He said son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could
Just carry this gun, you'll even get paid
I said that sounds pretty good

Black leather boots
Spit-shined so bright
They cut off my hair but it looked alright
We marched and we sang
We all became friends
As we learned how to fight

A hero of war
Yeah that's what I'll be
And when I come home
They'll be damn proud of me
I'll carry this flag
To the grave if I must
Cause it's a flag that I love
And a flag that I trust

I kicked in the door
I yelled my commands
The children, they cried
But I got my man
We took him away
A bag over his face
From his family and his friends

They took off his clothes
They pissed in his hands
I told them to stop
But then I joined in
We beat him with guns
And batons not just once
But again and again

A hero of war
Yeah that's what I'll be
And when I come home
They'll be damn proud of me
I'll carry this flag
To the grave if I must
Cause it's a flag that I love
And a flag that I trust

She walked through bullets and haze
I asked her to stop
I begged her to stay
But she pressed on
So I lifted my gun
And I fired away

And the shells jumped through the smoke
And into the sand
That the blood now had soaked
She collapsed with a flag in her hand
A flag white as snow

A hero of war
Is that what they see?
Just medals and scars
So damn proud of me
And I brought home that flag
Now it gathers dust
But it's a flag that I love
The only flag that I trust

He said, son, have you seen the world?
Well what would you say, if I said that you could?


Lyrics submitted by Yoshü, edited by LasseSand

Hero of War Lyrics as written by Joseph Principe Brandon Barnes

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Hero of War song meanings
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    General Comment

    Disappointed? Why? It tells how many young people are recruited without really knowing what they're signing up for; how war can change them, and not always for the better; how difficult it can be to live with some of the choices you made in war. The psychological understanding in the lyrics is great, and the song as a whole a true masterpiece.

    LasseSandon June 03, 2013   Link

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