Katrina
10000 Maniacs Lyrics
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Knock kneed and cursing or coughing like hags
Men marched on sleeping some without boots
Fatigue drunken deaf still to the hoots
Of breaking gas shells
Dropping softly behind
But limped on bloodshed
All went lame all went blind
Someone still screaming a man in fire or lime
Under a grey cloud dim dark through green light
In all my dreaming before my helpless sight
He plunges at me
Choking guttering drowning
Put in a wagon he had to keep pace
As his eyes melt to his face
If you could hear blood
Gurgling from ruptured lungs
If you could witness
Vile sores on innocent tongues
You would not tell me
Not with such pride and such zest
The lies of history
Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori
Some desperate glory
Pro patria mori
As witness disturbs the story
Pro patria mori
Stand firm boys breathe the glory
The above lyrics are from 10000 Maniacs' song "Katrina's Fair," which is a cover of Wilfred Owen's poem titled "Dulce et Decorum Est." The song is an anti-war anthem that vividly describes the horrors of war, specifically the use of gas warfare during World War I. It highlights the dehumanizing and traumatizing effects of war on soldiers, and criticizes the glorification of war in history and society.
The first stanza of the song sets the scene of soldiers marching, exhausted and injured, through a battlefield while gas shells explode around them. The second stanza describes a soldier who is engulfed in gas, choking and drowning in it. The final stanza condemns the glorification of dying for one's country, stating that witnessing the atrocities of war would make it impossible to believe in the idea of dying for one's country as a noble cause.
The song strongly conveys the message that war is not heroic or glorious, but rather a brutal and devastating experience. It encourages listeners to challenge the narrative of war as heroic and question the true cost of armed conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Bent double like old beggars in sacks
The soldiers were hunched over and tired, looking like poor and frail people.
Knock kneed and cursing or coughing like hags
The soldiers were stumbling and coughing as if they were old women.
Men marched on sleeping some without boots
The soldiers kept walking despite being exhausted, some without proper footwear.
Fatigue drunken deaf still to the hoots
The soldiers were so tired that they could not hear the warning sounds around them.
Of breaking gas shells
The soldiers were being bombarded with poisonous gas.
Dropping softly behind
The gas shells were silently descending behind the soldiers.
But limped on bloodshed
The soldiers continued walking despite being injured and bleeding.
All went lame all went blind
The gas had caused many of the soldiers to become disabled and lose their sight.
Gas quick boys fumbling helmets in time
The soldiers were frantically trying to put on their gas masks in time.
Someone still screaming a man in fire or lime
There was someone screaming due to being burned alive or being exposed to harmful chemicals.
Under a grey cloud dim dark through green light
The scene was obscured by the greenish-grey cloud of gas.
In all my dreaming before my helpless sight
Even in the artist's nightmares, they had not seen such horrors before their eyes.
He plunges at me
A fellow soldier collapsed and fell towards the singer.
Choking guttering drowning
The fallen soldier was struggling to breathe and dying a painful death.
Put in a wagon he had to keep pace
The fallen soldier was taken away in a wagon, forcing the rest of the soldiers to keep walking at the same pace.
As his eyes melt to his face
The gas had caused the soldier's eyes to melt and disfigure his face.
If you could hear blood
If you could listen to the sound of blood.
Gurgling from ruptured lungs
Blood was gurgling from the lungs of someone who had internal injuries.
If you could witness
If you could see firsthand.
Vile sores on innocent tongues
People had developed disgusting sores on their tongues despite not doing anything wrong.
You would not tell me
You would not boast or brag to me.
Not with such pride and such zest
You would not take pride in or feel enthusiastic about the horrors of war.
The lies of history
The distorted and false version of events that history often portrays.
Dulce et decorum est
It is sweet and fitting.
Pro patria mori
To die for your country.
Some desperate glory
Some fleeting and desperate feeling of honor or glory.
Stand firm boys breathe the glory
Remain steadfast, boys, and bask in the supposed glory that war can bring.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: NATALIE A MERCHANT, ROBERT BUCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind