Up in the highest of heights, O'Hara blinks and fights
This land is yours, this land is mine
I see the captain in red and Cairo at his head
This land is yours, this land is mine

The lightning over the park, the waters, brash and dark
We take a swim, we take a swim
I never meant to escape the carpet and the trade
This land is yours, this land is mine

And when I make up my mind, I change it all the time
I take it back, I take it back
The numbers over the dam, Jo Davies and the band
I count them out, I count them out

There was a car in the bay, by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light, in the water that we made
I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out
Inside, I'm counting it out from the floor

The ferry hatches Moline, Panola Beauty Queen
She takes a bow, she takes a bow
In Charles, we climb the hill and Danville window sill
I take it back, I take it back

My sister she counts the bars, the Macon county cars
She takes a bow, she takes a bow
The Mississippi amends, the Carver and the bends
This land is yours, this land is mine

My brother punches my ear, the injured ivory deer
I call my dad, I call my dad
We skip inside of the store, the Mason winter door
This land is yours, this land is mine

There was a car in the bay, by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light, in the water that we made
I'm holding your hand by the shore with our collars pulled up tight
I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out inside

I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out inside
I'm counting it out

This land is not your land, for the right hand
Takes what it can, ransacks with the mad man
For this land is not yours or mine to have
This land was made for the good of itself



Lyrics submitted by musicforlife!

No Man's Land Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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No Man's Land song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    There is yet another level of connection/symbolism here, and this is on the completely gratuitous level. Would we expect anything less from Mr. Stevens?

    . . .Woody Guthrie, whose song /No Man's Land/ references here, was from Oklahoma. Before the distinctive strip of land (the 'panhandle') of Oklahoma became a part of the state, it was an unclaimed area called 'no man's land,' where various groups sought sanctuary and fought each other.

    Anaxionuson June 16, 2008   Link

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