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Like a Thousand Suns Lyrics
Their shadows burnt into the walls
So many lives reduced to ashes
So many homes razed to the ground
A shine like from a thousand suns
Betrayed by their proud leaders
And executed by atrocious enemies
So many homes, so many lives
A silent sense of guilt should rise
A thousand books all full with vindications
Simple explanations and coloured declarations
Where silent sense of guilt should rise
But a victor's story cannot lie
One modest truth they teach their children
Again, a victor's story, it cannot lie!
See these branded generations
Hear, their bells are tolling
Hear, hear them calling
So many lives reduced to ashes
So many homes razed to the ground
A shine like from a thousand suns
And executed by atrocious enemies
So many homes, so many lives
A silent sense of guilt should rise
Simple explanations and coloured declarations
Where silent sense of guilt should rise
But a victor's story cannot lie
Again, a victor's story, it cannot lie!
Hear, their bells are tolling
Hear, hear them calling
Song Info
Submitted by
todaystomorrow On Jan 29, 2008
More Heaven Shall Burn
Numbing the Pain
Voice of the Voiceless
A Dying Ember
Counterweight
The Weapon They Fear
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ha, first!
i think it's about the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, "A shine like from a thousand suns" couls refer to an atomic bomb. "reduced to ashes" ashes are all that's left from most of the city "A thousand books all full with vindications" might talk about how America tries to justify their act of killing
in my opinion it concerns generally totalitarian systems in the world, not only during II World War
This has got to be about Hiroshima/Nagasaki. The band themselves are known for being very anti-war, so it makes sense that they'd be on the "war crime" side of the debate.
Lyrical analysis:
"Their shadows burnt into the walls" - after the bombings, the silhouettes of victims were actually burnt into the walls, such is the immense heat of an atomic explosion.
"So many lives reduced to ashes/so many homes razed to the ground" - comments on the massive scale of the loss of life and destruction caused by the bombs.
"A shine like from a thousand suns" - the light-flash from a nuclear explosion can be blinding. 'Like a thousand suns' is how the weapon's developers described it.
"Betrayed by their proud leaders" - the pride of the Japanese leaders made them refuse to surrender, and their people payed the price.
"And executed by atrocious enemies" - denounces the Allies for their unnecessary use of the bombs, thus massacring innocents.
"So many homes, so many lives" a repetition of lyrics from first verse, same meaning.
"A sense of guilt should rise" - states that the western people should feel remorse for the bombings.
"A thousand books all full with vindications/simple explanations and coloured declarations" - all the American history books are full of arguments and debates justifying the bombs' use, but these are all "coloured" by lies and exaggerations to hide the crime.
"Where silent sense of guilt should rise, but a victor's story cannot lie" - The old quote 'history is written by the victors'. Propaganda and lies cause the western people feel no guilt or remorse for what they did.
"One modest truth they teach their children/Again, a victor's story, it cannot lie!" - The previous generation lie to their children and justify their act of genocide.
"See these branded generations/Hear, their bells are tolling/Hear, hear them calling" - Not certain about this one, but it may refer to the fact that the Japanese people are still suffering from the effects of the bombs' fallout generations on.
I think the meaning of this song is fairly obvious, and I have to say that I agree with it. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were war crimes and should be acknowledged as such.