Isolation
Joy Division Lyrics

In fear every day, every evening
The singer is living in constant fear and anxiety, not just during the day or night, but all the time.

He calls her aloud from above
The singer is calling out to someone, perhaps a higher power or a loved one, but it's unclear if they can hear him.

Carefully watched for a reason
The singer feels like they are constantly being monitored or scrutinized, and they don't know why.

Painstaking devotion and love
Despite the fear and uncertainty, the artist is still devoted to someone or something they love very much.

Surrendered to self-preservation
The artist has given up on trying to reach out to others and is only focused on taking care of themselves.

From others who care for themselves
The singer sees that other people are also only looking out for themselves, and this makes them feel isolated and disconnected.

A blindness that touches perfection
The singer feels like their isolation has turned them into a sort of perfect, untouched being, but this perfection is empty and painful.

But hurts just like anything else
Even though the artist may seem immune to pain, they are still human and feel hurt like anyone else.

Mother, I tried, please believe me
The artist is speaking directly to their mother and asking for her understanding, recognition, and love.

I'm doing the best that I can
Despite everything, the artist is trying their hardest to keep going and move forward.

I'm ashamed of the things I've been put through
The singer feels a sense of shame over the hardships and struggles they have experienced.

I'm ashamed of the person I am
The artist feels ashamed of who they are and what they have become because of the isolation and pain they have endured.

But if you could just see the beauty
Despite everything, the singer can still see beauty and wonder in the world around them, and they wish others could see it too.

These things I could never describe
The beauty and wonder the singer sees is beyond words and cannot be adequately explained or understood by others.

These pleasures, a wayward distraction
The beauty and wonder the singer sees are a sort of fleeting pleasure that distracts them from the pain and isolation they feel.

This is my one lucky prize
Despite everything, the beauty and wonder the artist sees are like a small, lucky reward for enduring so much pain and isolation.

Isolation, isolation, isolation, isolation, isolation
The repeated refrain highlights how the feeling of isolation is ever-present and constant throughout the song.