Drink Before the War
Sinéad O'Connor Lyrics

Well, you tell us that we're wrong
You criticize and condemn us, saying we're misguided

And you tell us not to sing our song
You order us not to express our views and beliefs

Nothing we can say will make you see
No amount of argument can convince you to understand our perspective

You got a heart of stone, you can never feel
You lack empathy and are incapable of experiencing emotions

You say "Oh, I'm not afraid, it can't happen to me
You think you're invulnerable and immune to harm

I've lived my life as a good man
You believe that your past virtuous conduct guarantees your safety

Oh, no you're out of your mind
You're delusional and irrational

It won't happen to me
You're convinced that nothing bad will ever happen to you

'Cause I've carried my weight and I've been a strong man"
You believe that your own fortitude and resilience will protect you

Listen to the man in the liquor store
Pay attention to the warning given by the man selling alcohol

Yelling "anybody want a drink before the war?"
Asking if anyone wants to escape the impending conflict by getting drunk

And your parents paid you through
You were born into privilege and had an easy life thanks to your family's money

You got a nice big car, nothing bothers you
You possess material wealth and are completely unconcerned about others' problems

Somebody cut out your eyes, you refuse to see
You deliberately ignore the harsh realities of the world

Ah, somebody cut out your heart, you refuse to feel
You lack compassion and refuse to empathize with others' suffering

And you live in a shell
You protect yourself from the world by hiding in a self-constructed bubble

You create your own hell
Your negative attitude and behavior lead to your own misery

You live in the past and talk about war
You are stuck in the past, reminiscing about past conflicts and wars

And you dig your own grave, yeah
Your actions are leading to your own downfall and demise

But it's a life you can save
You can change your ways and save yourself from self-destruction

So stop getting fast, it's not gonna happen
Stop acting recklessly, because danger is not far off

And you'll cry but you'll never fall, no, no, no
You will suffer the consequences of your actions without learning from them

You're building a wall
You are creating a barrier around yourself that prevents others from getting close

Gotta break it down, start again
You need to take action to break down your self-constructed barriers and start anew

No, no, no, it won't happen to us
You and your group think you are impervious to harm

We've lived our lives, basically we've been good men
You and your group believe that your past behavior exempts you from danger

So stop talking of war
Stop discussing war as if it's an abstract concept and not a real threat

'Cause you know we've heard it all before
Your repetitive and tiresome arguments about war are wearing thin

Why don't you go out there and do something useful?
Instead of talking, take action and do something productive

Oh, listen to the man in the liquor store
Pay attention to the warning given by the man selling alcohol

He yelling "anybody want to drink before the war?"
Asking if anyone wants to escape the impending conflict by getting drunk

"Anybody want to drink before the war?"
The man is emphasizing the upcoming violence and the need to escape it with alcohol