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  1. Tracks
  2. Joy Division
  3. Substance
  4. Failures
Failures by Joy Division

TRACK

Joy Division

Failures

Release date: 3rd June 1978

From Substance
Spotify More on Joy Division

About This Track

"Failures" is a track by Joy Division, from the album Substance, released 3rd June 1978. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about Joy Division.

About the Artist

Joy Division

Joy Division

Lyrics

Failures

[Verse 1]

Don't speak of false messiahs

Failure of the modern man

To the center of all life's desires

As a whole not an also-ran

[Verse 2]

Love in a hollow field

Break the image of your father's son

Drawn to an inner feel

He was thought of as the only one

[Chorus]

He no longer denies

All the failures of the Modern Man

He no longer pick sides

Sees the failures of the Modern Man

[Verse 3]

Wise words and sympathy

Tell the story of our history

New strength gives a real touch

Sense and reason make it all too much

[Verse 4]

With a strange fatality

Break the spirits of a lesser man

Some other race can see

In his way he was the only one

[Solo]

[Chorus]

He no longer denies

All the failures of the Modern Man

No, no, he can't pick sides

Sees the failures of the Modern Man

[Verse 5]

Now that it's right to decide

In his time he was a total man

Taken from Caesar's side

Kept in silence just to prove who's wrong

[Chorus]

No, no he can’t despise

All the failures of the Modern Man

No, no longer denies

All the failures of the Modern Man

[Solo]

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Substance

1978
Listen
Album
Substance
Substance
Joy Division
Release year
1978
  1. —Autosuggestion
  2. —As You Said
  3. —Incubation
  4. —These Days
  5. —Dead Souls
  6. —She’s Lost Control (12" Mix)
  7. —Love Will Tear Us Apart (Pennine Version)
  8. —Novelty
  9. —Transmission
  10. —From Safety to Where...?
  11. —Glass
  12. —Digital
  13. —Leaders of Men
  14. —Warsaw
  15. —No Love Lost
  16. —Failures

More from Joy Division

Albums & EPs

St. Georges Hall, Bradford
2026
Young Hearts Fail (Live At The Moonlight Club, London, UK, April 3, 1980)
2025
Exhibition (Paradiso, Amsterdam 11th January 1980)
2024
Time Fades Away
2024
A New Dawn Fades
2022
Alternate Still
2022

Explore

More tracks by Joy Division

  1. AtmosphereYoung Hearts Fail (Live At The Moonlight Club, London, UK, April 3, 1980)
  2. AtmosphereYoung Hearts Fail (Live At The Moonlight Club, London, UK, April 3, 1980)
  3. AtmosphereExhibition (Paradiso, Amsterdam 11th January 1980)
  4. Atrocity ExhibitionYoung Hearts Fail (Live At The Moonlight Club, London, UK, April 3, 1980)
  5. Atrocity ExhibitionTime Fades Away
  6. Atrocity ExhibitionExhibition (Paradiso, Amsterdam 11th January 1980)
  7. ColonySt. Georges Hall, Bradford
  8. ColonyYoung Hearts Fail (Live At The Moonlight Club, London, UK, April 3, 1980)
  9. ColonyTime Fades Away
  10. Dead SoulsSt. Georges Hall, Bradford

Showing 10 of 50

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The Smiths

Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer
Bernard Sumner, Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris
Producer
Joy Division
Engineer
Paul Adshead
Bass
Peter Hook
Drums
Stephen Morris
Guitar
Bernard Sumner
Vocals
Ian Curtis
READ MORE ABOUT JOY DIVISIONREAD MORE ABOUT JOY DIVISIONREAD MORE ABOUT JOY DIVISIONREAD MORE ABOUT JOY DIVISION
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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have revealed their 2026 class including Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, Iron Maiden and Joy Division / New Order
News

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have revealed their 2026 class including Oasis, Wu-Tang Clan, Iron Maiden and Joy Division / New Order

A record six British acts are honoured, surpassing 2019's haul of five.

14 Apr 2026 • 7:42 am