Matt Shadows their lead singer says the song was written as per request from the developers of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Watching the initial trailers for the game & looking at production sketches reminded him of the 'S-Town' podcast & its main protagonist, John B. McLemore. Matt also comments specifically on the lyrics: "I decided that the lyrics would shadow McLemore's life." In 2012, antiquarian horologist John B. McLemore sent an email to the staff of the show 'This American Life' asking them to investigate an alleged murder in his hometown of Woodstock, Alabama, a place McLemore claimed to despise. After a year of exchanging emails & several months of conversation with McLemore, producer Brian Reed traveled to Woodstock to investigate. Reed investigated the crime & eventually found that no such murder took place, though he struck up a friendship with the depressed but colorful character of McLemore. He recorded conversations with McLemore & other people in Woodstock. McLemore killed himself by drinking potassium cyanide on June 22, 2015 while the podcast was still in production. In the narrative of the podcast, this occurs at the end of the second episode; subsequent episodes deal with the fallout from McLemore's death while exploring more of McLemore's life & character.
What is the tumult among the stars
That have shone so still till now?
What are the furrows of pain and wrath
Upon the immortal brow?
What is the beauty that flames so bright
Athwart the awful dawn?
She has taken flesh, she is come to judge
The thrones ye rule upon
Quail ye kings for an end is come
In the birth of Babalon
O popes and kings and the little gods
Are sick and sad and wan
To see the crismon star that bursts
Like blood upon the dawn
The gates shall fall and the irons break
In the birth of Babalon
Her mouth is red and her breasts are fair
And her loins are full of fire
And her lust is strong as a men is strong
In the heat of her desire
And her whoredom is holy as virtue is foul
Beneath the holy sky
And her kisses will wanton the world away
In passion that shall not die
That have shone so still till now?
What are the furrows of pain and wrath
Upon the immortal brow?
What is the beauty that flames so bright
Athwart the awful dawn?
She has taken flesh, she is come to judge
The thrones ye rule upon
Quail ye kings for an end is come
In the birth of Babalon
O popes and kings and the little gods
Are sick and sad and wan
To see the crismon star that bursts
Like blood upon the dawn
The gates shall fall and the irons break
In the birth of Babalon
Her mouth is red and her breasts are fair
And her loins are full of fire
And her lust is strong as a men is strong
In the heat of her desire
And her whoredom is holy as virtue is foul
Beneath the holy sky
And her kisses will wanton the world away
In passion that shall not die
Lyrics submitted by sokorny
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