This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
It was just another day
It was just another fight
It was words strung into sentences
It was doomed to not be right
There is something wrong with me
There is something wrong with you
There is nothing left of us
There is one thing I can do
Chorus
Lying on your bed,
Examining my head
This is the part of me that hates
Paybacks are a bitch
I throw the switch
Somewhere an electric chair awaits
Hey! This was my life
Hey! This was my fate
This was the wrong thing to do
This was the wrong one to be doing
This was the road to destiny
This was the road to my ruin
Now there's motives for the suspect
Now there's nothing left to say
Now there's method to the madness
Now there's society to pay
Chorus
In our life there's if
In our beliefs there's lie
In our business there's sin
In our bodies there's die
Solo - Dave
This was my life
This was my fate
It was just another fight
It was words strung into sentences
It was doomed to not be right
There is something wrong with me
There is something wrong with you
There is nothing left of us
There is one thing I can do
Chorus
Lying on your bed,
Examining my head
This is the part of me that hates
Paybacks are a bitch
I throw the switch
Somewhere an electric chair awaits
Hey! This was my life
Hey! This was my fate
This was the wrong thing to do
This was the wrong one to be doing
This was the road to destiny
This was the road to my ruin
Now there's motives for the suspect
Now there's nothing left to say
Now there's method to the madness
Now there's society to pay
Chorus
In our life there's if
In our beliefs there's lie
In our business there's sin
In our bodies there's die
Solo - Dave
This was my life
This was my fate
Lyrics submitted by elmoz
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This song is about a relationship Dave Mustaine had that didn't go well. In his own words:
"Before my spouse, I had a relationship with a very charming lady that went awry. Every possible way you could wreck a relationship, I did. Many times I wanted to kill her or myself, and I knew that I would go to jail if I did, so I balked." (Mustaine, 1992)
"I had the very seedy, sordid love affair that took place over six years, and I've gotten a lot of great songs out of it. She's probably biting her nails, wondering what this album's gonna say about her! This particular song is about a time I wanted to kill her. I'm laying in her bed, and she's examining my head, and my feeling of being under her microscope is the part of me that hates. I know I'm going to get her back, but that when I do, I'm throwing my own switch on an electric chair, buying my own ticket. It's a confession of the madness I felt at the time." (Mustaine)
I may be wrong on this, but I believe that Tornado of Souls is another song based on this relationship.
It's mean to be seen as someone who's not lead a perfect life...and he's looking back on everything he didn't enjoy about it.
I don't agree
I don't agree
anybody who has been in a relationship that is going downhill can relate to this song... the moment when you realize that this is all going nowhere, that the two persons hate each other and that they would be better off without
the chorus to me is the guy thinking about kiling the other person while trying to sleep "lying on your bed examining my head"
In our l(if)e, there is IF In our be(lie)fs, there is LIE In our bu(sin)ess, there is SIN In our bo(die)s, there is DIE
nobody caught that yet, but I've always thought it was good poetry, because you have to doubletake to understand what he is saying. he's saying (in this part of the song) something is hidden in everything, in this case he dissected the words to find IF LIE SIN DIE If you lie and sin you die, (cliff burton anyone) just making crazy connections but metallica lied and sinned and the last of their real talent died with Cliff after they got rid of dave Payback is a bitch
and the electric chair he is talking about seems to relate to Ride the Lightning, which has a lot of Dave's work on it. Strung into sentences - master of puppets pulling strings
Dudes, Dave mustaine is smarter than we really can comprehend, I want to meet him.
Wow robert grim reaper! That was deep stuff and I never would have thought about this song in that way. It makes perfect sense and I totally agree. Two thumbs up!
thanks dude. a lot of the songs on countdown have more to them than meets the eye