And so once again,
My dear Johnny, my dear friend,
And so once again you are fighting us all,
And when I ask you why,
You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall,
Oh, my friend,
How did you come?,
To trade the fiddle for the drum,
You say I have turned,
Like the enemies you've earned,
But I can remember,
All the good things you are,
And so I ask you please,
Can I help you find the peace and the star?,
Oh, my friend,
What time is this?,
To trade the handshake for the fist
And so once again,
Oh, America my friend,
And so once again,
You are fighting us all,
And when we ask you why,
You raise your sticks and cry and we fall,
Oh, my friend,
How did you come,
To trade the fiddle for the drum
You say we have turned,
Like the enemies you've earned,
But we can remember,
All the good things you are,
And so we ask you please,
Can we help you find the peace and the star?,
Oh my friend,
We have all come,
To fear the beating of your drum
My dear Johnny, my dear friend,
And so once again you are fighting us all,
And when I ask you why,
You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall,
Oh, my friend,
How did you come?,
To trade the fiddle for the drum,
You say I have turned,
Like the enemies you've earned,
But I can remember,
All the good things you are,
And so I ask you please,
Can I help you find the peace and the star?,
Oh, my friend,
What time is this?,
To trade the handshake for the fist
And so once again,
Oh, America my friend,
And so once again,
You are fighting us all,
And when we ask you why,
You raise your sticks and cry and we fall,
Oh, my friend,
How did you come,
To trade the fiddle for the drum
You say we have turned,
Like the enemies you've earned,
But we can remember,
All the good things you are,
And so we ask you please,
Can we help you find the peace and the star?,
Oh my friend,
We have all come,
To fear the beating of your drum
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the song's a metaphor for going to war, trading the fiddle, which is usually played in peaceful times, for the drums which are marched to during war. Trading the handshake for the fist is pretty explanatory, etc.
Good eye Invalid Username, way to spot it's not a song written by A Perfect Circle on a COVER ALBUM.
This song is a direct criticism of the Military Industrial Complex.
It explains how America used to be a peaceful nation, then turned on both friend and fo, branding anyone standing against her as an enemy and using war to acquire whatever our nation so desires.
Quite accurate definition of our "great" nation if you ask me..
I'd say you got about half the point. It is about a war-hungry nation, but if you want a song about the Military Industrial Complex, a song meant for people who want to PROFIT from war, that song is called "Let's go to war". <br /> <br /> This song is intended for the people who instead think of war as necessary, as needing to look tough, striking down anyone who dare oppose you, and calling anyone who questions a war "unpatriotic". "And when I ask you why, you raise your sticks and cry, and I fall" is a way of saying "When I ask you why go to war, you call me unpatriotic, unamerican, you say that I don't support our troops."<br /> <br /> The song is saying that yes, you may have genuine enemies, but just because people say you shouldn't go to war, doesn't mean they are on your enemy's side.<br /> <br /> "How did you come to trade the fiddle for the drum?" - How did your primary purpose, your main message, of being a land of opportunity, a beacon of hope, turn into eradicating terrorism, and obliterating your enemies out of existence?
let me explain this one by one !
( And so once again, My dear Johnny, my dear friend, And so once again you are fighting us all )
(it's about a person name johnny, he's get piss-off easily )
And when I ask you why, You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall,
( jonny is knows he's wrong, when he ask why, he start to cry)
Oh, my friend, How did you come?, To trade the fiddle for the drum,
( "fiddle for the drum" is a metaphor, he trade his good feelings to low-self esteem.)
You say I have turned, Like the enemies you've earned, But I can remember, All the good things you are,
( every one leaving him and become enemy of him, and jonny think, like everyone he's acting bad toward him, the he says I can remember good things you are, what ever happen)
Oh, my friend, What time is this?, To trade the handshake for the fist
(jonny is satisfied with his talk-down then jonny giving him a hand shake, then he says, we are friend we should be doing fist-bump)
let me explain this one by one !
( And so once again, My dear Johnny, my dear friend, And so once again you are fighting us all )
(it's about a person name johnny, he's get piss-off easily )
And when I ask you why, You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall,
( jonny is knows he's wrong, when he ask why, he start to cry)
Oh, my friend, How did you come?, To trade the fiddle for the drum,
( "fiddle for the drum" is a metaphor, he trade his good feelings to low-self esteem.)
You say I have turned, Like the enemies you've earned, But I can remember, All the good things you are,
( every one leaving him and become enemy of him, and jonny think, like everyone he's acting bad toward him, the he says I can remember good things you are, what ever happen)
Oh, my friend, What time is this?, To trade the handshake for the fist
(jonny is satisfied with his talk-down then jonny giving him a hand shake, then he says, we are friend we should be doing fist-bump)
IS THIS ON THE NEW ALBUM? LOOKS COOL, CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR IT
I listened to the leak that's been going around the internet (I plan on buying it the moment it goes on sale though) and this is probably my second favorite track. I love how it's acapella and Maynard did all the vocal parts. Blends very nicely and sounds amazing.
Yeah, this song is on the new ablum that is going to come out on Nov 2nd. I really like this song too!
I'm not exactly sure, but I think this song has something to do with the US going to war... also something to think about is how they are releasing the album on Election day... I could be totally off-base though...
nice one... there is a story of 2 brothers One Weak and the Other Strong... they walk and a gang cross their road and starts hitting the Weaker... The Strong one starts to diss with the guys "Hit him again and you'll see what I AM GOING to do".... they hit him again.... "Hit him again and YOU'LL SEE" ... they hit him again.... and again "Hit him again and i'll bust your head"says the strong.... and than the weak one sais "Brother please don't stand up for me no more....PLEASE" This song is about the Weak and Powerless under the Guardians of Justice - Their Big Brothers. Go Maynard. You know... he's right: "If you don't vote... you have no right to complain, after" Greetings.
idiot, this song is about how once families fought in the american revolution "hence the fiddle" and later eventually fought on opposing sides "hence the drums", in the civil wat
This song is the sad story of America's sow path towards a violent future, instead of heading towards it's destiny of peace and harmony with the world. Were such a powerful nation with powerful roots and powerful ideals, and we seem to be squandering all that we have built up, and denying our roots of democracy and bettering the world. He's utterly idssapointed with the state of affairs in our nation, and longs for our nation to be come and accepting and loving nation.
Bullets and bombs kill people, not countries.
The USA is NOT a Democracy! We are based on the Roman REPUBLIC, not the Greek Democracy. Really, it just shows the insane amount of ignorance in our country. Do these words ring a bell? To the REPUBLIC, for which it stands..........