Until the End

Personally, my favorite song by Tom Morello. I'm a RATM fan, an Audioslave fan, and a Nightwatchman fan. I was skeptical at first when I heard he did acoustic folk music, but I was greatly pleased. This is my interpretation, and hopefully I won't look like an idiot.

No one knows who gave the orders No one asks about the crime No one looks behind the curtains No one questions why

• This part is about war crimes, hence the 'questioning the orders' line. Because people are at war everyone assumes everything that's done is normal. The huge amounts of innocents being hurt, murdered, raped, etc. is ignored due to 'larger concerns'.

The only time we got Is right about now I cross my heart I take the vow

• This always makes me think of a solemn wedding vow, but is more likely a vow to an ideal or a dream.

Ill never turn Ill never bend I'm with ya now Until the end

• He's saying he will not turn away, or bend over and let the evil that's happening take place. He is sticking to the ideals until the end.

Tonight's the test Tonight's the time I am the punishment That fits the crime

• He's saying if others (mainly, the government) won't deal with the problems, than he will. Vigilante justice, in a way. A call for rebellion.

I'll break the bricks I'll pick the locks I don't got nothing But I'll give what I got

• Pretty self-explanatory. He will investigate everything (breaking bricks and picking locks), there isn't anything he can do, but he will do what he can.

Ill never turn Ill never bend I'm with ya now Until the end

• Chorus, again, he won't give up and won't back down.

Ten trials whose outcome All fixed from the start

Nine judges sitting countin' Their money in the dark

• This is talking about corruption in the judicial system. Judges taking bribes and fixing the outcome of trials they are judging. "In the dark" is just a metaphor for it being secretive.

Eight towers of iron Surround the desert town On a cold December mornin' Seven martyrs knock them down

• My favorite line in the song. Somewhat obvious. Suicide bombers. "Towers of iron" are obviously buildings. Martyrs (suicide bombers) knocking them down (they blow them up). Most of this is obvious.

Six fathers still waiting For there five sons to come home Five mothers who know better And accept that there gone

• The fathers and mothers of the martyrs, who died trying to make their points. The mothers realize the boys are gone forever, whereas the fathers still have hope.

Four years Iive been hunted Still i breathe free Three times i shot the sheriff And did not spare the deputy

• This one is a bit of an enigma. I think it means hes being hunted for having killed the sheriffs and deputies, but they aren't really looking for him, or he has eluded capture for that long. Either way, he's not been caught as of yet.

Two prayers I'm prayin' Until were together One promise that I'm keeping Tonight and forever

• I'm not sure about this ones, but the prayers probably are for peace and freedom. Or justice and truth. The promise he's keeping is probably whats in the chorus:

I'll never turn I'll never bend I'm with ya now Until the end

That's my two-cents. NIGHTWATCHMAN FTW!