Trapped on the terraces, I looked at you and knew
You were the only thing that mattered
There was no one for me but you
In Harmony Street we beat a man
Just for standing there
I held my breath as I watched you swing
Then run your fingers through your hair

Oh, how could anyone not love the terrible things you do?
Oh, how could anyone not want to try and help you?

In Bermondsey, in Burberry
You held me at the barricade
The pigs arrived with tear gas
And I wept at the mistakes we made
We stalked the streets like animals
And danced as windows shattered
For the island, for the thrill of it
For everything that mattered

Oh, how could anyone not want to rip it all apart?
Oh, how could anyone not love your cold, black heart?

I found you on a Saturday
And that was where I lost you
You had to finally walk away
Because of what it cost you
Years later when I saw your face
In line to catch the morning train
You looked like you'd been softened
Like you never really loved the pain

Oh, how could anyone not finally diminish?
The thrill of blood comes instantly
There's only darkness at the finish

Meet me at the barricade
I'll be at the barricade
Meet me at the barricade
The love died, but the hate can't fade
I'll be at the barricade
The love died, but the hate can't fade


Lyrics submitted by ifemme fatalei

Barricade song meanings
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35 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I think it says: In Bermondsey in Burberry...

    Bermondsey is an area in London and Burberry is the national "uniform" of English chavs!

    evilnickon July 20, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Just saw Stars perform last night.. it was their first concert in a year, and they played a lot of their new stuff. Torq did this song as a SECOND encore, and explained that it was about two soccer (football) hooligans (who are both men) who find love in each other as they are wrapped up in the violence of the things they are doing. They are lovers for a while but have to stop because the pure violence of their love gets to be too much for them.

    miss_kikion September 05, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song weaves a wonderful tale of a woman who stands for something. She knows what she believes and is willing to fight for that, no matter what the costs are. The singer admires her for this passion, and finds it enthralling. It seems as if he is drawn to her, and her to the cause. She finally can't fight on as the cost becomes too high, and they fall apart because of it.

    He sees her again years later, softened by age and society oppressing her radical personality. That riotous spirit that drew the singer to her.

    The end of the song seems to be little more than a desperate plea for her to rekindle her passion, and thus his passion for her could be restored.

    nfbourneon July 17, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i love this song...i love it soo much

    salinasrickyon August 11, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I understand that Torque and Amy themselves said what this song was about, but I just can't help but be fascinated by how amazingly well these lyrics delve into a storyline in "The Traveler" book series by John Twelve Hawks. I guess I'm desperately seeking someone who has both read the books and heard the song. It's so striking that I nearly cried when I first heard the song. Given where the second book has left off especially.

    Anyone read these books?

    Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

    roomsbytheseaon December 01, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The background words, though really mean, are set to the tune of "Huckleberry Hound"--"O my darlin', o my darlin', o my darlin' Clementine, you were lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry Clementine..."

    it's fitting.

    minniemoon May 16, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I love this song. The line that gets me is:

    "The love died, but the hate can't fade."

    It's almost haunting.

    marilynwon January 09, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Why does everyone think there is a girl in the story. It could be his best friend no? I find nothing that would make me believe its a girl.

    And at first I was confused about the United chant (Stars are from Canada) but I like what darksky48 said.

    Good song not so complicated but about very interesting human dynamics.

    Bryceingon January 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Cool song. Here are some lyrics that I believe are more accurate, per Stars Online Journal page.

    Trapped on the terraces I looked at you anew You were the only thing that mattered There was no one for me but you And Harmony Street would beat a man just for standing there I held my breath as I watched you sleep And run your fingers through your hair Oh how could anyone not love the terrible things that you do? Oh how could anyone not want to try and help you? In Burmansy and Burbury you held me at the barricade The pigs arrived with tear gas and I wept here for mistakes we made We stopped (stocked?) the streets like animals and danced as windows shattered For the island, for the thrill of it, for everything that mattered Oh how could anyone not want to rip it all apart? Oh how could anyone not love your cold black heart? I found you on a Saturday and that was where I lost you You had to finally walk away because of what it cost you Years later I saw your face in line to catch the morning train You looked like you’d been softened like you never really loved the pain Oh how could anyone not finally diminish? The thrill of blood comes instantly There’s only darkness at the finish Meet me at the barricade I’ll be at the barricade Meet me at the barricade The love died, but the hate can’t fade I’ll be at the barricade The love died, but the hate can’t fade

    Ksouth2007on July 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it is

    We "stalked" the streets like animals and danced as windows shattered

    nitro490on July 22, 2007   Link

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