Northern Lights
30 Seconds to Mars/Thirty Seconds to Mars Lyrics


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Don't ever take a single second to breathe
They're gonna send me on a murdering spree
I can not wait to dance upon your grave
They don't even have a soul left to be saved
You would eat your young

We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night
Waiting for the dawn to come
And sang a song to save us all

Hey, oh, oh, you want a holy war?
Hey, oh, oh, you want a holy war?

I am alive, I'm just playing dead
I'm gonna say what should have never been said
The giants of the world are crashing down
The end is near, I hear the trumpets sound
You would eat your young

We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night
Waiting for the dawn to come
And sang a song to save us all

You'd eat your young
You'd eat your young
You would eat your young
You would eat your young

I am alive, I'm just playing dead
I am alive, I'm just playing dead

We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night
Waiting for the dawn to come
And sang a song to save us all

We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night




Waiting for the dawn to come
And sang a song to save us all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Northern Lights" by Thirty Seconds to Mars describe a sense of impending doom and a yearning for salvation. The lines "Don't ever take a single second to breathe / They're gonna send me on a murdering spree" suggest that the singer feels under constant pressure and threat of violence. Similarly, the line "I can not wait to dance upon your grave" indicates a desire for revenge against some unknown enemy. The repetition of the phrase "You would eat your young" emphasizes the harshness of this enemy.


However, amidst this darkness, there is also hope. The lines "We swam among the northern lights / And hid beyond the edge of night / Waiting for the dawn to come / And sang a song to save us all" suggest that there is still beauty and wonder in the world, even in the darkest times. The idea of "swimming" among the northern lights implies a sense of freedom and weightlessness, while "singing a song to save us all" suggests a sense of community and shared purpose.


Overall, "Northern Lights" is a song about the duality of the human experience: the darkness and the light, the fear and the hope, the enemy and the ally. It is a call to action, urging the listener to take a stand in the face of adversity and to not give up hope.


Line by Line Meaning

Don't ever take a single second to breathe
Stay alert and ready for anything, don't waste time relaxing or being complacent.


They're gonna send me on a murdering spree
There are people out there who want to cause destruction and harm, and they're not afraid to do it.


I can not wait to dance upon your grave
The singer is full of vengeance and desires to see their enemies suffer.


They don't even have a soul left to be saved
The people the artist is against are beyond redemption or moral salvation.


You would eat your young
The artist is accusing their opponents of being ruthless and willing to harm even their own family.


We swam among the northern lights
The singer refers to a time when they enjoyed a beautiful, serene moment in nature.


And hid beyond the edge of night
This moment of peace was a brief respite from the chaos and uncertainty of the world.


Waiting for the dawn to come
The artist is waiting for a new day, a new opportunity to move forward and fight for their beliefs.


And sang a song to save us all
The artist and those with them created art and beauty in the darkness, hoping to inspire others to join them in their cause.


Hey, oh, oh, you want a holy war?
The artist is asking their opponents if they truly desire a religious war, highlighting the absurdity and destructiveness of such a conflict.


I am alive, I'm just playing dead
The singer is pretending to be inactive or beaten down, but is actually fully aware and prepared to act when the time is right.


I'm gonna say what should have never been said
The artist is unafraid to speak hard truths or challenge the status quo, even if it makes them unpopular or gets them in trouble.


The giants of the world are crashing down
The singer believes that those in power or control are losing their influence, possibly due to outside forces or internal conflict.


The end is near, I hear the trumpets sound
The singer is anticipating the end of the current order or era, possibly due to a cataclysmic event or major shift in societal structures.


You'd eat your young
The singer repeats their earlier accusation of ruthlessness and lack of morality among their opponents.


We swam among the northern lights
The artist repeats the earlier image of beauty and peacefulness in nature, possibly as a reminder of what they're fighting for.


And hid beyond the edge of night
The darkness and uncertainty of the world is still present, but the hope of something better remains.


Waiting for the dawn to come
The singer still waits for a new day where they can make a difference and bring about change.


And sang a song to save us all
The art and beauty created earlier still serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for others to join the cause.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JARED LETO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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