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Warchild Lyrics

I'll take you down to that bright city mile ---
there to powder your sweet face and paint on a smile,
that will show all of the pleasures and none of the pain,
when you join my explosion
and play with my games.
WarChild dance the days, and dance the nights away.
No unconditional surrender; no armistice day ---
each night I'll die in my contentment and lie in your grave.
While you bring me water and I give you wine ---
let me dance in your tea-cup and you shall swim in mine.
WarChild dance the days, and dance the nights away.
Open your windows and I'll walk through your doors.
Let me live in your country --- let me sleep by your shores.
WarChild dance the days, and dance the nights away.
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6 Meanings

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Cover art for Warchild lyrics by Jethro Tull

The apparent beauty, civility, and comforts of modern society are served and sustained by suffering and sacrifice of human lives, in the propagation of a perpetual cycle of war among nations.

Cover art for Warchild lyrics by Jethro Tull

beautiful musical composition in this classic by the almighty Jethro Tull!-

Cover art for Warchild lyrics by Jethro Tull

About a society that embraces war.

Cover art for Warchild lyrics by Jethro Tull

There is a great interpretation of this song on the Cup of Wonder website.

I agree with it mostly. However, in the lyrics, I mostly hear the voice of war talking to the people who are about to be conquered or killed.

I think the language the voice is using is basically talking about rape:

-show all of the pleasures and none of the pain. -join my explosion and play with my games. -dance in your tea-cup and you shall swim in mine. -Open your windows and I'll walk through your doors. -Let me live in your country --- let me sleep by your shores.

I think it's all very sexually connotated.

Lastly, no one, not even Cup of Wonder make the obvious connection of the water to wine Jesus connection. I think this has something to say about crusades and such, forcing Christianity on to conquered nations.

Song Meaning
Cover art for Warchild lyrics by Jethro Tull

It is about war, guys. When you're tempted to see a euphemism, plug in the idea of war and warchildren, maybe people who grew up in and with wars and are desensitized to it, people who dance the days and dance the nights away while a war is going on.

Cover art for Warchild lyrics by Jethro Tull

marriage proposal