Lyric discussion by jfcnc 

Cover art for Black Water lyrics by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

This song is without a doubt, definitely a reference to Blackwater,a mercenary, military company now known as Xe Services from my home state of North Carolina. Guns and steel and germs of love is a reference to Guns, Germs, and Steel: a 1997 book by Jared Diamond. A very good book by the way. Edward is apparently an intelligent man.