No Bullets Fly
Sabaton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So hurry up, rearm and refuel
But through the bomber's damaged air frame
See wounded men scattered and burned
Look to the right and then look again
And see the enemy in the eye
No bullets fly, spared by his mercy
Escorted out, out of harm's way
Fly, fighting fair
It's the code of the air
Brothers, heroes, foes
Killing machine, thunder in the sky
B-17, flying home
Killing machine
Said goodbye to the cross he deserved
He risked his life two times that day
To save an unknown enemy
Escort to safety, out of the killzone
A short salute, then departed
Fly, fighting fair
It's the code of the air
Brothers, heroes, foes
Killing machine, thunder in the sky
B-17, flying home
Killing machine
Said goodbye to the cross he deserved
(Oh oh oh)
Fly, fighting fair
It's the code of the air
Brothers, heroes, foes
Killing machine, thunder in the sky
B-17, flying home
Killing machine
Said goodbye to the cross he deserved
Sabaton's song "No Bullets Fly" recounts the true story of a remarkable act of mercy and heroism that was born out of a dogfight between a German Messerschmitt fighter and an American B-17 bomber during World War II. As the bomber was returning home from a bombing mission over Germany, it was suddenly attacked by a German fighter plane. While the American crew was trying to return fire, one of the crew members, Franz Stigler, who was a veteran fighter pilot in the German Luftwaffe, noticed that the bomber was badly damaged and that the crew was severely wounded.
Moved by a sense of compassion and an unwritten code of honor between enemy pilots, Stigler decided not to shoot down the crippled bomber but instead escorted it safely out of German airspace, allowing the crew to land safely in England. This extraordinary act of bravery and mercy was later revealed when Charles Brown, the American pilot of the B-17, decided to track down Stigler after the war and thank him for sparing his crew's lives.
The powerful lyrics of "No Bullets Fly" highlight the humanistic and humane aspects of warfare that are often overlooked or forgotten. The song celebrates the courage, solidarity, and camaraderie that can be found among soldiers and pilots, even across enemy lines. The lyrics evoke a sense of admiration and respect for the heroism and selflessness of both Stigler and Brown, who despite their differences and their allegiance to opposing armies, were able to recognize and appreciate each other's humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
From down below one enemy's spotted
From below, the bomber crew spotted an enemy aircraft.
So hurry up, rearm and refuel
The bomber crew has spotted an enemy and needs to quickly rearm and refuel their aircraft for combat.
But through the bomber's damaged air frame
Despite the damage sustained by the bomber, the crew remains committed to their mission.
See wounded men scattered and burned
The crew observes the grim aftermath of combat in the form of wounded and burnt crew members.
Look to the right and then look again
The crew double-checks a potential threat on their right side.
And see the enemy in the eye
The crew make eye contact with the enemy pilot, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
No bullets fly, spared by his mercy
The enemy aircraft does not open fire, sparing the bomber crew due to the compassion of the enemy pilot.
Escorted out, out of harm's way
The enemy pilot escorts the damaged bomber out of the combat zone.
Fly, fighting fair
The bomber crew abides by the code of chivalry by fighting fairly in the skies.
It's the code of the air
The bomber crew adheres to the unwritten ethical code of aerial warfare.
Brothers, heroes, foes
The pilots on both sides of the war share a brotherhood forged by their shared experiences, despite being enemies.
Killing machine, thunder in the sky
The B-17 bomber is a powerful and deadly weapon, capable of dealing significant damage in the sky.
B-17, flying home
The bomber is able to complete its mission and return home safely.
Said goodbye to the cross he deserved
The enemy pilot forsakes his right to a kill and passes up an opportunity to shoot down the B-17 bomber.
He risked his life two times that day
The enemy pilot put his own life at risk by escorting the bomber out of harm's way instead of taking advantage of the situation and shooting it down.
To save an unknown enemy
The enemy pilot showed compassion by saving the lives of his enemies, who were unknown to him personally.
Escort to safety, out of the killzone
The enemy pilot escorted the damaged bomber out of the combat zone, ensuring its safety.
A short salute, then departed
The enemy pilot gave a brief salute to the bomber crew before departing.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOAKIM BRODEN, KENNY LARS KAENGSTROEM, PAER SUNDSTROEM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AngelEmfrbl
@@Kanefan701 Even in the interview they did together, Charlie said that seeing the other pilot for the first time was like seeing a long lost brother or family member you haven't seen in years. Because of the German pilot, all members of the B17 plane, the 'Ye Olde Pub', survived the war except one.
Even without the escort, the crew wouldn't abandon their plane as they flew to the wall of guns waiting for them. They'd have had to leave one of the crew behind on the plane while the other 8 jumped. So there was already honor going on between the Ye Olde Pub's crew not wanting to abandon their crewmate.
I don't think anyone could top the moment those 10 men had between those two planes.
It reminds me of how some submariners used to pause for a moment after downing another submarine, because they often realized that could have been them. It shock many to the core how close they came to death.
The sad reality is that as the war draw to an end, honour was often lost. A lot of Germans abandoned their chivalry to down as many airmen as possible on the other side as they were loosing. Worst bit is most men weren't there out of choice, only 10% of them were nazis and the % of those that didn't want to go to war was almost the same as the number who weren't.
@spad8547
what naughty stuff do yall do at home when your parents are gone😏 for me
I blast every single sabaton song on max volume until my neighbors hear it then they start vibing then the whole neighbor hood starts vibing
@Sabaton
Following a successful air raid on the German city of Bremen, Charlie Brown's American B-17 bomber, ‘Ye Old Pub’, suffered severe damage. When German fighter ace, Franz Stigler, was ordered to shoot it down, he risked his life to escort the bomber to safety instead of attacking. Read more about the Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler incident 👉 https://www.sabaton.net/historical-facts/charlie-brown-and-franz-stigler/
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@erichvondonitz5325
Escort to Safety, out of the killzone
@Supermarine-Spitfire-mk-IX
@@erichvondonitz5325
A short salute, then departed
@winnerloser
FLY, FIGHTING FAIR
@patimationstudios
Fly, Fighting Fair
@Supermarine-Spitfire-mk-IX
@@patimationstudios
It's the code of the air!
@spencersholden
One of my favorite stories about this song is that Stigler’s daughter and grandson have both heard it. His grandson was a fan before hand too.
@hellionshark3197
Aww is there any video of that?
@arthurkirkland1419
@@hellionshark3197 yes :). The original(non lyric video) from Sabaton even shows the video of his daughter thanking them for telling her father's story.
@takebacktheholyland9306
just like how at first charlie brown and franz stigler learned of each other through telephone wire,
his daughter and the sabaton crew would first meet through the internet,
it really is just a cherry on top