Heart & Soul
Joy Division Lyrics


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Instincts that can still betray us
A journey that leads to the sun
Soulless and bent on destruction
A struggle between right and wrong

You take my place in the showdown
I'll observe with a pitiful eye
And humbly ask for forgiveness
A request well beyond you and I

Heart and soul, one will burn
Heart and soul, one will burn

An abyss that laughs at creation
A circus complete with all fools
Foundations that lasted the ages
Then ripped apart at their roots

Beyond all this good is the terror
The grip of a mercenary hand
When savagery turns all good reason
There's no turning back, no last stand

Heart and soul, one will burn
Heart and soul, one will burn

Existence well what does it matter?
I exist on the best terms I can
The past is now part of my future
The present is well out of hand
The present is well out of hand

Heart and soul, one will burn
Heart and soul, one will burn




One will burn, one will burn
Heart and soul, one will burn

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joy Division's "Heart and Soul" delve deep into the human psyche and the internal struggles that individuals go through. The song lyrically explores the conflict between one's inner demons and the struggle to maintain morality and decency. It starts with the allusion of the ever-prevailing primitive instincts that can lead to destruction and the battle between what is right and what is wrong.


The second verse creates a visual of a showdown where the singer succumbs to his demons as he willingly lets someone else take his place. He watches on as an observer with a pitiful eye, humbly seeking forgiveness, something well beyond him and the person he's watching. The lyrics beautifully explore the idea of how the heart and soul of an individual are at war with each other, creating a conflict that can lead to destruction.


The chorus of the song references the inevitability of the outcome as it states, "Heart and soul, one will burn." The lyrics of the final verse give a sense of an existential crisis as the singer ponders critically on the existence and its worth. The past is now part of the future, and the present is out of hand, an implicit commentary on how our lives are shaped by our past and uncontrollable present.


Line by Line Meaning

Instincts that can still betray us,
Our natural impulses can deceive us and lead to harm.


A journey that leads to the sun,
The search for enlightenment and truth.


Soulless and bent on destruction,
A lack of compassion and purpose, driven towards ruin.


A struggle between right and wrong
The internal conflict between morality and temptation.


You take my place in the showdown,
You take the lead in the confrontation.


I'll observe with a pitiful eye,
I will watch with empathy but no direct involvement.


I'll humbly ask for forgiveness,
I will acknowledge fault and seek pardon.


A request well beyond you and I
An appeal for forgiveness that is beyond our control.


Heart and soul, one will burn
One's very being will be consumed by conflict or passion.


An abyss that laughs at creation,
A void or emptiness that mocks existence.


A circus complete with all fools,
A spectacle of foolish behavior and spectacle.


Foundations that lasted the ages,
Stable structures that endured through time.


Then ripped apart at their roots
Destroyed at their very foundation.


Beyond all this goo's is the terror,
Beneath the surface lies an underlying horror or fear.


The grip of a mercenary hand,
The control of a profit-driven force.


When savagery turns all good reason,
When brutality overwhelms logic and morality.


There's no turning back, no last stand
No chance to reverse or defend against the destruction.


Existence well what does it matter?
What is the point or meaning of existence?


I exist on the best terms I can
I live in the way that is most fulfilling or comfortable for me.


The past is now part of my future,
The past influences and shapes my destiny.


The present is well out of hand
The present is chaotic and beyond control.


One will burn, one will burn
One force or entity will consume or destroy the other.


Heart and soul, one will burn
One's very essence will be destroyed in the conflict.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ian Kevin Curtis, Bernard Summer, Peter Hook, Stephen Paul David Morris

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Miau


on New Dawn Fades

I really like the fact that this explanation is thorough and provides some insight regarding the song's meaning, seen by the line by line meaning. It is true that the listener is open to interpretations, the way that they personally perceive the song, how it might resonate with them on an intimal level. Though, like the majority of songs, there is a "standard definition" , I would say that everyone is open to their own interpretations based on the overall perspective of the listener. Like this analysis,, I have my own respective one. This is by far one of the most "optimistic" meanings granted to the song. Personally, I always correlated the sing with a more pessimistic meaning, but like any other form of art, songs are open to interpretation and thats what makes it all special and awesome.

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