Transmission – English Lyrics

• By: Joy Division

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a unique journey, and Joy Division's "Transmission" offers a powerful entry point into the English language and the post-punk mindset. The song's repetitive, declarative lyrics like "Listen to the silence" and "Dance to the radio" provide clear, memorable phrases. What makes "Transmission" special is its raw emotion and historical context, reflecting the anxieties of a generation in late 1970s Britain. By exploring this song, you not only learn vocabulary but also gain insight into a significant cultural moment.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
transmission /trænzˈmɪʃən/ B2	noun - the action or process of transmitting something or the state of being transmitted.
radio /ˈreɪdioʊ/ A1	noun - the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves.
live /lɪv/ A1	adjective - (of a performance) broadcast at the time of its occurrence.
listen /ˈlɪsən/ A1	verb - give one's attention to a sound.
silence /ˈsaɪləns/ B1	noun - complete absence of sound.
ring /rɪŋ/ A2	verb - (of a bell) sound loudly and clearly.
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - each of a pair of globular organs in the head through which people and vertebrate animals see.
dark /dɑːrk/ A1	adjective - with little or no light.
grey /ɡreɪ/ A1	adjective - of a color intermediate between black and white.
lenses /ˈlɛnzɪz/ B1	noun - a piece of glass or other transparent substance with curved sides for concentrating or dispersing light rays, used in eyeglasses, cameras, and other optical instruments.
frightened /ˈfraɪtənd/ B1	adjective - afraid; feeling fear or anxiety.
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to Earth.
fine /faɪn/ A2	adjective - of high quality; good.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours.
blind /blaɪnd/ B1	adjective - unable to see because of injury, disease, or a congenital condition. verb - deprive (someone) of sight.
destruction /dɪˈstrʌkʃən/ B2	noun - the action or process of causing so much damage to something that it no longer exists or cannot be repaired.
sight /saɪt/ B1	noun - the ability to see.
wrong /rɔːŋ/ A2	adjective - not correct or true; incorrect.
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - put or keep out of sight.
days /deɪz/ A1	noun - each of the twenty-four-hour periods, reckoned from one midnight to the next, into which a year is divided.
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - having no one else present; lonely.
place /pleɪs/ A1	noun - a particular position or area.
distance /ˈdɪstəns/ B1	noun - the length of space between two points.
dance /dæns/ A1	verb - move rhythmically to music.
tough /tʌf/ B1	adjective - difficult; requiring effort and determination.
things /θɪŋz/ A1	noun - an object that one need not, cannot, or does not wish to give a specific name to.
language /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/ A1	noun - the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way.
sound /saʊnd/ A1	noun - vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection.
beat /biːt/ A2	noun - a main accent or rhythmic unit in music.
show /ʃoʊ/ A1	noun - a spectacle or display, typically an organized event.

Key Grammar Structures

• Listen to the silence, let it ring on

  ➔ Imperative + Infinitive without 'to'

  ➔ The sentence uses the imperative form "Listen" followed by the infinitive "let" without "to." This construction is common for giving commands or making strong suggestions. "Let it ring on" means to allow the silence to continue.

• Eyes, dark grey lenses frightened of the sun

  ➔ Participle Phrase (reduced relative clause)

  ➔ "frightened of the sun" acts as a participle phrase modifying "lenses". The implied relative clause would be "which are frightened of the sun". The participle phrase adds descriptive detail.

• We would have a fine time living in the night

  ➔ Conditional Mood (Hypothetical)

  ➔ The use of "would have" suggests a hypothetical situation. It implies that living in the night and having a fine time is something they are not currently doing, but could potentially do.

• Left to blind destruction

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective (Passive Voice Implied)

  ➔ "Left" is a past participle acting as an adjective to describe the state of being. It implies that they were passively "left" to this destructive fate, rather than actively choosing it.

• The things that we've learnt are no longer enough

  ➔ Relative Clause with Subject-Verb Agreement

  ➔ "that we've learnt" is a relative clause modifying "the things". The verb "are" agrees with the plural noun "things".

• No language, just sound, that's all we need know

  ➔ Reduced Relative Clause (Ellipsis)

  ➔ The full sentence could be "No language, just sound, that's all we need *to* know". The "to" of the infinitive "to know" is elided after "need."

• To synchronise love to the beat of the show

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ The infinitive "To synchronise" expresses the purpose or reason for the previous statement about needing only sound. It explains why sound is sufficient.