World Citizen
David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto Lyrics

There goes one baby's life
A single baby has died, and this tragedy is about to be described in context.

It's such a small amount
The death of one baby seems inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

She's un-American
The fact that the baby was not American has an impact on how much attention is paid to her death.

I guess it doesn't count
The artist is pointing out the hypocrisy of valuing American lives more than those of people from other countries.

Six thousand children's lives
The artist is highlighting a much larger tragedy than the previous one - the deaths of thousands of children.

Were simply thrown away
The children's deaths were preventable, and the fact that they happened is a tragedy.

Lost without medicine
These children died because they did not have access to the basic medicine and care they needed to survive.

Inside of thirty days
The fact that so many children died in such a short period of time only compounds the tragedy.

In the New York harbour
This line is introducing a new location and a different kind of tragedy.

Where the stock's withheld
The withholding of stock is being blamed for the events that followed.

It was the price we paid
The singer is suggesting that these events were an unfortunate consequence of something else that had to be done to protect ourselves.

For a safer world
The end goal of these actions was to create a safer world, at least in the minds of those who did them.

World is suffering
This phrase is repeated several times throughout the song to drive home the point that people all over the world are experiencing pain and tragedy.

World citizen
The phrase 'world citizen' is repeated often as well, suggesting that we are all in this together, regardless of our individual countries of origin.

In Madhya Pradesh
This line is introducing a new location and a different kind of tragedy.

Where they're building dams
The construction of dams is being blamed for a new tragedy.

They're displacing native people
The construction of the dams has resulted in the forced relocation of indigenous people.

From their homes and lands
The people who are being relocated are being uprooted from everything they know and love.

So they hunger strike
The relocated people are desperate and taking drastic measures to call attention to their plight.

'Cause they believe they count
The people who are hunger striking are doing so because they believe their lives and voices matter, and they deserve to be heard.

To lose a single life
The people who are struggling are willing to risk everything, including their own lives, for their cause.

Is such a small amount
The sacrifice of a single life seems trivial in comparison to the vast and complex problems they are facing.

In the name of progress
The concept of progress is being criticized for being used to justify oppression and cruelty.

And democracy
The same can be said of democracy - sometimes it is used to give the powerful more power over the powerless.

The concepts represented in name only
The singer is implying that concepts like progress and democracy are often just empty words used to justify bad behavior.

And the buildings fall
This line is introducing a new tragedy.

In a cloud of dust
The violent imagery here serves to emphasize the gravity of the situation being described.

And we ask ourselves
The artist is using 'we' to implicate all of humanity in the tragedy being described.

How could they hate us?
The artist is suggesting that this tragedy was caused by a group of people who hate 'us', whoever 'we' may be.

Well, when we live in ignorance and luxury
The singer is offering a potential explanation for why some people might feel inclined to hate 'us' - because we are unaware of the suffering they experience, even as we live in luxury.

While our super powers practice
The major global powers are being implicated in the tragedy being described.

Puppet mastery
The idea here is that the major global powers are pulling the strings behind the scenes, causing misery and chaos in other parts of the world.

We raise the men
The artist is highlighting the fact that some of the most brutal leaders in the world were supported and propped up by the major global powers.

Who run the fascist states
The brutal leaders being referenced here run authoritarian states that are often characterized by extreme repression and violence.

And we sell them arms
The major global powers are not just providing political support to these leaders, but also material support in the form of weaponry.

So they maintain their place
The idea here is that the major global powers prop up brutal leaders in order to maintain the global status quo and their own positions of power and influence.

We turn our backs
The major global powers are criticized for ignoring the brutal acts being committed by the leaders they support.

On the things they done
The 'things' being done are terrible acts of violence and repression that are being carried out with the support of major global powers.

Their human rights record
The human rights abuses committed by these leaders are being put in the spotlight.

And the guns they run
The idea here is that the major global powers bear some of the responsibility for the violence being committed around the world because they are helping to arm and fund it.

Who'll do away with flags?
The artist is calling into question the idea of national identity represented by flags.

Who'll do us proud?
The singer is implying that the current state of global affairs is nothing to be proud of, and we need to find a way to change things.

Remove the money from their pockets
The idea here is that the major global powers have all the power because they have all the money. To disrupt this power dynamic, we need to find a way to take that money away.

Scream dissent out loud?
The artist is asking whether people are willing to speak out and fight against the power structures that are causing so much pain and suffering in the world.

'Cause god ain't on our side
The artist is suggesting that there is no divine force that will swoop in and save us - we have to take action on our own.

The shoe won't fit
This is a reference to the old saying 'If the shoe fits, wear it.' The idea here is that we can't simply ignore problems that don't directly impact us.

And though they think the war is won
The singer is referring to those who believe that their side has 'won' a particular conflict or struggle, but the idea here is that the real war is much bigger and more complicated than that.

That's not the last of it
This is a warning that there is much more work to be done if we want to create a more just and equitable world where people are not suffering needlessly.

Disenfranchised people
The singer is referring to people who have been left behind by the current systems of power and privilege.

Need their voices heard
The disenfranchised need to be able to speak up and have their grievances heard if anything is going to change.

And if no one stops to listen
The singer is emphasizing the importance of actually listening to what the disenfranchised are saying, rather than simply dismissing or ignoring them.

Lose their faith in words
If people feel they are not being heard or their voices don't matter, they will lose faith in the power of language and communication to bring about change.

And violence rises
This is a warning that if people continue to feel ignored and disenfranchised, they will inevitably resort to violence to make themselves heard.

When all hope is lost
The implication here is that violence is not the natural state of things, but comes about when hope is lost and people feel they have no other options.

Who'll embrace the human spirit
The singer is asking who will take up the cause of promoting and valuing the human spirit above everything else.

And absorb the cost?
This is a call to action, suggesting that there is a cost to be paid in order to create a better world, but those who are able to absorb that cost should be willing to do so.

Not one life is taken
This is a reference to the idea that war and conflict often disproportionately impact innocent civilians who had nothing to do with starting the conflict.

In my name
The artist is suggesting that people often feel like they are complicit in these actions, even if they did not directly cause them.

His world is suffering
This is a repetition of a previous line, emphasizing the idea that the entire world is suffering.

Her world is suffering
This is similar to the previous line, but includes the perspective of women as well.

Their world is suffering
This is similar to the previous lines, but includes the perspective of everyone who is not 'us'.

World citizen
This phrase is repeated throughout the song to emphasize the idea that we are all part of the same global community, and that our fates are intertwined.