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.
O, so it is written son
When all waters and land you see
All around came to birth
Man and beast was one
And the gods of the sky
Walked the face of the earth
Few free and innocent
Man strolled paths next to those
Of beasts seeing no signs
But stars in the sky
Knowing of day and night
Of rain and winds, hunger and fright
But not of death nor of life
While all was at ease with all
Living creatures and beast and the gods of the sky enjoyed the lavish
riches of this world, giants rose out of their caves and took to the
skies challenging the gods for the power of the universe.
Only when the great halls of Valhalla stood aflame lighting up the
worlds all around did the gods wake up from their drunken sleep, to
speed through the heavens and clash with the giants in the greatest
battle ever seen.
Heads arms and legs of both giant and god fell down upon the earth
and... The weapons... The swords of shining metal... And those who
found them and took these shining blades in hand were only men, now
man was the master of this world.
The story tells of stormy skies [sings: raging winds]
Black clouds gathered up high
And of lightning striking from a
Burning bloodred sky
The mountains crumbled to the seas
Earth shook the worlds collide
Ending the age of gods
Giving birth to our time
And man lived and learned
The secret of steel
Ore of earth - fire of sky
Forged is blade of gods
Blood and iron Blood and iron
Blood and iron Blood and iron
Blood and iron Blood and iron
Blood and iron Blood and iron
So the age to learn and to teach
for man begins, the power to know
the blood and iron discipline, and
tell the story of how man was granted
these shining blades of steel
Knowing of the past she will know
of the tomorrow and man shall reign, yes,
even conquer other worlds and she will set
sails on her starships sailing across the
black space and become the new gods of the skies.
(The skies... the skies... the skies... the skies... the skies...
the skies... the skies...)
Blood and iron.
When all waters and land you see
All around came to birth
Man and beast was one
And the gods of the sky
Walked the face of the earth
Few free and innocent
Man strolled paths next to those
Of beasts seeing no signs
But stars in the sky
Knowing of day and night
Of rain and winds, hunger and fright
But not of death nor of life
While all was at ease with all
Living creatures and beast and the gods of the sky enjoyed the lavish
riches of this world, giants rose out of their caves and took to the
skies challenging the gods for the power of the universe.
Only when the great halls of Valhalla stood aflame lighting up the
worlds all around did the gods wake up from their drunken sleep, to
speed through the heavens and clash with the giants in the greatest
battle ever seen.
Heads arms and legs of both giant and god fell down upon the earth
and... The weapons... The swords of shining metal... And those who
found them and took these shining blades in hand were only men, now
man was the master of this world.
The story tells of stormy skies [sings: raging winds]
Black clouds gathered up high
And of lightning striking from a
Burning bloodred sky
The mountains crumbled to the seas
Earth shook the worlds collide
Ending the age of gods
Giving birth to our time
And man lived and learned
The secret of steel
Ore of earth - fire of sky
Forged is blade of gods
Blood and iron Blood and iron
Blood and iron Blood and iron
Blood and iron Blood and iron
Blood and iron Blood and iron
So the age to learn and to teach
for man begins, the power to know
the blood and iron discipline, and
tell the story of how man was granted
these shining blades of steel
Knowing of the past she will know
of the tomorrow and man shall reign, yes,
even conquer other worlds and she will set
sails on her starships sailing across the
black space and become the new gods of the skies.
(The skies... the skies... the skies... the skies... the skies...
the skies... the skies...)
Blood and iron.
Lyrics submitted by Disposition_987
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Hello Chard121,
It's been a while since you posted your comment but I was hoping you might follow up. I am a little confused on the history of the Vikings - I admit that I am no expert. I was unaware that Ragnarok came before the age of man, I figured the age of gods and man might be contemporaneous, but as I said - I am no expert. At first I kind of associated this song with the titanomachy of the Greeks, only because I am unfamiliar with such legends among the Viking-folk. I must admit, though, the similarities are striking - perhaps there might even be a similar legend among these different cultures?
I thought that Ragnarok might still be to come, I know that only a couple of gods are alleged to survive the strife of that battle, and the mighty Odin, as well as many of the other well-known gods - Heimdallr, Thor, Tyr, Loki, etc. are to die in this battle. To think that the Vikings figured them for dead already is an awful thought. However, given the ending of this song, it certainly seems like the world in which we live today. Surely man has claimed his place as king of this world and we're far past claiming "these shining blades of steel".
In any case, I agree wholeheartedly about the acoustic accompaniments to this song, they are simply beautiful. I'm always surprised to start playing this song - a song from a band like Bathory with the blackest of metal roots - and hear striking acoustics for the first minute or two (plus the interlude), it's very pleasant. What I really love about this song is the ending, the conjecture that man will conquer other worlds and become the new gods of the sky. I've mentioned it previously in other comments, but the thing that I love about ancient religions is that the distinction between man and god was almost nil. It truly speaks to our modern age, much more so than any god of Christians or Muslims or Jews, I believe. Man has claimed his place as ruler of the world and it has never been more obvious than in the time we live in. In any case, this song always gives me food for thought, and a great background ambiance to consider the nature of man and myself in this universe in which we live. This is certainly one of my favorite pieces off of Twilight of the Gods, along with the titular song.
It is a shame that the man who brought us such poetic, thoughtful metal (of all things!!!) is now gone. We can only hope that he is enjoying the benefits to which he is surely entitled in whatever afterlife there may be.
Hail to the hordes.