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Blue Skies Over Bad Lands Lyrics
What if you woke up in the middle of the night
And in your bare feet you walked outside
And realizing that you were awake that you could fly
Out over the world
To places that you’ve only heard of
See faces that you were sold as murderers
But just like you they’re only lonely boys and girls
Like all over the world
What if you could lift them up?
What if you could make it so that times weren’t tough?
So ever morning when the world woke up
There’d only be weather on the news
And what if you were back in bed
With one of them floating over your head
What do you say to your enemies
When you don’t know what it is that could have been between you?
There ain’t no blue skies over bad lands
Even if it ain’t raining in the mornings
But you don’t need to fly to understand it
Just understand understanding
And in your bare feet you walked outside
And realizing that you were awake that you could fly
Out over the world
To places that you’ve only heard of
See faces that you were sold as murderers
But just like you they’re only lonely boys and girls
Like all over the world
What if you could make it so that times weren’t tough?
So ever morning when the world woke up
There’d only be weather on the news
With one of them floating over your head
What do you say to your enemies
When you don’t know what it is that could have been between you?
Even if it ain’t raining in the mornings
But you don’t need to fly to understand it
Just understand understanding
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mmmmm simple, meaningful, enchanting. I think alot of this has to do with the mindset of western society. The news, government , media in general sells the people of the middle east as our enemies. Tyrannous and crude. But when you get down to it they feel, hurt, fear just like us, like everyone. We hear about them on the news almost everyday and its like there's nothing we can do. But still this drilled in mentality against them almost depersonalizes the situation. We're so far we don't have to face it, but if we did...
Truly a multi-layered song. Its absolutely brilliant!
No comment on this song already???
This is my favorite of the album (and the live version is even better!!!).
I like the way this song end:
"There ain’t no blue skies over bad lands"
"But you don’t need to fly to understand it Just understand understanding"
Another very powerfull song by Matt (am i repeating myself huh ;)
I agree. This is definately the best track on WLRRR. However, I've heard of a lot of people who dislike it. Couldn't imagine why.
this song is about how one of the band members of tbs was involved with a girl who cheated on him with the lead singer of brand new. If you listen closely towards the end of the song, you can hear the words, "is that what you call tact, you're as subtle as a brick in the small of my back,..., have another drink and drive yourself home... you can think of me when you forget your seatbelt and again when your head goes through the window." Brand new used these same lyrics in an "apology" song on their first album titled "seventy times seven." check it out its pretty cool.
"Just understand understanding"
The entire meaning of the song is summed up in those three words. Basically, he is trying to paint a picture for the listener about the state of the world. How our enemies are people too. In the middle of the night, if you could float off to the opposite side of the globe, you would see other human beings like yourself, lonely and cold, going through hard (or harder) times.
This truly is a brilliant song, both lyrically and musically. I heard somewhere that Matt took an upright piano and plucked the strings by hand to get the sound he wanted. Simply incredible, not to mention unique.
Although I admit, on the first listen, it didn't touch me instantly. Possibly because of the slow start. But anyone who hasn't yet listened to this song, give it a solid chance. My favourite part is somewhere around 5:30 into the song. For about two minutes, you experience an incredibly passionate, yet soothing solo. This is what music is all about.
See faces that you were sold as murderers But just like you they’re only lonely boys and girls favourite line, what genius.
What an incredibly real song. While I agree that there is the more obvious political interpretation of this song, I do think the meaning can be applied to not just our political "enemies" (or generally, to anyone who we fear because we don't understand them), but applies to our interaction with literally every person on earth.
What makes us different than anyone? What makes one person more deserving of anything that they have? Do people really "choose" their actions? The reality is each one of us is lucky to be in the situation we are currently in (good or bad). Our lives are pure luck, and in the grand scheme of things, so are our actions and who we are as people. The best we can do for each other as human beings is to try to understand one another in all our differences (understand understanding), to empathize, to be better to one another.