1. Blackfire is a Nat… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1. Blackfire is a Native American punk rock group from Flagstaff, Arizona, formed in 1989. Composed of three siblings: two brothers and a sister, their musical style is influenced by traditional Navajo Diné music and alternative rock, with political messages about government oppression and human rights.
Blackfire have toured nationally and internationally, with numerous U.S. tours (including the Warped Tour), as well as shows in Europe, Canada, Mexico and sub-Saharan Africa (for the "Festival in the Desert").
Joey Ramone recorded his last vocal session on Blackfire's full length album 'One Nation Under'. Blackfire was awarded Group of the Year for the 2005 Native American Music Awards.
Blackfire only plays all ages venues, and sometimes combines performances with their indigenous dance troupe, the Jones Benally Family. In 2012, members formed the band Sihasin.
2. Blackfire is a black/thrash metal band from Malaysia. They were probably the first extreme metal band in South East Asia. First known as Metal Ghost when they formed in 1982, they later changed their name to Blackfire in 1984.
They were also the first black metal band to write lyrics in Malay, though their songs had never been recorded until relatively recently. This was probably done in fear of upsetting religious authorities and attracting government attention. However, they were already known from their frequent performances in rock festivals and gigs around Malaysia in the 80's.
Their debut album, Lahir Dari Api, was released in 2006.
Exile
BLACKFIRE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't tell you 'till they came to your door
While you were sleeping they stole your freedom
Made sure the odds werent even
There's blood on the hands of time
A lie cheapens the vision
Did you read between the lines
Or did they teach you not to question?
They've taken it all away
Buried the past with lies
But the pain is still felt today
While you were sleeping they dug you a grave
Gave you a # instead of a name
While you were sleeping they stole your dreams
Beat you out of your beliefs
There's blood on the hands of time
And in the pages of your books
Blood paints the heavens
For all the lives that you took
There's blood on the hands of time
I still hear the screams
These wounds haven't healed
They've massacred my dreams
Exiled in the land of the free
While you were sleeping they took the words from your mouth
And bound your hands
So when you tried to reach out
Noone would understand
While you were sleeping they glorified the past
Tried to cover up their lies
We will never forget
There's blood on the hands of time!
Exiled in the land of the free
It's in the eyes of the homeless and the abused
Like it's in the way that I live with this truth...
An outcast in my land, in my home, and in my mind
Guilty 'till proven innocent and I'm still doing the time
My head is crowded with these screams
My mind is massacred by these images...
Those who couldn't keep up with the rest
Weren't worth the bullet
Something I'll never forget
Not worth the bullet
I'm not gonna forget
Not worth the bullet
There's blood on the hands of time
We will not forget
Our people marched in Exile
Not worth the bullet
...there's blood on the hands of time
Exiled in the land of the free
The lyrics to BLACKFIRE's song Exile reflect a somber theme of oppression and injustice that has been inflicted upon a particular group of people. The opening lines "While you were sleeping they waged a war," sets up the tone for the rest of the song as it suggests the perpetration of an act of violence on unsuspecting victims. The next line "didn't tell you 'till they came to your door," hints at a possible surprise attack or invasion of some sort. The line "While you were sleeping they stole your freedom," is particularly poignant as it implies that the victims were not only unaware of the violence but were deprived of their basic human rights. The next two lines, "Made sure the odds weren't even, There's blood on the hands of time," suggests that the perpetrators orchestrated the attack in such a way as to ensure that the odds were stacked against the victims, implying that they didn't stand a chance.
The subsequent lines, "a lie cheapens the vision, did you read between the lines, or did they teach you not to question?" are directed at those who may have been complicit in the oppression, either through ignorance or willful participation in the lies and deceit. It highlights the importance of questioning and vigilance in the face of oppression and injustice.
The later lines of the song, "While you were sleeping they took the words from your mouth, and bound your hands, so when you tried to reach out, no one would understand," paints an image of despair and isolation. The imagery used in the song is both powerful and vivid, conjuring up images of a people who have been robbed of their freedom, dignity, and basic human rights.
Line by Line Meaning
While you were sleeping they waged a war
Without your knowledge, they started a war
Didn't tell you 'till they came to your door
They didn't inform you until they directly affected you
While you were sleeping they stole your freedom
You were unaware when your freedom was taken away
Made sure the odds werent even
They rigged the system to ensure they had the upper hand
There's blood on the hands of time
History is stained with the loss of human life
A lie cheapens the vision
Lies detract from the truth and distort reality
Did you read between the lines
Did you look beyond the surface level?
Or did they teach you not to question?
Were you conditioned to not seek answers or the truth?
They've taken it all away
All that mattered has been stripped from us
Buried the past with lies
The truth has been distorted and hidden
But the pain is still felt today
The wounds are still open and the past still haunts us
While you were sleeping they dug you a grave
They prepared for your demise while you were unaware
Gave you a # instead of a name
They stripped you of your identity and personhood
While you were sleeping they stole your dreams
They robbed you of your aspirations and desires
Beat you out of your beliefs
They physically or mentally abused you for your convictions
And in the pages of your books
Evidence of bloodshed is documented and recorded
Blood paints the heavens
The violence and loss of life is monumental
For all the lives that you took
The cost of violence and oppression is human life
I still hear the screams
The trauma and pain is everlasting
These wounds haven't healed
The scars of the past are still present
They've massacred my dreams
The hopes and aspirations have been violently eradicated
It's in the eyes of the homeless and the abused
The effects of oppression can be seen in the vulnerable
Like it's in the way that I live with this truth...
The knowledge of past wrongs shapes the present reality
An outcast in my land, in my home, and in my mind
Alienated from society, family, and one's self
Guilty 'till proven innocent and I'm still doing the time
Assumed guilty regardless of innocence and still suffering the consequences
My head is crowded with these screams
Haunted by the cries and pain of the past
My mind is massacred by these images...
Tormented by the memories of the past
Those who couldn't keep up with the rest
Victims of discrimination and inequality
Weren't worth the bullet
Were dehumanized and devoid of value
I'm not gonna forget
The past should not be forgotten or ignored
Our people marched in Exile
The marginalized were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere
We will not forget
The past must be remembered to prevent its repetition
Contributed by Sophia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.