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Martyr Of The Free Word Lyrics

Speaking in degradation
A conversation can take a sudden turn
and reaching the point of violence
because your silence left you without a hand to hold

Your past will lead you on to make...

Making a final judgement
Based on your bias will never bring you forward
Terror should never guide you
For even the fearful can take a beating in the end

Suspicion gets you nowhere

Those who denounce a way of life
Will stand alone
Left to atone their social blunders
If you gun down the messenger
You guarantee that he will be made
Into a saint
A martyr of the free word

I will say
I will say what I think
I will do
I will do what I say
When liberty seems out of reach
We'll fight for our freedom of speech

Requiem aeternam dona eis,
Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis

Missing a simple context
A mental weakness
can throw you out of balance
Listen, respect each other
Then you'll discover it
Mustn't always end in hate
It's not too late for mercy

Those who denounce a way of life
Will stand alone
Left to atone their social blunders
If you gun down the messenger
You guarantee that he will be made
Into a saint
A martyr of the free word

I will say
I will say what I think
I will do
I will do what I say
When tolerance seems out of sight
When liberty seems out of reach
We'll fight for our freedom of speech
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Cover art for Martyr Of The Free Word lyrics by Epica

Well, the first poster pretty much explain whatever little there was to explain. It's a song about freedom of beliefs, freedom of speech, freedom of expression in general.

Pretty good lyrical effort by the band on this one.

Cover art for Martyr Of The Free Word lyrics by Epica

Martyr of the Free Word

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine et lux perpetua luceat eis

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them

~ From The Roman Rite liturgy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requiem

Cover art for Martyr Of The Free Word lyrics by Epica

Some of these lyrics are wrong! I have the album booklet right here. lol

The first verse is this

Speaking in degradation A conversation can take a sudden turn and reaching the point of violence because your silence left you without a hand to hold

Then the 3rd part after the Latin is Missing a simple context A mental weakness can throw you out of balance Listen, respect each other Then you'll discover it mustn't always end in hate It's not too late for mercy

Then the last part has 'when tolerance seems out of sight' between I will do what I say sand when liberty seems out of reach.

The meaning of this song is obvious. It is pretty much about tolerance and respecting other people's beliefs. It seems that some glorify those who bash others for making a statement and it's a shame that it goes that way. It's obvious Mark who wrote the song has a strong opinion against those people. Strong point made in this, I love it. (:

I absolutely love this song, but does it strike anyone else as a little hypocritical? Mark has spent the last three Epica albums (and possibly some After Forever ones as well, but I don't listen to them) ripping into religion ("Cry For The Moon" "Living A Lie" etc) and now he's urging everyone to listen and respect other people's beliefs?

Other than that, I think the song gives out a positive message, one everyone would do well to listen to.

I'm not sure but when listening to this i recalled the story of the slain Dutch director (Theo van Gogh)

"If you gun down the messenger You guarantee that he will be made Into a saint A martyr of the free word"

If that's what the song is about then he's emphasizing his point yet again, a message against all religious fanaticism.

@Nemoforevermore: No, it isn't hypocritical because this song is about people who kill others for speaking their mind (or, in particular, since it's about the Middle East theocracies, killing people who disagree with Islam, even if they don't even live in the Middle East). Epica would never go out and hunt someone down for speaking their mind. Mark's been speaking his mind in his past albums ("The Phantom Agony"), so really he's pretty much the opposite of a hypocrite for writing this song.

But anyway, I love this song, and the lyrics are fantastic. I love you, Epica!...

 
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