God Bless Our Dead Marines

Oh boohoo, god forbid a song title should offend your warporn-shaped sensibilities for a split second. Guess what - if you sign up as a volunteer to serve in the military while in the middle of a war, you're just as guilty for the perpetuation of that war as anybody else.

No, it doesn't make it okay to kill Iraqis just because they wanted a cheap college education, or - let's be honest here - because they bought into a sick, slick ad campaign that touted the virtues of shooting brown foreigners on other continents.

God forbid you have to actually spend a critical moment and question the orthodox military worship of the US that is in large part directly responsible for all of this disastrous militarism, in the context of the lyrics to a silver mt. zion song no less. You're smarter than that - don't just spew out jingoistic bumper-sticker garbage because it's the fashionable groupthink of this decade. American soldiers don't need to be defended from the title of a pop song.

I have no idea what this song means, but I love it because I have a vision of a bunch of people with acoustic instruments dancing around a campfire on peyote screaming and dancing and crying. It's beautiful.

so what's with the bad grammar?

I pretty much agree with the above poster when he/she says that soldiers are also responsible for the war by choosing to be in the military. Though, nowadays I guess it's not unheard of..that there are soldiers actually opposed to the war, possibly in the military beforehand, and hope to, an ongoing war that they can't single-handedly stop, serve in an honorable way and minimize civilian casualties/etc.. But I guess they are still responsible, and being rather self-conflicting and hypocritical by staying in the military, probably choosing to stay in the military because of financial reasons. Though I guess with the say that system is set up nowadays, many are "trapped" once they sign up, unless they are wounded, or do something to get themselves discharged.

I really like this song, and I admire this band for making such bold statements in a time like this-- when questioning america's policies would often get you eaten alive... but I think some of the lines of the song are a bit cruel and vindictive; "There's fresh meat in the club tonight / God bless our dead marines" I interpret that as him sardonically saying he's looking hit on newly-deceased soldier's girlfriends/widows. But I could be misinterpreting that. I guess the band members believe that soldiers killed in an unjust/unneeded war got what they deserved, and I understand where they are coming from. but to me it seems a little conflicting to wish for peace and for the world to be pacifistic, but at the same time sort of gloat over the deaths of those who you oppose.. Though, again, I can see why one would believe that the soldiers themselves are as guilty as George Bush or whomever. I guess I don't know for sure if the band themselves consider themselves pacifists. I've read before that most of them would consider themselves anarchists, and I guess true anarchy would probably require violent revolt by the people. I guess with so much conflict and war in the world, it's easy to be come disillusioned to the point where you wish those willing to fight for unjust reasons to "thin their own ranks" so to speak.. but the band often seems to have very positive/peaceful messages at one point, then make sort of barbed statements like the one I mentioned. I guess I would consider myself a pacifist, but I don't believe that is always the answer, and sometimes conflict or war is the lesser of two evils .. WWII or the civil war for example. I think in WWII the atrocities happening could not have been resolved in a peaceful way... though one could argue that Germany was left in shambles because of WWI.. I guess evil begets evil, and it's unrealistic and overly idealistic to expect that all evil in the world will just vanish because of wishful thinking. I personally think the allied forces were the rather rare example of 'war heroes'.. my grandfather for example was in one of the first groups of american soldiers to enter the concentration camps, and I assume, saw the most awful things that most anyone could ever imagine. He never bragged or told 'war stories' and I am sure he was not proud of killing other men, but felt it needed to be done for the greater good of the German/Jewish people and the world in general. I would love to hear Efrim's take on this topic (I'm assuming he's the one who wrote the songs lyrics)... especially considering the fact that he is of Jewish ancestry... and it's possible that he might be here if no one stepped in intervene in WWII. Anyway, I really love this band, and mean no disrespect to them, or what they stand for. I am glad that there is a band out there with enough guts to say something powerful like this, and get people such as myself thinking about the state of affairs and really questioning the morality of what their country is doing with their tax dollars and military.

I am guessing that this is your interpretation of the lyrics, as the album hasn't even been released yet.

I've heard some of the lines differently:

... This our judge's face We are not sweet mistakes ... while some where distant, peacefully our vulgar prince is slain ... the damaged and the done ... sick with joy and glee ... god bless this century ... but i dreamt we were so beautiful and strong

Let me know what you think. ...

has this song been released, or will it ever be released?

It's on the upcoming album, released first week of april in north america, i think. couple of lyrics are wrong, minor possible corrections to follow.

Well, somewhere dust and peacefully Our vulgar prince's slave

should be:

While somewhere distant, peacefully The vulgar princes sleep

The hungry and the hanged The damaged and the gun Strive along this spinning road Tumbling past the sun

should be

The hungry and the hanged the damaged and the done striving 'long this spinning rock tumbling past the sun

I love my dog and she loves me The world's a mess and so are we She tumbles long green money fields Sick with joy and play

should be

I love my dog and she loves me The world's a mess and so are we She tumbles 'long green muddy fields Sick with joy and glee

There's fresh meat in the club tonight God bless our dead marines Someone had an accident above the burning trees Well, somewhere dust and peacefully Our vulgar prince's slave Dead kids don't get photographed God bless this censory

should be

There's fresh meat in the club tonight God bless our dead marines Someone had an accident above the burning trees Well, somewhere distant, peacefully the vulgar princes sleep Dead kids don't get photographed God bless this century

When the world is sick Can no one be well? But I dreamt we was all beautiful and strong

should be

When the world is sick Can no one be well? But I dreamt we were so beautiful and strong

\"I love my dog and she loves me/She tumbles long green, muddy fields/Sick with joy and glee/And as she dreams sweet puppy dreams/Whimpering gently\"

I love how much he still loves Wanda.

Can anyone explain "And all them vulgar kings on their dirty thrones Who among us will avenge Ms. Nina Simone?" to me?

I found out that Nina Simone was a jazz singer/musician, and that she died from an illness... but in what way should she be avenged?

Thanks

Nina Simone was indeed a singer. She is mentioned because she refused to support the Vietnam War, so she didn't pay taxes. She ended up fleeing to France.