Tell me my life is about to begin
Tell me that I am a hero
Promise me all of your violent dreams
Light up your body with anger
Now, in this ugly world
It is time to destroy all this evil
Now, when I give a word
Get ready to fight for your freedom
Now

Stand up and fight, for you know we are right
We must strike at the lies
That have spread like disease through our minds
Soon we'll have power, every soldier will rest
And we'll spread out our kindness
To all who our love now deserve
Some of you are going to die
Martyrs of course to the freedom that I shall provide

I'll give you the names of those you must kill
All must die with their children
Carry their heads to the palace of old
Hang them high, let the blood flow
Now, in this ugly world
Break all the chains around us
Now, the crusade has begun
Give us a land fit for heroes
Now

Stand up and fight, for you know we are right
We must strike at the lies
That have spread like disease through our minds
Soon we'll have power, every soldier will rest
And we'll spread out our kindness
To all who our love now deserve
Some of you are going to die
Martyrs of course to the freedom that I shall provide

We are only wanting freedom
We are only wanting freedom
We are only wanting freedom
We are only wanting freedom (Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom)
We are only wanting freedom (Things are getting out of control here today)
We are only wanting freedom (OK men, fire over their heads!)

We have won

Some of you are going to die
Martyrs of course to the freedom that I shall provide


Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

The Knife Lyrics as written by Anthony Phillips Anthony Banks

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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The Knife song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Peter Gabriel said in an 80s interview, looking back, that this was "a great showstopper", and their early shows often finished with it. But it's also easy to hear this as a kind of statement against the cult of all kinds of avantgarde terror groups (the Baader-Meinhof group, the Weathermen etc) and guerillas which flourished around 1970. I think the group knew this on some level.

    tinderboxon July 28, 2005   Link

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