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.
Can you hear the cries?
Nowhere the children run to hide
Crimson rivers flow down hills, atone our ills
And woe to all her songs of love
A farewell to arms
Mutilated lives blackening as coffins line the sides
Filled with fathers
Who has won when only sons
Who hold their grieving heads and mourn
A farewell to arms
Always our souls entwine
Erase this vast divide
Deaf ears our voices rest
Tyrant, this is protest
Who has won?
Yes, who has won?
I'll wave this flag of white
So the avenged see the light
We'll pay for closed eyes
Before genocide
Pissing the masquerade
March to the death parade
Trade not humanity
For pearls of our slavery
In the depth of mind the heart will find
The truth of our leaders
We'll try the facts so through the cracks
May fall the lying cheater
Who has won when we're all dead?
I'll wave this flag of white
So the avenged see the light
We'll pay for closed eyes
Before genocide
So is this how we live?
Or is this how we die?
Black blood dripping from platinum fangs
Rich blood flees while
Our poverty hangs, oh
Oh, shepherds, they herd the mindless trance
As the flock follows the puppet's dance
In a fatal romance
Oh, all that they needed was
A pretext, war's next
Heads to the chopping blocks
And our necks are next
For those who died
Who fought for our rights
Whose children now slaves
Are turning in their graves
Oh, war hawks and senators
They sit right so trite
Never their sons will know
What it's like to fight
Soldiers are dead
And children have bled
And the silence is numb
What have we become?
What have we become?
What have we become?
What have we become?
God save us
A farewell to arms
Nowhere the children run to hide
Crimson rivers flow down hills, atone our ills
And woe to all her songs of love
A farewell to arms
Mutilated lives blackening as coffins line the sides
Filled with fathers
Who has won when only sons
Who hold their grieving heads and mourn
A farewell to arms
Always our souls entwine
Erase this vast divide
Deaf ears our voices rest
Tyrant, this is protest
Who has won?
Yes, who has won?
I'll wave this flag of white
So the avenged see the light
We'll pay for closed eyes
Before genocide
Pissing the masquerade
March to the death parade
Trade not humanity
For pearls of our slavery
In the depth of mind the heart will find
The truth of our leaders
We'll try the facts so through the cracks
May fall the lying cheater
Who has won when we're all dead?
I'll wave this flag of white
So the avenged see the light
We'll pay for closed eyes
Before genocide
So is this how we live?
Or is this how we die?
Black blood dripping from platinum fangs
Rich blood flees while
Our poverty hangs, oh
Oh, shepherds, they herd the mindless trance
As the flock follows the puppet's dance
In a fatal romance
Oh, all that they needed was
A pretext, war's next
Heads to the chopping blocks
And our necks are next
For those who died
Who fought for our rights
Whose children now slaves
Are turning in their graves
Oh, war hawks and senators
They sit right so trite
Never their sons will know
What it's like to fight
Soldiers are dead
And children have bled
And the silence is numb
What have we become?
What have we become?
What have we become?
What have we become?
God save us
A farewell to arms
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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This song is basically about how America has lost its moral high ground, instead of being a force for advancement, America is a force for destruction, starting from the Vietnam war.