Post-War Blues
Dan Mangan Lyrics


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Let's start a war for the kids
A purpose for which to unite
Make them some words they can mince
What they don't know, They won't mind

Find them a foe for the fight
And stories to tell as they age
Then maybe time will decide
Which ones keep and which ones fade

[Chorus]
There's the deepest sleep in my life,
From which I am slowly coming to
And every morning I wait for the news
Oh this is, this is post war blues

Make me a means to an end
Oh make me an ending in sight
Make me insightful again
What I can't see, I can't fight

Make me a fire to burn
Burn all the letters I wrote
Write me a list of concerns
If we are at peace
If we are at ease
I want to know

[Chorus]





Oh this is, this is post war blues

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dan Mangan's "Post-War Blues" are thought-provoking and bring to light the idea that as human beings, we tend to create conflicts and wars just to give purpose and meaning to our lives. The song opens with the lines "Let's start a war for the kids, a purpose for which to unite", which presents the idea of creating a conflict for the younger generation to unite them under a common purpose. The next line, "What they don't know, they won't mind", suggests that the younger generation is often ignorant of the true cause or consequences of the conflict they are part of, and they do not question it because they do not have the knowledge or experience to do so.


The chorus of the song, "There's the deepest sleep in my life, from which I am slowly coming to, and every morning I wait for the news, oh this is, this is post-war blues", indicates a sense of disillusionment and despair that follows a period of conflict or war. The singer is trying to come to terms with the aftermath of the war, and it's impact on him and those around him. The line "every morning I wait for the news" suggests that he is still looking for some hope or healing in the aftermath of the war.


The song ends with the lines "Oh this is, this is post-war blues", which sums up the entire idea of the song - that the aftermath of war is often a period of hopelessness and despair, and it is a feeling that can linger for a long time.


Line by Line Meaning

Let's start a war for the kids
Suggesting to create a fake conflict and threat to bring people together for a common purpose.


A purpose for which to unite
Stating the aim of starting a war is to unify people for a cause.


Make them some words they can mince
Creating propaganda and slogans to convince people to support the war effort.


What they don't know, They won't mind
People will not question what they don't know, so there is less resistance to the cause.


Find them a foe for the fight
Looking for an enemy or target of aggression to direct the war effort towards.


And stories to tell as they age
Creating myths and legends about the war to pass down to future generations.


Then maybe time will decide
It's uncertain which aspects of the war will be celebrated or condemned in the future.


Which ones keep and which ones fade
Some things about the war will be remembered, while others will be forgotten.


There's the deepest sleep in my life,
Describing a feeling of apathy and exhaustion towards the aftermath of war.


From which I am slowly coming to
Gradually awakening to the effects of the war on his life and surroundings.


And every morning I wait for the news
Trying to keep up with the latest developments and changes in the post-war world.


Oh this is, this is post war blues
Conveying a sentiment of sadness and disillusionment after experiencing the aftermath of war.


Make me a means to an end
Asking to be given a clear purpose or goal to work towards.


Oh make me an ending in sight
Desiring a clear path or resolution towards ending the aftermath of the war.


Make me insightful again
Wanting to be able to understand and make sense of the aftermath of war.


What I can't see, I can't fight
If he can't understand the issues, he won't be able to work towards a resolution.


Make me a fire to burn
Turning to destruction and rebellion as a means to deal with the aftermath of war.


Burn all the letters I wrote
Wanting to erase his past and start anew in the post-war world.


Write me a list of concerns
Asking for a clear outline of issues and problems that need to be addressed.


If we are at peace
Asking what can be done to ensure long term stability and harmony.


If we are at ease
Asking what can be done to make sure everyone is comfortable and secure in the post-war world.


I want to know
Desiring a clear understanding of the issues and problems that need to be addressed in the post-war world.




Lyrics © ARTS & CRAFTS MUSIC INC DBA GALLERYAC MUSIC
Written by: DAN MANGAN, GORDON GRDINA, JOHN WALSH, KENTON LOEWEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

girlmouse

There is so much to like about this I don't know where to start. Don McKellar - amazing! Dan Mangan - amazing! So much amazing!

Stephss

As the Ukraine conflict is almost a year in...this song gives me a lot of conflicting feelings. Still a banger song, and the video is very pointent.

Teona

Wonderful !

launderground

damn, this is good.

rockclimbz

Damn this is good

Eliza Mary

wooo canadian charter of rights :)

Charmaine Li

Strangelove!

DrSpikeSpiegel

I don't speak german, but I was just quoting the movie Dr. Strangelove, which this video is strongly influenced by. I'm assuming what you said was an insult because when I tried to translate this, it came out "My guide? Are you a gay bald underexposed picture?"

Leah Zweig

this is so based off of dr. strangelove haha

Евгений Ткачёв

Проклятый языковой барьер! =[

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