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.
Though reticent to represent
They waive as their
Beloved repubic bleeds
The victim of insatiable greed
Criminal acts
Dressed up in the flag
So no one can disagree
Then went crack the camel's back
It started out in front of the capital
A hundred coming down from their flag poles
It'd gotten so bad
Even blue white and red
Refused to take it anymore
American flags
Are hunting the fortunate sons
To swallow them up
And bury them deep into the ground
Present tense the president
Is calling for diplomacy or a truce
A dozen more are filling the room
Now down on his knees
"Lord they're coming for me!
For doing what you told me to"
American Flags.
They waive as their
Beloved repubic bleeds
The victim of insatiable greed
Criminal acts
Dressed up in the flag
So no one can disagree
Then went crack the camel's back
It started out in front of the capital
A hundred coming down from their flag poles
It'd gotten so bad
Even blue white and red
Refused to take it anymore
American flags
Are hunting the fortunate sons
To swallow them up
And bury them deep into the ground
Present tense the president
Is calling for diplomacy or a truce
A dozen more are filling the room
Now down on his knees
"Lord they're coming for me!
For doing what you told me to"
American Flags.
Lyrics submitted by Jsorb8997
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American Flags
though reticent to represent they wave as their beloved republic bleeds the victim of insatiable greed criminal acts dressed up in the flag so no one can disagree
then went crack the camel's back it started out in front of the capitol a hundred coming down from their flag poles it'd gotten so bad even blue white and red refused to take it anymore
american flags are hunting the fortunate sons, to swallow them up and bury them deep into the ground
present tense the president is calling for diplomacy or a truce a dozen more are filling the room now down on his knees, "lord, they're coming for me for doing what you told me to"
American flags "waive as their beloved republic bleeds"
Why does it bleed? ----> It bleeds because the republic (The United States) is "the victim of insatiable greed" However, we are not allowed to question this greed because those "criminal acts" are "dressed up in the flag". It is unpatriotic to question anything dressed up in the flag... even crime.
"Then went crack the camel's back" and a hundred of those waiving flags came down from their flag poles to hunt the fortunate sons and swallow them up (like when we wrap our soldiers who die in war) and burry them deep into the ground.
Present tense the president (Bush at the time this song was written) is "down on his knees" praying "lord they're coming for me for doing what you told me to." Basically President Bush is asking God why the public as angry with him over a war God instructed him to wage. How could God be wrong?