Prod… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Ian Curtis, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook & Stephen Morris.
Produced by Martin Hannett.
Recorded March 1980, Britannia Row, London.
Released 18 July 1980 on Closer.
Personnel Vocals by Ian Curtis. Guitar by Bernard Sumner. Bass by Peter Hook. Drums by Stephen Morris.
Colony
Joy Division Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
A worried parent's glance, a kiss, a last goodbye
Hands him the bag she packed, the tears she tries to hide
And leaves him standing cold here in 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
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
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
In this colony
In this colony
In this colony
In this colony
The lyrics of Joy Division's "Colony" are haunting and intense, depicting a sense of desolation and despair that characterizes the band's post-punk style. The song suggests a narrative of loss and isolation, as the singer reflects on a place where he used to meet with others, but which is now abandoned and left to decay. The opening lines ("A cry for help, a hint of anesthesia / The sound from broken homes") evoke a sense of trauma and neglect, where the individual is both wounded and numbed by the harsh realities of life.
The lyrics then shift to a scene of farewell and departure, where a parent bids goodbye to a child they are sending away ("A worried parent's glance, a kiss, a last goodbye / Hands him the bag she packed, the tears she tries to hide"). The cruelty of the world is emphasized by the metaphor of the wind ("a cruel wind that blows down to our lunacy"), which seems to assail the individual and leave them stranded in a cold and desolate place.
The song ends with repeated calls to God, suggesting a need for divine intervention or salvation ("Dear God in his wisdom took you by the hand / God in his wisdom made you understand"). The sense of longing and despair is palpable, as the singer seeks solace in something beyond this world. All in all, "Colony" is a powerful meditation on the human condition, and the ways in which we cope with the difficulties of life.
Line by Line Meaning
A cry for help, a hint of anesthesia
Starting with a cry for help, which sounds very distressed and anxious, there is a hint of anesthesia, indicating that the person is trying to numb themselves.
The sound from broken homes
The sound being referred to here is not a literal sound but rather a feeling of distress coming from broken homes, indicating the impact of broken homes on people's lives.
We used to always meet here
This could be a memory from the past where two people would meet in this specific location.
As he lays asleep, she takes him in her arms
This could be referring to a moment of intimacy between two people.
Some things I have to do, but I don't mean you harm
This line could be hinting at someone being involved in something dangerous that isn't meant to harm the person they are addressing.
A worried parent's glance, a kiss, a last goodbye
This line could describe a parent saying goodbye to their child, perhaps because they are leaving for college or enlisting in the military.
Hands him the bag she packed, the tears she tries to hide
The parent is giving their child a bag they packed for their departure, and they are trying to hide their sadness and tears.
A cruel wind that blows down to our lunacy
The cruel wind symbolizes something negative or harmful that is impacting people's lives and driving them to lunacy or mental instability.
And leaves him standing cold here in this colony
Whatever is happening is leaving the person or people in question isolated and cold in this metaphorical or literal colony.
I can't see why all these confrontations
The person is confused by or doesn't understand why there are so many confrontations happening.
I can't see why all these dislocations
The dislocations referred to here could mean physical displacement or emotional upheaval or a combination of the two.
No family life, this makes me feel uneasy
The lack of a supportive family structure is causing the person to feel uneasy or anxious.
Stood alone here in this colony
The person feels isolated and alone in this colony or community.
Dear God in his wisdom took you by the hand
This line is likely a reference to death, with God taking someone by the hand and leading them away from this world.
God in his wisdom made you understand
Another reference to death, with God helping the person who has died to understand the mysteries of the universe or their own existence.
In this colony
Repeating the phrase throughout the song adds emphasis to the feeling of being isolated or trapped in this community or world.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bernard Sumner, Ian Kevin Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Paul David Morris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wedgeromewedgerome
Surreal Justice
Trust the world and you shall reap its rewards.
Reality is a modern art movement.
Speak honestly and people will love you for it.
The vast truth is more twisted, misaligned, gnarled, and formless.
Creativity breaks the rules then rearranges them.
Integrity in engineering sells products not advertising.
Architecture dreams of math.
Art is intuitive and automatic.
