Hey Ma
James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So much dust in the air
It affected your vision
Couldn't see yourself clear
From the fall came such choices
Even worse than the fall
There's this chain of consequences
Action, cause and reaction
Never follows to plan
Black swans on your picnic table
Knocking over the jam
Please don't preach me forgiveness
You're hardwired for revenge
War is just about business
Within, without
Hey ma, the boys in body bags
Coming home in pieces
Hey ma, the boys in body bags
Coming home in pieces
Hey ma, the boys in body bags
Coming home in pieces
Coming home in pieces
War, war, war, war
The dead live on within us
Keep your fingers crossed
We were choking on the smoke and the dust
And the lives that were lost
Scratch the surface of liberals
There's a beast underneath
Others hiding their Jekyll's
Within, without
Hey ma, the boys in body bags
Coming home in pieces
Hey ma, the boys in body bags
Coming home in pieces
War, war, war, war
I can feel the daylight
I can feel the day lightning on me, lightning on me
I can feel the daylight
I can feel the day lightning on me, falling on me
The song Hey Ma by James centers around the theme of war, its consequences, and the impact it has on individuals and society as a whole. The first verse talks about the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and how it affected the vision of the people who witnessed it. The fall of the towers led to some difficult choices, and the chain of consequences from those choices led to even worse situations. The second verse talks about the unpredictability of actions and their consequences, and how even the best of plans can be derailed by unforeseen events or "black swans" knocking over the jam on the picnic table. The singer then expresses his disdain for forgiveness and how revenge seems to be a natural inclination within humans. He also points out the business aspect of war, the fact that it is driven by greed and profit, and how it affects people both inside and outside of it.
The chorus of the song "Hey ma, the boys in body bags coming home in pieces" is a poignant reminder of the casualties of war and the true cost of conflicts. It highlights the pain and suffering experienced by the families of those who have lost their lives in war, and how it impacts individuals and communities on a deeper level. The last verse speaks about the lasting effects of war, how the dead live on within us, and how we carry the memories and scars of the experiences with us. It also reveals a truth about individuals and society, that there is a beast lurking beneath the surface, and some hide behind their masks until it's too late. The final lines of the song speak about the hope of a new day, the light that shines through the darkness, and the possibility of healing and moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, the towers have fallen
The tragic events of 9/11 have occurred
So much dust in the air
The aftermath of the event is still lingering
It affected your vision
The chaos of the event has clouded people's perception
Couldn't see yourself clear
People are struggling to understand their own identity in the aftermath
From the fall came such choices
The event has shaped the choices people make
Even worse than the fall
The consequences of those choices can be worse than the event itself
There's this chain of consequences
Choices lead to consequences, which lead to more consequences
Within, without
The impact of the event is both internal and external
Action, cause and reaction
Every action has a consequence
Never follows to plan
Consequences are unpredictable
Black swans on your picnic table
Unpredictable events can disrupt the expected outcome
Knocking over the jam
Small disruptions can lead to bigger consequences
Please don't preach me forgiveness
Don't ask me to forgive easily
You're hardwired for revenge
Human nature often desires revenge over forgiveness
War is just about business
War is often motivated by economic interests
Hey ma, the boys in body bags
The brutal reality of war: soldiers are dying
Coming home in pieces
The horrors of war are not left on the battlefield
The dead live on within us
The memories of those lost in war will always stay with us
Keep your fingers crossed
Hope for the best outcome
We were choking on the smoke and the dust
People were physically and emotionally affected by the event
And the lives that were lost
The death toll was devastating
Scratch the surface of liberals
Even seemingly progressive people can have underlying biases or beliefs
There's a beast underneath
Human nature can be savage
Others hiding their Jekyll's
People can have hidden sides to their personality
I can feel the daylight
There is hope and positivity in the future
I can feel the day lightning on me, lightning on me
Positive change can happen suddenly and powerfully
War, war, war, war
A repetition of the horrors and tragedies of war
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TIMOTHY BOOTH, JAMES PATRICK GLENNIE, JAMES LAWRENCE GOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bodhi2573
I sing myself to sleep a song from the darkest hour
secrets I can’t keep inside of a day
swing from high to deep
extremes of sweet and sour
hope that God exists
I hope I pray
drawn by the undertow
my life is out of control
I believe this wave will bear my wait so let it flow
Long live james...
Jimmy Finn
Brutal honesty in a pop song.
Mewt
aside from being amazing multi-instrumentalists, that's the beauty of James. such a great band.. was so glad to see Tim return on this record.
Madilyn Bovey
This song is Poignant ....it's sad...raw...powerfull.
Rodrigo Lopez
BEAUTIFUL SONG :33
Bodhi2573
I sing myself to sleep a song from the darkest hour
secrets I can’t keep inside of a day
swing from high to deep
extremes of sweet and sour
hope that God exists
I hope I pray
drawn by the undertow
my life is out of control
I believe this wave will bear my wait so let it flow
Long live james...
TP. Chilton
I like it!
Itchy Tooth.
..."Scratch the surface of liberals,... there's a beast underneath."...
Never a truer lyric anywhere!
dèl Păntión
Itchy Tooth. I really wish that liberals and conservatives stop thinking that mentality of, here either with me or against me! Now I realize I'm that douchebag who thinks "can't we all just get along" but a simple fact of evolution is that one way is no way forward! An order to expand and learn in a continuous growth, you're going to need two adapt in multiple different ways. It may be scary but it is the truth. If you're going to be stubborn and pig-headed and think only in one way.......well........ the world will just pass you by....... all of the lyrics in this song are just way too true
oscar cvel
@dèl Păntión unless I understood wrong with my poor English, they only way we can go forward is going together, Obviously other people have been deceived and want human kind be destroyed by ourselves. Life Is much more than a sad negative and go-to sleep song for beasts underground
Ko Technik
Beautiful