The Joy Circuit
Gary Numan Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Send in the guards
We are all new faces
I'm so sorry
But my reasons are wrong
My reasons are wrong

We are on joy circuit
The image fix
Rewind, cry
Well it's somewhere to go
Well it's somewhere to go

Tell me of your pain
Love it, love it
Show me the new way
Love it, love it
It's so unusual




But all I find is a reason to die
A reason to die

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Gary Numan's The Joy Circuit suggest a feeling of unease; the singer is asking for the guards to be sent in, as everyone around them is a new face, suggesting they are in unfamiliar territory. The second line - "I'm so sorry, but my reasons are wrong" - provides further insight into the singer's state of mind. There's a sense of guilt or shame that the singer is grappling with, though we don't know exactly what for.


The repetition of the phrase "joy circuit" throughout the song suggests some kind of system or machine that's been created to give people pleasure or joy. It's unclear whether this is literal or metaphorical, but it seems to be a central part of the world Numan has created for this song. The line "Tell me of your pain/Love it, love it" suggests that pleasure and pain are intertwined in some way, and the following lines - "Show me the new way/Love it, love it" - suggest a desire for novelty, even if it leads to self-destruction. The final line, "All I find is a reason to die," is a bleak statement but also a powerful one; it suggests that sometimes pleasure and pain can't be separated, and that the pursuit of joy can sometimes lead us down dark paths.


Line by Line Meaning

Send in the guards
Call for reinforcements to protect us


We are all new faces
We are all strangers in this place


I’m so sorry
I apologize for what I’ve done


But my reasons are wrong
Though I apologize, the motivation for my actions is not justified


My reasons are wrong
Reiterating that my justifications are not valid


We are on joy circuit
We are caught in a cycle of pleasure-seeking


The image fix
We are obsessed with appearances


Rewind, cry
Reflecting on our past and feeling sorrowful


Well it’s somewhere to go
Despite its flaws, we still find comfort in this cycle


Tell me of your pain
Share your struggles with me


Love it, love it
Embrace pain and hardship to grow from it


Show me the new way
Introduce me to a positive path forward


It’s so unusual
This new path is not what we’re used to


But all I find is a reason to die
Despite seeking a better way, I still feel hopeless and have suicidal thoughts




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gary Anthony Webb, Gary Anthony James Webb

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions