Buddy grew up in Macon, GA, amid its antebellum mansions, sultry summers, southern cooking and deep-south music culture. He spent his childhood learning dozens of folk songs on the ukulele and soon advanced to acoustic guitar, immersing himself in popular music mainstays of the time such as Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Motown. Their infectious beat and obvious nods to roots music fueled Buddy's intense interest in the deeper historical origins of country, bluegrass and rhythm and blues music that are so evident in his music today.
Buddy collaborated with Mark Lowry to write Mary, Did You Know?, which has become something of a modern-day Christmas standard, with recordings by superstars such as Kenny Rogers & Wynonna, Kathy Mattea, Christopher Parkening & Kathleen Battle, Natalie Cole, Reba McEntire, Donny Osmond, Clay Aiken, Gary Chapman, and many others. Other songs penned by Buddy and recorded by other artists include He Is (Ashley Cleveland), Fall Down Children (The Whites) and Recovering Pharisee (Del McCoury).
Man Against Man
Buddy Greene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go back down,
Back the way you came,
Can't you see that flash of fire ten times brighter than the day?
And behold a mighty city broken in the dust again,
Oh God, Pride of Man, broken in the dust again.
Turn around,
Back the way you came,
Babylon is laid to waste, Egypt's buried in her shame,
The mighty men are all beaten down, their kings are fallen in the ways,
Oh God, Pride of Man, broken in the dust again.
Turn around,
Go back down,
Back the way you came,
Terror is on every side, lo our leaders are dismayed.
For theose who place their faith in fire, their faith in fire shall be
Repayed,
Oh God, Pride of Man, broken in the dust again.
Turn around,
Go back down,
Back the way you came,
And shout a warning unto the nation that the sword of God is raised.
Yes, Babylon, that mighty city, rich in treasures, wide in fame,
Oh God, Pride of Man, broken in the dust again.
The meek shall cause your tower to fall, make a new pyre of flame,
Oh you who dwell on many waters, rich in treasures, wide in fame.
You bow unto your God of gold, your pride of might shall be a shame,
For only God can lead His people back unto the Earth again.
Oh God, Pride of Man, broken in the dust again.
A Holy mountain be restored, and mercy on that people, that people...
The song "Man Against Man" by Buddy Greene is a warning against human pride and reliance on material wealth and power, which the singer sees as ultimately leading to destruction and downfall. The lyrics speak of turning around and going back from the path that has been taken, back to a time before the current state of society where flashy displays of wealth and power have led to ruin. The opening line, "Turn around, go back down, back the way you came," sets the tone for this sentiment, as the singer sees the only way forward as a return to simpler times.
The song specifically references the historical cities of Babylon and Egypt, both of which were once prosperous and powerful, but ultimately fell to ruin. The singer asks, "Can't you see that flash of fire ten times brighter than the day?" which is perhaps a reference to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Book of Genesis. The message of the song is clear: pride comes before the fall, and those who rely on material wealth and power will ultimately be brought low.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn around,
Stop and reconsider your actions
Go back down,
Retrace your steps
Back the way you came,
Return to where you started
Can't you see that flash of fire ten times brighter than the day?
There are signs of destruction all around you
And behold a mighty city broken in the dust again,
The once great city is now destroyed and in ruin
Oh God, Pride of Man, broken in the dust again.
Mankind's arrogance has led to their downfall
Babylon is laid to waste, Egypt's buried in her shame,
Great nations have fallen and are now in disgrace
The mighty men are all beaten down, their kings are fallen in the ways,
Even the strongest warriors and leaders have been defeated
Terror is on every side, lo our leaders are dismayed.
Fear and uncertainty surround us, and our leaders are struggling
For theose who place their faith in fire, their faith in fire shall be Repayed,
Those who rely on destructive forces will face the consequences
And shout a warning unto the nation that the sword of God is raised.
Spread the message that divine judgment is imminent
Yes, Babylon, that mighty city, rich in treasures, wide in fame,
Even the most impressive cities can be destroyed
The meek shall cause your tower to fall, make a new pyre of flame,
The humble and righteous will bring down the prideful
Oh you who dwell on many waters, rich in treasures, wide in fame.
Addressing those who are wealthy and influential
You bow unto your God of gold, your pride of might shall be a shame,
Worshipping material possessions will lead to regret
For only God can lead His people back unto the Earth again.
We must rely on divine guidance to find our way
A Holy mountain be restored, and mercy on that people, that people...
A call for spiritual renewal and compassion
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAMILTON CAMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D Allen
The intro verses are so well written and powerful. “Whether you glimpse it or see it glare it’s a horrible sight and it has absolutely nothing to do with light”
morning1500
This is a POWERFUL and convicting song! Especially the line, "At the foot of that Cross, the ground is level and there's no man-against-man"!
Rohan
Listening to this song brought back so many memories as a child. Beautiful words, great music! Would you, by any chance, be having the rest of this album? If yes, can you please upload the rest of the songs? I loved this album when i was a kid and for the love of me am unable to find this album anywhere online.
Hubert24601
I love this song