Icon Joy Division Shadowplay
Songs and Lyrics
 
Decades

This page contains the following information about this Joy Division song:
  • details of every known studio recording and every official release;
  • details of any live performances which appear on an official release;
  • my transcription of the song lyrics, noting any significant variations;
  • known cover versions by other artists, and any other interesting facts.
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Track history
Recorded in March 1980 at Britannia Row Studios, Islington, London
Released on Closer and on Heart and Soul
Live performance on May 2nd 1980 at Birmingham University released on Still
Lyrics
Here are the young men, a weight on their shoulders
Here are the young men - well where have they been?
We knocked on doors of Hell's darker chambers
Pushed to the limits, we dragged ourselves in

Watched from the wings as the scenes were replaying
We saw ourselves now as we never had seen
Portrayal of the traumas and degeneration
The sorrows we suffered and never were free
Where have they been --

Weary inside, now our heart's lost forever
Can't replace the fear or the thrill of the chase
These rituals showed up the door for our wanderings
Opened and shut, then slammed in our face
Where have they been --
Other information
Cover versions by:Released on:
Car Crash InternationalArt of Gothic (Cleopatra 1994)
Clair ObscurWe Gave a Party for the Gods ... (Optical Sound OS50 2009)
Comic SpoilersSomething About Joy Division (Vox Pop VP3 1989)
DelaneyRecorded in 2003 but not released commercially
Hearts FailLove's Shattered Pride (Failure To Communicate 2005)
Human DramaPin-Ups (Triple X 51142 1993)
KismetDamjan's War (Paritor 1995)
Love Like BloodChronology of a Love Affair (Hall of Sermon 7074 2001)
Nau EnsembleThe Eternal (Atrium 22108 1999)
New OrderElectric Funeral (Ode To Joy 1987 - bootleg)
  (live from the Royal Festival Hall in 1984)
Plan ESongs for a Rainy Day (Root of All Evil ROE-010 1999)
Rheinallt H RowlandsRecorded in a radio session broadcast on Radio Cymru
Theatre of TragedyBalance (Ego Development 001 1997)
A Rose for the Dead (Massacre CD0130 1997)
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