Yeah we say making changes
Starts in the little things you do
"Revolution begins at home"
But for most of us it ends there, too
We're doing something
We're making changes
Like changing the kind of crap we buy
We say it makes a difference
But that's just another lie

It used to be Us and Them
And You and Me
And now we can't reach
Our full potential
Without a common enemy
A real war to fight against
Instead of our petty disagreements
But how can I rationalize
My life during wartime lie

A call to action and a reaction
Taking our lives in our own hands
Instead of sitting around talking
About the same old stupid bands
But war is going on right now
And I'm not doing anything about it
Without a crowd I'm not so loud
I can't do anything by myself
But that's just another lie


Lyrics submitted by iamtheone

Life During Wartime Lyrics as written by Christopher Frantz Chris Frantz

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Life During Wartime song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment

    a good pinhead gunpowder song one of my favorites

    RaMoNeSon August 16, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Green Day has just released this song in protest of the Gulf War II. It really is a great song and I think it sums up how a lot of people are feeling right now:
    -How can I rationalize my life during wartime lie?

    These lines are the best part: But war is going on right now/ And I'm not doing anything about it/ Without a crowd I'm not so loud/ I can't do anything by myself/ But that's just another lie

    That is exactly what is going on in America. We're being told that dissent is unpatriotic and that since our president has chosen for us to go to war that we should stand by the decision (right or wrong) because we're Americans --that anti-war sentiment will do nothing. But, as this song says, we can do something. And we should do something. It's time.

    imthe_eviltwinon March 31, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I heard about this song because of Green Day, and I think it's a good song.

    Yeah, Stuffon March 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    me too...and, yeah it is a good song...and i like what imthe_eviltwin says...

    green_day_FREAKon March 06, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The song is about how during times when the U.S. is involved in a war, we tend to be told to do things like only buy certain brands of food, clothing, ect. because it's made in the U.S., as if it'll make a difference. But that's just a lie.

    freewebs.com/thejakesite

    Jakeberton June 26, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Green Day made me listen to this song, too, and I like it. Pinhead are actually wicked songwriters. Maybe it's because of Billie Joe? O well...

    Green Day rules oyaon December 17, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i thought this was a green day song because they have it on their page

    kissmygreenass123on July 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Green Day covered this song because Billie Joe is in Pinhead Gunpowder And he sings the song in the original version

    I agree with Jakebert, people do all these things that are "patrotic" but really it means nothing. It's like the US is trying to get the kind of support we had in WWII, but the reason people were really patriotic in WWII was because we needed to fight in WWII to help save Europe from the Nazis, the Iraq war is about oil. WWII also affected most people because almost everyone knew someone fighting in the war because civilians were signing up. With the War in Iraq, very few people are signing up for the army just to go to Iraq

    greendayistrecoolon December 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Green Day covered this song because Billie Joe is in Pinhead Gunpowder And he sings the song in the original version

    I agree with Jakebert, people do all these things that are "patrotic" but really it means nothing. It's like the US is trying to get the kind of support we had in WWII, but the reason people were really patriotic in WWII was because we needed to fight in WWII to help save Europe from the Nazis, the Iraq war is about oil. WWII also affected most people because almost everyone knew someone fighting in the war because civilians were signing up. With the War in Iraq, very few people are signing up for the army just to go to Iraq

    greendayistrecoolon December 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is more about how underground/radical/punk activists and communities can't seem to find a way to make real progress on the things we all care about because we're divided by petty differences and really just waste our time in ways that aren't really that different from everyone else.

    tucsonxrobon August 27, 2009   Link

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