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.
(chorus):
Each one had a father
There's no one left
A name and a mother
No one left
Each one had a dream
A prayer on their breath
The world's gone black
No one left
On the streets of Manhattan
A dusty wind blows
Letters and wishes
A girl with a rose
On the streets of Baghdad
A dusty wind blows
Letters and wishes
A girl with a rose
(chorus)
Fire and vengeance
In the New York sky above
Stole my angel
Stole my true love
Fire and vengeance
In the Baghdad sky above
Stole his angel
Stole his true love
(chorus)
I stand out on my front porch
I look up at the sky
Will my world go black
In the blink of an eye
He stands out in the desert
He looks up at the sky
Will his world go black
In the blink of an eye
(chorus)
Each one had a wish
Each one had a home
Each one had a name
A name and a rose
Each one had a father
There's no one left
A name and a mother
No one left
Each one had a dream
A prayer on their breath
The world's gone black
No one left
On the streets of Manhattan
A dusty wind blows
Letters and wishes
A girl with a rose
On the streets of Baghdad
A dusty wind blows
Letters and wishes
A girl with a rose
(chorus)
Fire and vengeance
In the New York sky above
Stole my angel
Stole my true love
Fire and vengeance
In the Baghdad sky above
Stole his angel
Stole his true love
(chorus)
I stand out on my front porch
I look up at the sky
Will my world go black
In the blink of an eye
He stands out in the desert
He looks up at the sky
Will his world go black
In the blink of an eye
(chorus)
Each one had a wish
Each one had a home
Each one had a name
A name and a rose
Lyrics submitted by LordDionysius
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As THNDR said, its about two girls who have never met. However, Tom repeatedly mentions the similarities between the two. Basically, he's comparing the two people. He's equating them. Saying that they may be on different sides of the world, they are still the same. They are still both people, both with wishes and hopes and dreams, families, etc.
The one in Baghdad sees her world in flames, her cities bombed, her friends and family killed. Now the American girl experiences the same thing in New York. He's saying that they may be completely different, but the experience is the same. the New York girl sees her country being bombed, and still feels the same as the girl in Baghdad.
Both experience the same feelings, experiences, yet are living polar opposite lives. One may live in the desert and the other in one of the largest cities in the world, however, he shows they are the same by talking about them in the same situation (their respective worlds being ruined).
It is about 2 young women he never had the pleasure to meet, He said that once as the intro for the song, as well as his reporter friend's journal, about the fact that both Americans and iraqi people said that they wanted America out of that country. It is about war, losses.