In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The enemy is dead
I can't believe what I said
The enemy is dead
Did it only exist in our head?
Sheltered from the evils of the world until the truth is seen
Sheltered from realities of life, your human rights are free
Freedom, taken for granted 'cause we don't know what oppression means
Freedom, taken for granted by the leaders who would crush the dream
A crack, exposing human rights
Light against a granite sky
A crack, exposing human rights
A fire burns
For the freedom, for the freedom, for the freedom
Never given but taken
For the freedom
Die for the reason
One man stands
Hard as he waits for freedom's hand
A unified voice for freedom of choice
One man stands for
Life
He'll give his
Would you give yours to fight for a cause
One man stands
And the wall cracks, and the wall cracks
And the wall cracks, and the walls come crumbling
Down with old ideals that could never work in modern times
Free choice, religious freedom, basic rights are on the bottom
line
Down with all the icons of the past cold war and detente
The flock no longer fears the wolf, the flock is taking what it
wants
A crack, exposing human rights
Light against the granite sky
A crack, exposing human rights
A fire burns
For the freedom, for the freedom, for the freedom
Never given but taken
For the freedom
Die for the reason
One man stands
Hard as he waits for freedom's hand
A unified voice for freedom of choice
One man stands for
Life
He'll give his
Would you give yours to fight for a cause
One man stands
And the wall cracks, and the wall cracks
And the wall cracks, and the walls come crumbling
Down!
One man stands for life - I never questioned
One life costs us all - they love their children
Every man stands and fights - who is my enemy?
One man's rule will fall - one man stands
One man stands
Hard as he waits for freedom's hand
A unified voice for freedom of choice
One man stands for
Life
He'll give his
Would you give yours to fight for a cause
One man stands
And the wall cracks, and the wall cracks
And the wall cracks, and the walls come crumbling
Down!
I can't believe what I said
The enemy is dead
Did it only exist in our head?
Sheltered from the evils of the world until the truth is seen
Sheltered from realities of life, your human rights are free
Freedom, taken for granted 'cause we don't know what oppression means
Freedom, taken for granted by the leaders who would crush the dream
A crack, exposing human rights
Light against a granite sky
A crack, exposing human rights
A fire burns
For the freedom, for the freedom, for the freedom
Never given but taken
For the freedom
Die for the reason
One man stands
Hard as he waits for freedom's hand
A unified voice for freedom of choice
One man stands for
Life
He'll give his
Would you give yours to fight for a cause
One man stands
And the wall cracks, and the wall cracks
And the wall cracks, and the walls come crumbling
Down with old ideals that could never work in modern times
Free choice, religious freedom, basic rights are on the bottom
line
Down with all the icons of the past cold war and detente
The flock no longer fears the wolf, the flock is taking what it
wants
A crack, exposing human rights
Light against the granite sky
A crack, exposing human rights
A fire burns
For the freedom, for the freedom, for the freedom
Never given but taken
For the freedom
Die for the reason
One man stands
Hard as he waits for freedom's hand
A unified voice for freedom of choice
One man stands for
Life
He'll give his
Would you give yours to fight for a cause
One man stands
And the wall cracks, and the wall cracks
And the wall cracks, and the walls come crumbling
Down!
One man stands for life - I never questioned
One life costs us all - they love their children
Every man stands and fights - who is my enemy?
One man's rule will fall - one man stands
One man stands
Hard as he waits for freedom's hand
A unified voice for freedom of choice
One man stands for
Life
He'll give his
Would you give yours to fight for a cause
One man stands
And the wall cracks, and the wall cracks
And the wall cracks, and the walls come crumbling
Down!
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I see the HTML link doesn't work. Here's the Wikipedia article:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiannamen_Square_Massacre