Videos
Although "The War" never received an official music video, a short film and a live video were released. The short film depicts a futuristic environment, a battle on a beach where enemy combatants shoot up through the sand from an underground facility of some kind. After the battle, the underground facility is shown. In this facility, there is a character who is strapped to a hospital type bed. He breaks free and is shown escaping from the facility, running from the soldiers who occupy the facility and then becoming trapped on the top of a cliff with no place to go. As the enemy approaches at the end of the video, the character falls backward off of the cliff. This character is played by Bradley Horne, which is notable because he also played the significant role of Captain Lee Briggs in the 2011 Angels and Airwaves Science Fiction film, Love.
Radio promo
"The War" was released as a radio promo single only, but the disc for the single can be bought on various websites. The video was played worldwide and in concert and raised 3.3 million dollars which immediately was transferred in to the world's trust foundation.
Use in popular media
It is the theme song for the MTV reality football show Two-A-Days.
The song also was a popular theme that appeared throughout the 2006 College World Series.
Internet reviewer Delonge Wannabe used this song as an opening theme for his show during 2011.
Intro was used for player highlights during the Patriots vs. Broncos NFL game in 2015.
Released October 10, 2006
Format CD
Recorded 2005
Genre Alternative rock
Punk rock
Length 5:08
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s) Tom DeLonge
Producer(s) Tom DeLonge
The War
Angels & Airwaves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the beaches, streched out with soldiers
With their arms and guns it has just begun
Believe
You want this
Believe
I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
And the houses laid out like targets
With the deafening sound
We watched them all go down
And the families now useless bodies
They lay still black and blue
A gift from us to you
Believe,
You want this
Believe,
I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
Believe
Believe
You want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
In this song, Angels & Airwaves presents a commentary on war and its devastating consequences. The lyrics describe a scene where soldiers are landing on a beach, and the destruction that follows as the houses are targeted and families are killed. The repetition of the line, "Believe, you want this, Believe, I want this too" is a poignant reminder that despite the brutality of it all, there are still people who believe in the necessity of war. The singer is pleading for closure to the violence, asking to be told that "it's almost over," but the war tears at them emotionally and psychologically, leaving them feeling inside out.
The chorus functions almost as a refrain throughout the song, and it serves to highlight the contradiction in what the soldiers want versus what they need. They want to win, but the cost may ultimately be too high. The line, "A gift from us to you" is particularly haunting, as it speaks to the idea that war is ultimately a cycle of violence that benefits no one, and leaves only death and destruction in its wake.
Overall, the song serves as a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of war and the toll it takes on individuals and society as a whole.
Line by Line Meaning
The ocean is on fire, the sky turned dark again as the boats came in
A visual depiction of devastation brought upon by war.
And the beaches, streched out with soldiers
The soldiers have taken control of the land and are using it for their armies.
With their arms and guns it has just begun
The war has just started and the soldiers are prepared for a long fight.
Believe
You want this
Believe
I want this too
The artist wants to believe that the reason for war is not for power or personal gain, but something higher.
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
The artist longs for the end of the war and its effects on their psyche.
And the houses laid out like targets
With the deafening sound
We watched them all go down
The destruction brought upon by war is indiscriminate, and everything is considered a target.
And the families now useless bodies
They lay still black and blue
A gift from us to you
The destruction of families and the loss of innocent lives is a consequence of war, and it is a tragic gift that one side gives to another.
Believe,
You want this
Believe,
I want this too
The repetition of the line signifies a desire for hope and belief in something greater than oneself as the reason for war.
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
Repeating the same line twice in succession highlights the longing for the end of the war and the artist's suffering due to it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROSANGLIANA, H. S. LALRUATLIANA, JOSHUA ZORAMLIANA, P. B. LIANMAWIA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@margarethasiregar4903
The ocean is on fire, the sky turned dark again as the boats came in
And the beaches, streched out with soldiers
With their arms and guns it has just begun
Believe
You want this
Believe
I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
And the houses laid out like targets
With the deafening sound
We watched them all go down
And the families now useless bodies
They lay still black and blue
A gift from us to you
Believe,
You want this
Believe,
I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
Believe
Believe
You want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over
Why must this tear my head
Inside out
@kingofconquerors6043
Lyrics:
The ocean, is on fire
The sky turned dark again
As the boats came in
And the beaches
Stretched out with soldiers
With their arms and guns
It has just begun
Believe, you want this
Believe, I want this too
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over?
Why must this
Tear my head
Inside out?
And the houses
Laid out like targets
With the deafening sound
We watched them all go down
And the families
Now useless bodies
They lay still black and blue
A gift from us to you
Believe, you want this?
Believe, do I want this too?
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over?
Why must this
Tear my head
Inside out?
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh (Believe)
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh (Believe, you want this too)
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over?
Why must this
Tear my head
Inside out?
Why won't you tell me that
It's almost over?
Why must this
Tear my head
Inside out?
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh, oh oh
@kartgal
Who agrees this is one of the greatest songs of all time
@willemknight798
Me
@chrisdayplays
not me
@dannyroe1697
Its 2019 and I still listen to this daily, such a massive drum sound
@BobbyDunlap87
Dude, same
@owenstarr24
2006 when it all started.
@andrehawkins8822
Magic all round
@L17Music
The snare is actually a draw being shut and they distorted it
@jackmalcic2949
@Lyger Music I know what you're talking about, but that's not for the snare. They did do things like that for a lot of the weirder-sounding percussion bits on this album though.
@deeznuts9196
it’s 2007. it’s a cool october friday afternoon and you’re just getting home from the school pep rally. the football team has a big game tonight. you flip on the tv and MTV’s two-a-days is on. you decide to watch a little bit to kill time before the football game tonight. your friend texts you about a huge house party happening after the game. the air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors and falling.. life is great.