Wow, what a mess was made of the lyrics. Instead of following my usual format, I'm going to post the correct version first and THEN my comments.
MEGAMAN:
I have seen this city a thousand times.
Through the glass twenty stories high
I have watched this city burn.
If everything that you said is true,
There is no hope someday they will learn.
But if I stay here with you,
Then I will never know the truth.
Do not say this is how it has to be.
But as I walk through the city streets,
These frightened people watching me pass,
There is an evil that holds them here
And yet they won't try breaking its grasp.
But if I stay here with you
Then I will leave them to their doom.
Do not say this is how it has to be.
You do no better than the fools of this burning city.
(VOICE OF DR. LIGHT IN BACKGROUND)/MEGAMAN:
(You have heard me tell this story...) Even here, it is not safe.
(Many times before you sleep...) Even this grave has been defaced.
(No matter how dark this city gets...) Someone has written on this stone
(Even now, there's hope for man.) In some angry hand:
Hope rides alone. (x3)
(LOUDSPEAKERS IN BACKGROUND: We have control, we keep you safe, we are your hope.) ((Repeat until the human choir takes over these words, somewhere around "As I live, there is no evil that will stand..."))
If you say this is how it has to be
You'll do no better than the fools of this burning city
But as I live, there is no evil that will stand
And I will finish what was started: The fight of Protoman!
HUMAN CHOIR:
We have control
We keep you safe
We are your hope!
((Repeat until end of song. This then blends into the "We are in control!" that begins the next track, "Vengeance".))
Megaman has had enough with the destruction that has befallen the city. He knows that if he stays with Dr. Light, he will never know the truth. He knows the citizens of the city are terrified, yet they will not rebel against whatever evil keeps them there. Megaman is not willing to accept whatever 'fate' would be if he obeyed Light's request that he not fight. If this were to be the case, Light would be no better than the cowards of the city.
The "You have heard me tell this story" part are the words Dr. Light had carved on the marker of Protoman's 'grave', where Proto's helmet was placed during "Funeral For A Son" (the second track of the album).
The "even here, it is not safe" part is Megaman's comments as he is reading the marker. He realizes that there is no sacred place in the city, that all would be destroyed under Wily. He notices that someone has scrawled across the marker the words "Hope Rides Alone".
The loudspeakers begin blaring the words "We have control, we keep you safe, we are your hope" in an attempt to prevent Megaman from stirring up a rebellion. Whoever is controlling these speakers wants the crowds turned against Megaman.
But Megaman is determined. He will finish what Protoman has started. He will save mankind. There is no evil that will stop him, and he has rallied some (The human choir that chants the same words "We have control...") to his cause.
Now for my more liberal interpretations of certain parts of the song...
The "truth" Megaman wishes to know... possibly about his own purpose, or maybe the truth about Protoman.
Dr. Light's words "No matter how dark this city gets, even now there's hope for man..." perhaps refer to Megaman, though Light has become bitter since then and refuses now to let Megaman be that hope.
I like to think that Protoman himself scrawled the words "Hope rides alone" upon his own 'grave'. It's possible, given his return in the very next song... and given the first song's title. I believe what was meant is that there is no one who will help Megaman fight, just as there was no one to help Protoman. ((Also, I applaud the vocalist's ability to hit that note.))
Wow, what a mess was made of the lyrics. Instead of following my usual format, I'm going to post the correct version first and THEN my comments.
MEGAMAN:
I have seen this city a thousand times. Through the glass twenty stories high I have watched this city burn. If everything that you said is true, There is no hope someday they will learn.
But if I stay here with you, Then I will never know the truth. Do not say this is how it has to be.
But as I walk through the city streets, These frightened people watching me pass, There is an evil that holds them here And yet they won't try breaking its grasp.
But if I stay here with you Then I will leave them to their doom. Do not say this is how it has to be. You do no better than the fools of this burning city.
(VOICE OF DR. LIGHT IN BACKGROUND)/MEGAMAN: (You have heard me tell this story...) Even here, it is not safe. (Many times before you sleep...) Even this grave has been defaced. (No matter how dark this city gets...) Someone has written on this stone (Even now, there's hope for man.) In some angry hand:
Hope rides alone. (x3)
(LOUDSPEAKERS IN BACKGROUND: We have control, we keep you safe, we are your hope.) ((Repeat until the human choir takes over these words, somewhere around "As I live, there is no evil that will stand..."))
If you say this is how it has to be You'll do no better than the fools of this burning city But as I live, there is no evil that will stand And I will finish what was started: The fight of Protoman!
HUMAN CHOIR:
We have control We keep you safe We are your hope!
((Repeat until end of song. This then blends into the "We are in control!" that begins the next track, "Vengeance".))
Megaman has had enough with the destruction that has befallen the city. He knows that if he stays with Dr. Light, he will never know the truth. He knows the citizens of the city are terrified, yet they will not rebel against whatever evil keeps them there. Megaman is not willing to accept whatever 'fate' would be if he obeyed Light's request that he not fight. If this were to be the case, Light would be no better than the cowards of the city.
The "You have heard me tell this story" part are the words Dr. Light had carved on the marker of Protoman's 'grave', where Proto's helmet was placed during "Funeral For A Son" (the second track of the album).
The "even here, it is not safe" part is Megaman's comments as he is reading the marker. He realizes that there is no sacred place in the city, that all would be destroyed under Wily. He notices that someone has scrawled across the marker the words "Hope Rides Alone".
The loudspeakers begin blaring the words "We have control, we keep you safe, we are your hope" in an attempt to prevent Megaman from stirring up a rebellion. Whoever is controlling these speakers wants the crowds turned against Megaman.
But Megaman is determined. He will finish what Protoman has started. He will save mankind. There is no evil that will stop him, and he has rallied some (The human choir that chants the same words "We have control...") to his cause.
Now for my more liberal interpretations of certain parts of the song...
The "truth" Megaman wishes to know... possibly about his own purpose, or maybe the truth about Protoman.
Dr. Light's words "No matter how dark this city gets, even now there's hope for man..." perhaps refer to Megaman, though Light has become bitter since then and refuses now to let Megaman be that hope.
I like to think that Protoman himself scrawled the words "Hope rides alone" upon his own 'grave'. It's possible, given his return in the very next song... and given the first song's title. I believe what was meant is that there is no one who will help Megaman fight, just as there was no one to help Protoman. ((Also, I applaud the vocalist's ability to hit that note.))