1
You tell me there's an angel in your tree
Did he say he'd come to call on me?
For things are getting desperate in our home
Living in the parish of the restless folks I know
Everybody now, bring your family down to the riverside
Look to the east to see where the fat stock hide
Behind four walls of stone the rich man sleeps
It's time we put the flame torch to their keep
Burn down the mission
If we're gonna stay alive
Watch the black smoke fly to heaven
See the red flame light the sky
Burn down the mission
Burn it down to stay alive
It's our only chance of living
Take all you need to live inside
Deep in the woods the squirrels are out today
My wife cried when they came to take me away
But what more could I do just to keep her warm
Than burn, burn, burn, burn down the mission walls
Now everybody, bring your family down to the riverside
Look to the east to see where the fat stock hide
Behind four walls of stone the rich man sleeps
It's time we put the flame torch to their keep
Burn down the mission, Lord
If we're gonna stay alive
Watch the black smoke fly to heaven
See the red flame light the sky
Burn down the mission, Lord
If we're gonna stay alive
It's our only chance of living
Take all you need to live inside
Did he say he'd come to call on me?
For things are getting desperate in our home
Living in the parish of the restless folks I know
Everybody now, bring your family down to the riverside
Look to the east to see where the fat stock hide
Behind four walls of stone the rich man sleeps
It's time we put the flame torch to their keep
Burn down the mission
If we're gonna stay alive
Watch the black smoke fly to heaven
See the red flame light the sky
Burn down the mission
Burn it down to stay alive
It's our only chance of living
Take all you need to live inside
Deep in the woods the squirrels are out today
My wife cried when they came to take me away
But what more could I do just to keep her warm
Than burn, burn, burn, burn down the mission walls
Now everybody, bring your family down to the riverside
Look to the east to see where the fat stock hide
Behind four walls of stone the rich man sleeps
It's time we put the flame torch to their keep
Burn down the mission, Lord
If we're gonna stay alive
Watch the black smoke fly to heaven
See the red flame light the sky
Burn down the mission, Lord
If we're gonna stay alive
It's our only chance of living
Take all you need to live inside
Lyrics submitted by slickrickonu
Burn Down the Mission Lyrics as written by Elton John Bernie Taupin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
i think that there is/are a metaphor here that can transcend time and places. Anywhere really. I think the metaphor relates to "judgment" and how it is a natural human phenoma in every culture, country, city or village. The cocktail of judgement is expounded when most orthodox religions exist. Especiallin in the centuries previous to this one.
I think that Elton refers to the men of power, the Joneses as well as church parishoners (like neighbors) as all being able to be too judgemental. Ironically, it is when people get to fanatical about what they fear and hate that they become one in the same with these fears. Alot of which, we see throughout history.
Perhaps its this figurative or perhaps literal translation that Elton is implying that we move back into our hearts and not so much in our heads. Something to ponder. Or not. : )