Act of war
Elton John & Millie Jackson Lyrics
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How come you take it so hard when I stay out all night
If I take a drink, is that against the law
And if I have a good time, do you call that an act of war
Well you better believe it boy, this house is your home
I didn't build it up for you to live here on my own
And if you think it's easy to forget about me
We're living on the front line you and me
Fighting on this battleground of misery
Oh go ahead bring on your artillery
And we'll make this an act of war
Give it all you've got `cause I'm all dug in
Keep the punches coming I can take them on the chin
Winner takes all, let the best man win
And we call it an act of war
Well I'm a man of convenience I work a long hard day
After twelve long hours ain't I got the right to play
If living together is getting in the way
Then I call that an act of war
Well if that's your game then honey two can play
I'm going on the town tonight and have some fun my way
Ain't no way baby this girl's gonna stay
I call it, I call it an act of war
And it looks like time ain't been on our side
If we could turn the clock back
We might survive this act of war
In the song Act of War, Elton John and singer Millie Jackson sing about a relationship that has reached its breaking point. The lyrics describe a situation in which the couple is constantly at odds, with each person feeling like their actions are a declaration of war against the other.
The song opens with the man in the relationship defending his actions, insisting that his late nights out and drinking shouldn't be viewed as an act of aggression. He also reminds his partner that their home is just as much his as it is hers. However, the woman counters that he is neglecting their relationship and that she feels pushed aside. She warns him that if he's trying to play a game, she can do the same.
From there, the song transforms into a call and response between Elton John and Millie Jackson. They sing about the couple as if they are soldiers on a battlefield, each trying to outdo the other in their attempts to win the war. The chorus is particularly militaristic, with singers urging each other to bring out their "artillery" and keep the punches coming.
Ultimately, the song is about two people who are too stubborn to back down, even when it's clear that their relationship is reaching a breaking point. The lyrics suggest that the couple might be able to salvage their love if they were willing to turn back the clock and start over.
Line by Line Meaning
This ain't no battle honey, this ain't no fight
This is not a serious conflict, my dear
How come you take it so hard when I stay out all night
Why do you get upset when I go out at night?
If I take a drink, is that against the law
Is it illegal for me to drink alcohol?
And if I have a good time, do you call that an act of war
Do you consider it a hostile move if I enjoy myself?
Well you better believe it boy, this house is your home
You should realize that this house belongs to both of us
I didn't build it up for you to live here on my own
I didn't create this home to live here alone
And if you think it's easy to forget about me
If you assume it's simple to disregard me
You'd better think twice, you'd better believe it's an act of war
You should reconsider since it's a hostile move towards me
We're living on the front line you and me
We're in a precarious situation, my dear
Fighting on this battleground of misery
Struggling in this unhappy environment
Oh go ahead bring on your artillery
Feel free to use your most potent weapons
And we'll make this an act of war
And we'll turn this into a hostile conflict
Give it all you've got `cause I'm all dug in
Put all your effort into it, I'm well-prepared
Keep the punches coming I can take them on the chin
Continue to attack me, I can handle it
Winner takes all, let the best man win
The victor will take everything, may the best person win
And we call it an act of war
And we refer to it as being hostile
Well I'm a man of convenience I work a long hard day
I'm a practical person, I work a lot
After twelve long hours ain't I got the right to play
After working for twelve hours, don't I deserve to relax?
If living together is getting in the way
If coexisting is becoming an issue
Then I call that an act of war
Then I consider that to be a hostile move
Well if that's your game then honey two can play
If that's the way you want to play, then I can do the same
I'm going on the town tonight and have some fun my way
I'm going out tonight and enjoying myself my way
Ain't no way baby this girl's gonna stay
There's no chance that I'm going to stay here
I call it, I call it an act of war
I refer to it as a hostile move
And it looks like time ain't been on our side
It appears that time has not been kind to us
If we could turn the clock back
If we could travel back in time
We might survive this act of war
We could potentially overcome this conflict
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jukeboxjohnnie
Id forgotten this did so badly, one of my favourite 80's tracks...
@georgemathie8123
This is Elton John's most badass performances of the 80s and Millie Jackson Ive never heard of her before who is she by the ways however this lady is freaking badass on this song with Elton damn what a forgotten classic
@ikalesunflower
Google her. She was popular in the 60s 70s and 80s
@georgemathie8123
@@ikalesunflower ok I will thanks for letting me know
@sajman213
Tina Turner was susspossed to be the girl singer but couldn't do it so THIS
@emilianoortega-guerrero2925
the soundtrack our lives... rock n roll yeah
@emilianoortega-guerrero2925
HARD ROCK AWESOME
@jayalajay5974
Great bass playing!
@guillermoortega4119
AWESOME
@ter521fad
Tina Turner refused to do this duet with Elton? I never knew that. Millie Jackson was a pretty surprising choice to replace her. I don't think a lot of people know who she is.