Prisoner
De/Vision Lyrics
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That bumped down to the sea
To the old beach house near the river mouth
It was 1943
And they cracked the rocks with fire
And they sweated and they swore
And the sun beat down like in Italy
My father fought in Egypt
He was 25 years old
Where the days were white and hot as hell
And the nights were black and cold
With the Allies they fought for freedom
Against Rommel and the Afrika Corps
Until a bomb exploded and all his dreams became prisoners of war
Every summer we went down
To the house at the lagoon
Every summer I turned brown
And played ball games in the dunes
Every summer our regime
Passed another law
As the boat sailed for Robin Island
With more prisoners of war
I came back from Angola
It was 1975
My heart was hard and my mind was scarred
I'd forgotten how to cry
Wearing civvies for the first time
Just trying to be me
I walk the road the Italians built
That leads down to the sea
And the question I was asking was
What were we fighting for?
Cos in the end we had all become
Prisoners of war
And the question I was asking was
What were we fighting for?
Cos in the end we had all become prisoners
Of war
Yes in the end we had all become prisoners
Of war
The lyrics to De/Vision's song "Prisoner" tell a poignant and reflective story of the impact of war and the consequences it has on individuals and society as a whole. The song begins by describing the construction of a road by Italian prisoners during the year 1943. The prisoners toiled under the sun, cracking rocks and building a road that led to an old beach house near the river mouth. This imagery creates an atmosphere of hard work, sacrifice, and confinement.
The lyrics then shift to the singer's father, who fought in Egypt during World War II. Here, the songwriter depicts the harsh conditions of war, where days were scorching hot and the nights were bitterly cold. The father fought alongside the Allies against Rommel and the Afrika Corps, only to have his dreams shattered when a bomb exploded. This event quite literally turned him into a prisoner of war.
The narrative then moves forward to the singer's own experiences. After returning from Angola in 1975, the lyrics suggest that the singer has been hardened by war. Wearing civilian clothes for the first time, he walks along the same road built by the Italian prisoners, contemplating the purpose and meaning of their fights. The repetition of the question, "What were we fighting for?", emphasizes the confusion and disillusionment felt by those who have experienced the horrors of war.
Line by Line Meaning
The Italians built the road
The road was constructed by the Italians
That bumped down to the sea
That descended towards the ocean
To the old beach house near the river mouth
Leading to a vintage seaside residence close to the river's entrance into the sea
It was 1943
The year was 1943
And they cracked the rocks with fire
Using fire, they broke the rocks
And they sweated and they swore
They perspired profusely and expressed their frustration through oaths
And the sun beat down like in Italy
The scorching sun was reminiscent of Italy
On these prisoners of war
Impacting the individuals confined as prisoners of war
My father fought in Egypt
My father participated in the fight in Egypt
He was 25 years old
At the time, he was 25 years of age
Where the days were white and hot as hell
In a location where the days were intensely scorching
And the nights were black and cold
While the nights were dark and frigid
With the Allies they fought for freedom
United with the Allies, they battled for liberty
Against Rommel and the Afrika Corps
Opposing Rommel and his Afrika Corps
Until a bomb exploded and all his dreams became prisoners of war
However, when a bomb detonated, all of his aspirations were held captive as prisoners of war
Every summer we went down
Each summer, we traveled to
To the house at the lagoon
The residence situated by the lagoon
Every summer I turned brown
Each summer, my skin acquired a tanned complexion
And played ball games in the dunes
Engaging in ball games amidst the sandy dunes
Every summer our regime
Year after year, our routine
Passed another law
Established additional regulations
As the boat sailed for Robin Island
While the boat embarked towards Robin Island
With more prisoners of war
Carrying additional individuals captured as prisoners of war
I came back from Angola
After returning from Angola
It was 1975
The year was 1975
My heart was hard and my mind was scarred
My emotions hardened and my thoughts were marked by past experiences
I'd forgotten how to cry
I had lost the ability to shed tears
Wearing civvies for the first time
Donning civilian clothes for the initial occasion
Just trying to be me
Merely attempting to be myself
I walk the road the Italians built
I stroll along the path constructed by the Italians
That leads down to the sea
Which guides towards the ocean
And the question I was asking was
And the inquiry I pondered was
What were we fighting for?
What was the purpose of our fight?
Cos in the end we had all become
Because ultimately we had all transformed into
Prisoners of war
Captives of the war
Yes in the end we had all become prisoners
Indeed, in the end, we had all become prisoners
Of war
Of the war
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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