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Bunker Soldiers Lyrics
Trained bodies in coordination
Is that a better way for bunker soldiers
But it's a nicer way to spend the war
On lava beaches and sandy seasides
The rusting bodies are surplus now then
We never taught them how to fight like that
The object's exercise is so compulsive
It's not a better way but it still suits us
I'd give up rice fields to fight like you
K B N U R A S T R S O L I E K B
It's not a better way
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N U R N I T O L I B K B N U R E
Though we are here to stay
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S T R S O L I B K B N U R A S T
Well that might seem OK
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Waves of people in strange directions
It's no use talking, there's no decisions
They gave up houses to be refugees
The mud in ditches is over their knees
The sandbagged trenches are over our heads
This kind of warfare's become hide and seek
Though khaki uniforms are universal
Your propaganda is losing appeal
I'd give up rice fields to fight like you
I'd give up rice fields to fight like you
I'd give up rice fields to fight like you
I'd give up rice fields to fight like you
K B N U R A S T S O L I E K B N
It's not a better way
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U R E S T R S O L I E K B N U R
Though we are here to stay
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E S T R S O I L E A B A R T S T
Well that might seem OK
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It's an interesting song about militarism and modern warfare in the 20th century. The song is however, written in a retrospective as this was written during a cold war, an era where the warfare described never really happened (save for a few conflicts).
The bloody ditches, bunker soldiers, and trained bodies are all correspondent to the nature of the Pacific / European Theaters of WW2. I've seen translation differences where the line 'I'd give my life just to fight like you' is instead 'I'd give up rice fields to fight like you', which probably indicates this song talks about the Japanese Front of WW2. The 'It's not a better way, but it's a success' possibly describes how many military tactics during the first 2 world wars were successful but led to the loss of thousands for no reason.
Many older OMD songs follow this same theme, talking about warfare or a vague notion about sacrificing oneself for a bigger cause. This is what defined their music in the early 1980s.
There are a lot of errors in this transcription which seems to be the only version around. "Cocky uniforms"?