Skip to content

Twenty Four Hours

Joy Division

aka “Twenty-Four Hours”

1980
375
Live performances
1
Recording
62
Release appearances
1
Covered by

Lyrics

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

Oh how I realized how I wanted time,
…
View full lyrics 
So this is permanence, love's shattered pride. 
What once was innocence, turned on its side. 
A cloud hangs over me, marks every move,
Deep in the memory, of what once was love. 

Oh how I realized how I wanted time,
Put into perspective, tried so hard to find,
Just for one moment I 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, 
A 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.

Versions & Mixes

Recordings, remixes and alternate mixes of this composition.

  • Album Version 4:26
  • BBC Sessions 1979-11-26 4:10
  • Live 1979-12-18 4:12
  • Live 1980-02-28 4:39
  • Live 1980-05-02 4:10

Release Appearances

62 known appearances

Closer

Closer

1980
Still

Still

1981
1977 - 1980

1977 - 1980

1991
Permanent

Permanent

1995
Permanent: Joy Division 1995

Permanent: Joy Division 1995

1995
Heart & Soul

Heart & Soul

1997
Heart And Soul

Heart And Soul

1997
Preston 28 February 1980

Preston 28 February 1980

1999

Fractured Box

2001
Les Bains Douches 18 December 1979

Les Bains Douches 18 December 1979

2001
Before & After

Before & After

2002
Closer / Unknown Pleasures

Closer / Unknown Pleasures

2010

Videos

View on Transmission →

Live History

375
Total performances
First known performance
2 Oct 1979
Mountford Hall, University of Liverpool, Liverpool
Last known performance
4 Jun 2026
Manchester Academy 1, Manchester

Recent performances

Showing 20 of 375 total

Covered By (1)

Versus

Sources

MusicBrainz work ↗ MusicBrainz recording ↗