Watching The World Die
200 North Lyrics
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Give me a reason to justify this movement
With a gun shoved down your throat I wonder what you'd feel.
Would you beg for life?
Would you finally feel regret?
I stand alone and I know these thoughts are killing me
I raised the questions
You pull the trigger
Has it ever crossed your mind?
The path you're walking on is of your own design.
I forgot... we weren't taught to think,
We were taught to react
Have you ever wished for more?
This is your last chance to change
And if you fail I will watch you burn
These lyrics from 200 North's song "Watching The World Die" depict a sense of frustration and despair towards society and its lack of awareness towards the impending destruction of the world. The opening line "If I could find a match, I swear I'd torch this town" conveys a desire to see things change by force. The singer is fed up with the current state of the world and feels that something drastic needs to happen in order to make a difference.
The second line "Give me a reason to justify this movement" suggests that the singer is looking for a cause to rally behind, something that can justify their violent tendencies. The following lines describe a scenario in which the singer has a gun shoved down someone's throat and questions what the person would feel in that moment. This violent imagery highlights the desperation that the singer feels towards bringing about change.
The lines "Have you ever wished for more? Has it ever crossed your mind? The path you're walking on is of your own design" further emphasize the feeling of disillusionment and frustration towards society. The last line, "And if you fail I will watch you burn" suggests that if change doesn't come, the singer will sit back and watch society self-destruct.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could find a match I swear I'd torch this town
If only I could find a way to destroy this place, I would do it without hesitation.
Give me a reason to justify this movement
I need a cause or purpose to validate what I am doing.
With a gun shoved down your throat I wonder what you'd feel.
I wonder what your reaction would be if you faced death so intimately and directly.
Would you beg for life?
Would you plead for mercy, desperately trying to prolong your existence?
Would you finally feel regret?
Would you experience remorse for the things you have done, or failed to do?
I stand alone and I know these thoughts are killing me
I am isolated from others and these destructive thoughts are consuming me from within.
I raised the questions
I posed the inquiries that make people uncomfortable and force them to confront their reality.
You pull the trigger
You take the action, making a decision that results in a finality of consequences.
Have you ever wished for more?
Have you ever desired to pursue a greater purpose or meaning in life?
Has it ever crossed your mind?
Have you ever considered the possibility of doing more meaningful or impactful things with your life?
The path you're walking on is of your own design.
You have created and shaped the direction of your own life, whether consciously or unconsciously.
I forgot... we weren't taught to think,
It has occurred to me that we were not taught how to think or question the status quo, only how to react to it.
We were taught to react
Instead of learning to think critically and problem-solve, we were trained to automatically respond in certain ways to certain situations.
This is your last chance to change
You have one final opportunity to alter your path and make different choices for a better future.
And if you fail I will watch you burn
If you do not take advantage of this final chance, I will witness the destruction and downfall that follows.
Contributed by Bella K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.