesia, The sound from broken homes, We used to always meet here. As he lays asleep, she takes him in her arms, Some things I have to do, but I don't mean you harm."
This verse describes the falling apart of the relationship between Ian and Debbie, who he probably knew would leave him. Some things she had to do but doesn't mean him harm.
"A worried parent's glance, a kiss, a last goodbye, Hands him the bag she packed, the tears she tries to hide, A cruel wind that blows down to our lunacy And leaves him standing cold here in this colony."
She's packing her bags to leave him but doesn't really want to deep down. When she finally does, she leaves him isolated in the taxing life of Joy Division. The "colony" that is his other, second life. Peter Hook described Joy Division as being almost a second life to Ian. There was the "domestic" Ian Curtis and the "rock star" Ian Curtis. Now he is confined to nothing but this colony.
"I can't see why all these confrontations, I can't see why all these dislocations, No family life, this makes me feel uneasy, Stood alone here in this colony. In this colony, in this colony, in this colony, in this colony."
No family life -- it sums up what I just said about him being left alone with Joy Division.
" Dear God in his wisdom took you by the hand, God in his wisdom made you understand. God in his wisdom took you by the hand, God in his wisdom made you understand."
Almost as though he is blaming her and sarcastically saying "you understood why you had to leave me to this".
It's a super fucking dark song. It's Ian crying out that he's been abandoned and really begins the process of him deciding to kill himself. Which is why "A Means to An End" (the divorce on the album), is followed by Side 2's "Post-Death Ian Curtis".
Guy was a genius the way he ordered this album to tell a story.