Hero of War
Rise Against Lyrics

He said son, have you seen the world?
The singer asks if the listener has experienced the world.

Well, what would you say if I said that you could
The singer proposes a possibly exciting opportunity.

Just carry this gun, you'll even get paid
The singer offers a job that involves carrying a gun in exchange for compensation.

I said that sounds pretty good
The listener finds the offer appealing.

Black leather boots
The artist describes the uniform of a soldier.

Spit-shined so bright
The boots are polished to a high shine.

They cut off my hair but it looked alright
The singer's hair was cut to conform to military standards, but the singer is not bothered by it.

We marched and we sang
The soldiers engage in marching and singing as part of their training.

We all became friends
The soldiers form close bonds due to their shared experiences and training.

As we learned how to fight
The soldiers are being trained to become combat-ready.

A hero of war
The singer envisions themselves as a heroic figure due to their military service.

Yeah that's what I'll be
The artist is convinced that they will become a hero of war.

And when I come home they'll be damn proud of me
The singer believes that their military service will be viewed as something to be proud of upon returning home.

I'll carry this flag to the grave if I must cause it's a flag that I love and a flag that I trust
The singer is dedicated to their country and its flag, and is willing to die for it if necessary.

I kicked in the door, I yelled my commands
The singer recalls a specific instance of violent action during their military service.

The children, they cried, but I got my man
The artist is remorseful about the impact of their actions on children, but takes pride in successfully carrying out their mission.

We took him away, a bag over his face, from his family and his friends
The artist was involved in the arrest and kidnapping of an individual.

They took off his clothes, they pissed in his hands
The singer describes the torture and humiliation inflicted upon the captive.

I told them to stop, but then I joined in
The singer is torn between their conscience and their allegiance to the group, and ultimately decides to participate in the torture.

We beat him with guns and batons not just once, but again and again
The artist describes the brutalization of the captive with weapons.

She walked through bullets and haze, I asked her to stop, I begged her to stay
The artist recalls an encounter with a civilian woman in a warzone and tries to convince her to leave for safety reasons.

But she pressed on, so I lifted my gun, and I fired away
The artist resorts to violence to stop the woman from continuing on.

And the shells jumped through the smoke, and into the sand, that the blood now had soaked
The violence causes chaos and destruction, leading to bloodshed and death.

She collapsed with a flag in her hand, a flag white as snow
The woman dies, still clutching a white flag of surrender.

Is that what they see? Just medals and scars
The singer wonders if their reputation as a war hero is only based on superficial honors and physical injuries.

So damn proud of me, and I brought home that flag. Now it gathers dust
The singer is proud of their military service, but is disillusioned with the reality of their actions and their country's treatment of veterans.

But it's a flag that I love, the only flag that I trust
Despite their misgivings, the singer still has faith and loyalty to their country and its flag.