The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
I've been waiting for something to happen
For a week or a month or a year
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
You might ask what it takes to remember
When you know that you've seen it before
Where a government lies to a people
And a country is drifting to war
There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who send the guns
To the wars that are fought in places
Where their business interests run
On the radio talk shows and TV
You hear one thing again and again
How the USA stands for freedom
And we come to the aid of a friend
But who are the ones that we call our friends?
These governments killing their own?
Or the people who finally can't take anymore
And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who fan the flames
Of the wars that are fought in places
Where we can't even say the names
They sell us the president the same way
They sell us our clothes and our cars
They sell us everything from youth to religion
The same time they sell us our wars
I want to know who the men in the shadows are
I want to hear somebody asking them why
They can't be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
But they're never the ones to fight or to die
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
For a week or a month or a year
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
You might ask what it takes to remember
When you know that you've seen it before
Where a government lies to a people
And a country is drifting to war
There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who send the guns
To the wars that are fought in places
Where their business interests run
On the radio talk shows and TV
You hear one thing again and again
How the USA stands for freedom
And we come to the aid of a friend
But who are the ones that we call our friends?
These governments killing their own?
Or the people who finally can't take anymore
And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who fan the flames
Of the wars that are fought in places
Where we can't even say the names
They sell us the president the same way
They sell us our clothes and our cars
They sell us everything from youth to religion
The same time they sell us our wars
I want to know who the men in the shadows are
I want to hear somebody asking them why
They can't be counted on to tell us who our enemies are
But they're never the ones to fight or to die
And there are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire
Lyrics submitted by DHMachine31
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I agree. What Jackson Browne was singing in the 1980s still rings true today.
"But there never the ones to fight or to die" - Bush took a duty as a national guardsmen so he wouldn't have to die for his country, something he claims to be the essence of patritiosm. And then he has the audactiy to send other young kids to die when he was to cowardly to do it himself.
@Tmo2199 There's no dishonor serving your country in the National Guard. Those folks lay it on the line, too.
@ron1021338 Way to (purposely?) miss the point. ????
This song also rings pretty true with what many people would consider "conspiracy theory." The people with money and influence are the ones who run things behind the scene. There are people who profit off of the wars, and who influence who becomes presidential canidates with their own hand.
This song rings so true.
Wow, can't believe nobody has commented on this song. Sure, it wasn't written specifically to target Bush, but it fits pretty damn well. The original album version is OK, but the new acoustic version kicks ass.
Does the phrase history repeats itself mean anything to anyone?
@boltau we don't learn from our mistakes ... or if you prefer we keep doing the same thing expecting a different result (then are surprised when history repeats itself again and again)
At the time this was writen, I thought it was about the US supporting dictatorships in Latin America - anyone remember El Salvador, the Contras, or 9-11 of 1973 in Chile?
The places may have changed, but not much else.
This song is timeless -- the mark of a truly gifted writer.
I like that he had the boldness to mention the SHADOW GOVT. Altho, he must not really take that to heart, or he'd realize that Dems and Repugnants are flip sides of the same coin. He wouldn't be campaigning for Edwards and Obama. Waste of time, IMO. The agenda goes forward no matter which party is in power. i.e. no balanced budget, LOL. Obama is furthering the war, not bringing guys home.
Wish he'd give up on his alignment with 1 of the 2 parties...waste of time!
I want to know who the men in the shadows are I want to hear somebody asking them why