Holy War
Chely Wright Lyrics


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Perhaps it is fitting
The sky heavy and spitting at the ground
The sun hid above us
With a grip on my breath it had found
I'd let it out slow as you stood to go
And it rose high just as I slipped down
Then I whispered your name
Knowing well you would not turn around

We stand at the door
Like the holy make war
Both of us sure we are right
We move through it unseen
For the darkness between us
But I mean to leave on the light

I want to let go of
All I think I know of how
Our story unwinds
And might turn back to find us somehow
We've both turned away
When wisdom would say
We've squandered forgiveness and time
And all they would allow
If I could offer both of us mine

We stand at the door
Like the holy make war
Both of us sure we are right
We move through it unseen
For the darkness between us
But I mean to leave on the light

What held us together
Lay like a feather in my hand
Not enough weight now for flight
Or the freedom to land
We each take from the other
Now struggle is all that we share
It's less than I am
And more than I think I can bear

We stand at the door
Like the holy make war
Both of us sure we are right
We move through it unseen
For the darkness between us




But I mean to leave on the light
But I mean to leave on the light

Overall Meaning

Chely Wright's song "Holy War" is a powerful emotional ballad about two people on the brink of separation, and the struggle to let go of a relationship that has become destructive. The opening of the song sets the stage for the heavy, crushing weight of pain and melancholy that permeates throughout the lyrics. The sky, heavy and spitting at the ground, is a metaphor for the turmoil and chaos the couple is feeling. The sun, conspicuously absent, represents the hope that has been lost, leaving the singer gasping for breath. The repetition of the line, "We stand at the door" serves to heighten the tension and desperation of a couple that is no longer working.


The line, "Like the holy make war" is a striking comparison, highlighting the pointless nature of their battle. Despite their differences, each partner is convinced that they are the one who is right. The couple is moving through the "unseen darkness" that has descended between them, but the singer is determined to find a way to leave things "on the light." The "feather" metaphor is used for what held them together, with not enough "weight now for flight," and too little freedom for it to land. They are taking from each other without giving, leading to the realization that they are struggling to share.


Line by Line Meaning

Perhaps it is fitting
It might be appropriate for this situation


The sky heavy and spitting at the ground
The sky is pouring rain onto the ground


The sun hid above us
The sun is not visible to us


With a grip on my breath it had found
I held my breath as I watched you leave


I'd let it out slow as you stood to go
I exhaled my breath slowly as you started to leave


And it rose high just as I slipped down
The rain intensified just as I felt more sad


Then I whispered your name
I spoke your name quietly


Knowing well you would not turn around
I knew that you would not come back


We stand at the door
We are facing a crucial moment


Like the holy make war
We are fighting as if it's a holy war


Both of us sure we are right
We both believe we are correct


We move through it unseen
We are moving through it without being noticed


For the darkness between us
Because the space between us is murky


But I mean to leave on the light
But I intend to leave with hope


I want to let go of
I want to release myself from


All I think I know of how
All the assumptions I have about what happened


Our story unwinds
The narrative we created falls apart


And might turn back to find us somehow
And possibly return to haunt us in unexpected ways


We've both turned away
We've both chosen to ignore


When wisdom would say
When logical thinking would suggest otherwise


We've squandered forgiveness and time
We have wasted opportunities to forgive and reconcile


And all they would allow
And everything that the situation would permit


If I could offer both of us mine
If only I could extend forgiveness to us both


What held us together
What kept us united


Lay like a feather in my hand
Feels very light and insubstantial


Not enough weight now for flight
Lacks the substance necessary to move forward


Or the freedom to land
And does not have the liberty to come to a rest


We each take from the other
We both take from each other


Now struggle is all that we share
The only thing we have in common is fighting


It's less than I am
It's not enough to make me feel complete


And more than I think I can bear
And at the same time, it's a burden that seems too heavy


But I mean to leave on the light
But I intend to leave with a sense of hope




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