@lever.theeyeofthesource
The Witch Expression
Mirna's mind is an icy battle
calling forth all sorts, all people,
dicey demons, angels, agents,
to drive upon her enemy.
She's sitting cross-legged on the floor,
her expression is fated blank.
There's someone she can't quite explain,
project up high to overthrow.
Then society closes in,
she's withdrawn to a witch battle
so she's lost in scatterbrains,
as a limply laying expression.
-Aldec the Alchemist, Nib C-2
@MechanizedBlood_1812
Parrying the Waker! Chasing the Thrust!
It seems like such a fancy day,
to be a goth in espionage!
I'd be just like a vampire peasant,
wearing black, under an old lost lineage.
Their fancy sterile crown environments,
their slated mines and frowns.
It seems like such a fancy day
to dap and dome a crown.
I'd be blind to all their secrecy,
so racing, to and fro.
Unaware of all the impending danger,
with an unrequited glow.
I'd park my rod by winches,
and waterwheel my thrust,
parrying the waker and chasing down some rust.
Handing out to maiden's flowers,
for climbing knots to bust.
Unaware in confusion,
as she drops them for her lust.
Tiding them in moon water
full of bees and bloody puss.
I'd be without an inch of truth,
no Devil for my mind.
Flying to a witches' Sabbath
spiritually blind.
I'd shower silver on the rich.
I'd show up at their launches.
It seems like such a fancy day,
to be a Goth in espionage!
I'll take a knotted noose,
hanging friends by hanging haunches!
I took a lot of LSD,
I carried around a dirk.
I was an agent of the darkest espionage,
like the CIA for work.
It seems like such a difficult day
to copy from a book.
Instead, I'll climb a rafter high.
I'll go chase Captain Hook.
-A. F.
@MechanizedBlood_1812
The Spiritual Plane "Good Versus Evil"
How do I tell if a spirit is good or bad?
SPIRITS- Malevolent in nature, Appear in the form of whitish or dark flying lines. (I suppose some may appear in colors but these are rarer.)
INTELLIGENT BEINGS- Good in nature, Appear with human-like forms.
Any action within the spiritual plane is intrinsically linked to human action, such as a war in Heaven would constitute certain actions in mankind like a war. The appearance of any spirit reveals its place in the hierarchy as the more human-like its form the higher its place overall. Spirits sometimes do not retain any specific appearance or may need to find a body that suits their nature. Ex. Lucifer appears in the form of a fair boy and turns red when angered. There is nothing monstrous about his appearance. In the Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy are many manners of spirits described in their forms that may appear to humankind. Therefore, it depend on how a spirit appears as to their intention whether good or bad. A human-like form has good intentions and a strand-like appearance constitutes a malevolent intention.
ARITHMANCY
How do I tell the ruling star of anyone born? This is done by taking their name and both parents names and adding up the numbers from the arithmancy chart and gathering the remainder after dividing by 9.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
A B C D E F G H I
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
K L M N O P Q R S
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
T U X Y Z I V HI HV
No Remainder or 4 = Sun
2 or 7, Moon
3, Jupiter
5, Mercury
6, Venus
8, Saturn
9, Mars
Within lie Occult mysteries understood by few, for the Most High created all things by number, measure, and weight, and names are not instituted by a casual office but with a certain rule.
@gamecat1923
A cry for help, a hint of anaesthesia has to be one of the greatest opening lines ever.
@sgtxbox
Joy Division, a group of young men not realizing the masterpieces they were creating with their angst.
@ak47is
They thought they were already grown up adults and they were already fed up with life, Specially Ian
@kameronnelson5092
Sorry to be offtopic but does anyone know of a trick to get back into an instagram account??
I was stupid lost my login password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me
@juancasen9776
@Kameron Nelson Instablaster ;)
@kameronnelson5092
@Juan Casen Thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and im waiting for the hacking stuff now.
Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
@kameronnelson5092
@Juan Casen It worked and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thanks so much, you really help me out!
@thedoc1210
after listening to Closer for forty years and loving it, the production and music never ceases to amaze me.
@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa
Same here. The more I listen to it, the more it sounds flawless.
@beastieboy9286
Never heard a record sound so perfect and crystal clear beats any crap george martin done anyday of the week.