Standing on the beach
With a gun in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring down the barrel
At the Arab on the ground
I can see his open mouth
But I hear no sound

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab

I can turn
And walk away
Or I can fire the gun
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Whichever I chose
It amounts to the same
Absolutely nothing

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab

I feel the steel butt jump
Smooth in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring at myself
Reflected in the eyes
Of the dead man on the beach
The dead man on the beach

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab


Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by Mellow_Harsher, NilNas

Killing an Arab Lyrics as written by Michael Stephen Dempsey Laurence Andrew Tolhurst

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Broma 16

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Killing an Arab song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is about the book "The stranger" If you want the full effect of this song you should read the book. It's very well put in this song. There are no complex metaphors. The way Albert Camus created the character (Mersault) that killed the Arab, was in a way where none of his feelings are left unknown. The character tells the audience when he's tired when he's hungry, when he's hot. When he shoots the Arab in the book he actually has no reason to kill him at all, no revenge, nothing. But the sun is shining very bright and it's annoying him. The blade the Arab is holding is reflecting the sun onto his face and that's all it took. The whole it amounts to the same part has to do with the philosophy on the absurd, which Albert Camus is trying to show in this book. "I'm alive I'm dead I'm the stranger Killing an Arab" This is exactly how it is. He’s alive, but now that he killed the Arab he's on death row, he's the stranger in society. It's a good song, and a good book I actually remember reading it at the beginning of freshman year and I’m a junior now.

    Priscillahiltonon October 16, 2007   Link

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