Our love is dead but without limit
Like the surface of the moon
Or the land between here and the mountains
It is not these hiding places that have kept us innocent
But the way you taught me to just let it all go back

So we learn to be as faithless
Stand behind bulletproof glass
Exchanging our affections through a drawer
It was always horribly convenient and happening too fast
You should count your change before you're even out the door

Well, yes you should, but please return, return
To the person that you were, and I will do the same
Because it's too hard to belong to someone who is gone
My compass spins, but wilderness remains

Once too often I've retreated into the depths of my despair
I built a barricade to block you on the road
But standing there with all of my possessions piled higher than a house
I felt closer to you than you ever would have known

So let's let all these tiny acts of charity become ground on which to build
A monument to commemorate our time
And though you say you've found another who will surely speed you on your way
Don't let the forest grow over that path you came there by

But you will, so, so hurry up and run to the one that you love
And blind him with your kindness
And he'll make war, oh, war, on who you were before
And claim all that has spoiled in your heart

But now I tell myself I've mended under these patches of blue sky
There's still a few holes that let in a little rain
And so it's crying on my shingles, my floorboards moan under my feet
The refrigerator's whining so I've got reason to complain

But I'm not gonna bless you with such compliments, some degrading song of praise
Like the kind that converted you to me so long ago
Because the truth is that gossip's as good as gospel in this town
You can save face but you won't ever save your soul

And that's a fact so, so hurry up and run to the one that you love
And tie him up in your likeness
And he'll become, become, oh, the prisoner I was
And know all that has spoiled in your heart
Yeah, he'll know it all
He'll know all that has spoiled in your heart

So hurry up and run to the one that you love
And blind him with your kindness
And he'll make war, oh, war, on who you were before
And claim all that has spoiled in your heart


Lyrics submitted by PLANES, edited by Mauskateer

Make War Lyrics as written by Conor Oberst

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Make War song meanings
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57 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment
    Stand behind bulletproof glass Exchanging our affections through a drawer reminds me more a jail/prison visitation room, gas stations wouldnt really make any sense
    Spiderssocoldon January 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    my life story, thanks.
    lyssaon July 11, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    The song has really grown on me. It is a great "Fuck you" song. I love the line "And blind him with your kindness." It reminds me how phoney people can be in their "love relationships"
    popnoiron September 03, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    definite good song. the chorus at the end really sets off conor's songwriting and singing. kind of an ironic un-lovesong, maybe just mentioning that the girl is going to lure another boy into her "trap" of the sorts.
    wasting wisheson September 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i get a kick out of this song, i hate country music but this song changes by opinion 100%. it's just so amazing how conor can take something so depressing and turn it into something so wonderful "so please return return to the person that you were and i will do the same.."
    atarisemokidon March 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i love these lyrics...conor is always good at giving that love/hate feel toward the subject...it.s like a fascination he has with things which cause him pain... it.s just that the imagery is so beautiful even in a song of hatred that it can.t help but be romantic somehow - yet be the ultimate "fuck you" song, as said before. i love conor, he.s such a poet.
    if onlyon April 17, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i love these lyrics...conor is always good at giving that love/hate feel toward the subject...it.s like a fascination he has with things which cause him pain... it.s just that the imagery is so beautiful even in a song of hatred that it can.t help but be romantic somehow - yet be the ultimate "fuck you" song, as said before. i love conor, he.s such a poet.
    if onlyon April 17, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    it's funny because everytime i listen to this i have a battle in my mind about the tone of this song. is it supposed to be love or hate? i don't think i ever WILL know. but i know everytime i listen to it i fall in a trance and i adore it.
    gangstaprankstaon May 03, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i definatley understand this song a little better now. i think it could be about a girl cheating on her boyfriend because he is away or unavailable. she doesn't feel like everything is lost. her being a cheating cunt, and him being a depressed boy who doesn't have a clue. if she could only see him soon, then everything would be back to normal. and they'd return the people that they were.
    gangstaprankstaon July 01, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    wow, this site has exploded with new bright eyes fans. it's incredible.. how did conor become so popular all of a sudden?
    queerdevilon July 07, 2003   Link

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