One By One
Alter Bridge Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Underneath the desert sun
They bid my brother's blood to run
Many miles away
Hell has come today

Fire raining from the sky
See the face of fear asking one last time
Let me get home safe
Before it's too late

One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all

Deep within the castle walls
So many grieve as funeral songs
Echo endlessly
Ode to memories

This sacrifice of flesh and blood
For a promised land that may not be won
Let us not forget the hero laid to rest

One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all

And they gave it all
A price we can't ignore
Is there hope in what they're dying for?
Fore every hero born
From every family torn
We will honor forevermore

One by one
The brave will fall
Life is lost again
They gave it all

One by one
The brave will fall




Life is lost again
They gave it all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "One By One" by Alter Bridge paint the picture of a war scene. The first verses speak of the desert sun, how the soldiers' blood has been called to run, and how hell has arrived. Fire is raining from the sky, and you can see the fear on the soldiers' faces as they ask to get back home safe before it's too late. The chorus repeats the phrase, "one by one, the brave will fall, life is lost again, they gave it all."


The second set of verses describe the aftermath of the fighting, deep within castle walls. Many are grieving, and funeral songs echo endlessly in ode to memories. There is a sacrifice of flesh and blood for the promised land that may never be won. The bridge reflects on how the heroic soldiers gave everything, a price that cannot be ignored. The question is asked, "is there hope in what they're dying for?" The song concludes with a vow to always honor those who have given everything, "for every hero born, from every family torn, we will honor forevermore."


Overall, "One By One" tells the story of soldiers who risked everything for their country and did not return home. It serves as a reminder to remember their sacrifice and continue to honor them.


Line by Line Meaning

Underneath the desert sun
In the scorching heat of the desert


They bid my brother's blood to run
They ordered my brother to fight and shed his blood


Many miles away
Far from home and loved ones


Hell has come today
It's a horrible day filled with violence and death


Fire raining from the sky
Bombs and missiles are being dropped


See the face of fear asking one last time
The scared soldiers are questioning whether they'll make it out alive


Let me get home safe
Please let me survive and return home to my family


Before it's too late
Before I die in this war


One by one
Each and every soldier


The brave will fall
Will inevitably lose their lives


Life is lost again
Death is a recurring theme in war


They gave it all
The soldiers sacrificed everything, including their lives


Deep within the castle walls
The enemy is hiding behind strong fortifications


So many grieve as funeral songs
Funerals are being held for the deceased soldiers


Echo endlessly
The mourning seems to go on forever


Ode to memories
Honoring the memories of the fallen soldiers


This sacrifice of flesh and blood
The cost of war in human lives


For a promised land that may not be won
Fighting for a cause that may not result in victory


Let us not forget the hero laid to rest
Remembering the fallen and honoring their sacrifice


A price we can't ignore
The cost of war is high and cannot be overlooked


Is there hope in what they're dying for?
Questioning whether the war is worth it


For every hero born
Recognizing the bravery of soldiers who fight for their country


From every family torn
The devastating impact of war on families


We will honor forevermore
Paying tribute to the fallen and their sacrifice


And they gave it all
The soldiers gave everything they had, including their lives


One by one
Each and every soldier


The brave will fall
Will inevitably lose their lives


Life is lost again
Death is a recurring theme in war


They gave it all
The soldiers sacrificed everything, including their lives




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK TREMONTI, MYLES KENNEDY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions