Could have come through anytime
Cold lonely, puritan
What are you fighting for?
It's not my security

It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English

Lose your father, your husband
Your mother, your children
What are you dying for?
It's not my reality

It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English

What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?

Could have come through anytime
Cold lonely, puritan
What are you fighting for?
It's not my security

It's just an old war
Not even a cold war
Don't say it in Russian
Don't say it in German
Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English

Say it in broken English
Say it in broken English

What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?
What are you fighting for?


Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit

Broken English Lyrics as written by Dave Genn Marianne Faithfull

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Broken English song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    "It was inspired by German terrorist Ulrike Meinhoff. The Baader-Meinhoff Gang had just been arrested, and the phrase 'say it in broken English' came from something that flashed on the TV screen, this mysterious subtitle: 'broken English...spoken English...' I don't know what it was in reference to, but I wrote it down in my notebook" -p. 234 of Faithfull: An Autobiography

    laurelinwyntreon November 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    absolutely love this song!

    angrygirliemusicon February 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song conjures images of old pulp romances, with enemy soldiers falling into a deadly tryst. Which, of course, is awesome.

    FilibusterManon March 13, 2006   Link

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