So this is permanent, love's shattered pride
What once was innocence, turned on its side
A cloud hangs over me, marks every move
Deep in the memory, what once was love

Oh, how I realized how I wanted time
Put into perspective, tried so hard to find
Just for one moment, thought I'd found my way
Destiny unfolded, I watched it slip away

Excessive flashpoints, beyond all reach
Solitary demands for all I'd like to keep
Let's take a ride out, see what we can find
Valueless collection of hopes and past desires

I never realized the lengths I'd have to go
All the darkest corners of a sense I didn't know
Just for one moment, I heard somebody call
Looked beyond the day in hand, there's nothing there at all

Now that I've realized how it's all gone wrong
Gotta find some therapy, this treatment takes too long
Deep in the heart of where sympathy held sway
Gotta find my destiny before it gets too late


Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by giantsquid, nmazidi, BlumpkinLord

Twenty Four Hours Lyrics as written by Ian Kevin Curtis Bernard Sumner

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group

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Twenty Four Hours song meanings
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41 Comments

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  • +9
    General Comment

    This about the day Ian totally fell apart beyond any hope, with only his willpower to maintain his life (and he lost even that). It's about living all your mistakes in the span of a day. Everything goes wrong, you are a total idiot, and don't understand enough of what you need to know. And he's hurting badly for company he can't find.

    Blithewateron May 29, 2002   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    "I never realised the lengths I'd have to go All the darkest corners of a sense I didn't know Just for one moment I heard somebody call Looked beyond the day in hand, there's nothing there at all"

    That's the bit that gets to me. Amazing song.

    Mr Jacksonon March 13, 2008   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    "Grey cloud hangs over me, marks every move" It's not the British weather he's on about here. That just about sums up the state of his mind when he was writing this song. This is about as close as you can get to being inside the mind of someone ready to top themselves. Don't listen to it on acid though.

    surfermarkon September 04, 2008   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    jd music is the most intensely emotional music ever-- true, earnest conveyance of inner feelings of sadness and realization of failures, possibly brought upon by love-- as examplified in this song and "gay"? arm go f*ck urself

    iancurtisfeelingon April 13, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    (So this is permanence, love's shattered pride) - Everyone is born into Permanence, as if you are a captive, with no chance of escape. He made his marriage vows.

    (What once was innocence, turned on its side) - it was innocent till he ventured after Pride jealousy ambition. Such traits common among those who manage to get ahead in the world, but do characteristics like that make it easier to keep marriage vows?

    (Grey cloud hangs over me, marks every move) - but now your left with shame. it creeps all over you, keep your vows.

    (Deep in the memory of what once was love) - fondness may have faded but was it his fantasy to be loved and famous?

    (Oh, how I realised how I wanted time) - he's answering the question right here.

    (Put into perspective, tried so hard to find) - he loved David Bowie right?... haunted by a fantasy he filled his own mind with, but forgot he was committed.

    (Just for one moment I thought I'd found my way) - The J()Y he must have felt at first on stage... that CHASE we all feel while preparing a show... but if you lose yourself in it, you'll never be satisfied.

    (Destiny unfolded, I watched it slip away) - he knew the out come.

    (Excessive flashpoints, beyond all reach) - Close your eyes and think of a selfish fantasy... it flashes by but its still just that.. a fantasy.

    (Solitary demands for all I'd like to keep) - Loneliness demands all the things that we'd like to keep, we should be lacking nothing.

    (Let's take a ride out, see what we can find) - Try Try Try as you might, its reality you have to embrace, its the noble ones who protect the human race.

    (A valueless collection of hopes and past desires) - His wife, and sadly his daughter.

    (I never realized the lengths I'd have to go) - does anyone now days when they think they should get married before their ready?

    (All the darkest corners of a sense I didn't know) - it is dark.

    (Just for one moment I heard somebody call) - sadness is never fun.

    (Looked beyond the day in hand, there's nothing there at all) - Consider it all Joy, when YOU meet with various trials, knowing as YOU do that this tested quality works out endurance. But let endurance have its work complete, that YOU may be complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything.

    (Now that I've realized how it's all gone wrong) - .... really?

    (Got to find some therapy, this treatment takes too long) - This is the area before he died that we all wondered? it is very unfair haw much medication Ian had to take and its still sad. that's why we all still love him!

    (Deep in the heart of where sympathy held sway) - The source of all suffering is a mistake at the infancy of all of us Brothers & Sisters, and he still continues to plague us but the key to all of this is one thing: Gods Sovereignty the only one who has sympathy and the only one who can bring Ian back to us.

    (Got to find my destiny before it gets too late) - His destiny was to serve and he never knew.

    If anyone reads this just know that i had known him better that all would know. if anyone hurts the same way Ian did i encourage you to read your Bible daily and pray for someone to come help you in sincerity. Psalm 83:18 his arm is never to short to let Sympathy hold sway.

    Benchmarkon August 25, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    One of the saddest song lyrics Ian Curtis wrote. The entire song is like a door shut on personal happiness, trying to live through that realization and the gradual knowingness that happiness won't occur again. The music supports this and ends with a question mark in sound, instead of a usual minor chord - almost like saying is that all it is? The doubt is there in the music, perhaps although it is not apparent in the lyrics. One of the best Joy Division songs, ever.

    deadeyeon October 15, 2015   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Here I was preparing to verbally abuse Arm and everyone else did it for me.

    This song really frightened me when I first heard it. Sent a chill down my spine. Mainly the line- "Looked beyond the day in hand, there's nothing there at all" -It's the most telling moment of the song. The tempo changes, his voice wavers: he's cracking.

    ahartlineon December 08, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is without a doubt the feelings which attributed to his death. The first 3 verses seem to be In past tense, as if he is telling the story of someone who has had enough,hung himself,and is commenting as a ghost: oh how I realised how I wanted time(regret),to put into perspective,try so hard to find(lamenting),just for one moment,thought I found my way(optimistic), destiny unfolded,watched it slip away(at the moment of the rope,he realised what he's done. And the continuing verses reiterate then deviate but still. I think I have a point

    daithigreeon June 08, 2017   Link
  • +2
    My Opinion

    "Just for one moment thought I'd found my way/destiny unfolded/I watched it slip away"

    Best line ever

    mbrsbshon August 26, 2017   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    You are insane... this song is amazing both lyrically and musically. Ian Curtis was a genius... its a shame he was taken away from us so early... Arm, you should be shot

    and i like Blithes view of the song

    Girgoon October 06, 2004   Link

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