Scar Spangled Banner
Exodus Lyrics


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Oh say can you fucking see
The missiles fall like rain
Bloody mountains majesty
Dead bodies on the plain
By the bombing's eerie light
See the crimsons waves of red
What so proudly they all fell
The twilight of the dead

[Chorus]
America the violent
The indifferent
God shit is grace on me
America the arrogant
The belligerent
Will live in infamy
We the people, for no people
Secure the blessings of tragedy
Do or don't we have established
The scar spangled banner

We pledge allegiance to no god
Only to the blood
Liberty is just a dream
When dying in the mud
This, the land of the deceived, home of the depraved
Bombs, they drop like falling leaves
And the deadly flag still waves

[Chorus]

Red the beautiful color of blood
Flowing like a stream
White the color of bleaching bone
Lovely and obscene
Blue the bruising color of flesh
Battered, ripped and torn
The colors of the flag of hate
Of violence and porn
What you see is what you get
You haven't see the bloody trail yet
I'm no patriot, just a hate-triot

Blood sport, my sure bet
See the flag, get a body bag
Salvation form a .44 mag.
Nothing left, no one saved




'Cause our goddamn motherfucking bloody ass
Banner still waves

Overall Meaning

The song "Scar Spangled Banner" by Exodus is a powerful commentary on the violence and aggression of the United States, particularly in their wars and military interventions. The lyrics are written in a sarcastic and critical tone, challenging the idea of American exceptionalism and patriotism. The band highlights the destruction and fatalities caused by US bombs and missiles, questioning the morality of these actions, and exposing the hidden consequences of war.


The first verse describes the horrors seen during the bombing of an area, with missiles falling like rain and dead bodies scattered on the plain. The eerie light created by the bombing adds to the disturbing image of crimson waves of blood. The chorus questions the violent and arrogant attitude of the United States, stating that the nation will live in infamy for its actions. The use of irony in the lines "God shit is grace on me" and "Secure the blessings of tragedy" highlights the hypocrisy and violence of the American government. The phrase "scar spangled banner" is a play on the national anthem's "star-spangled banner," suggesting that the nation's reputation is scarred by the violence of its actions.


The second verse continues the criticism of American values, as the band declares that they pledge their allegiance to no god, only to the blood. They state that liberty is just a dream when one is dying in the mud of war. The phrase "the land of the deceived, home of the depraved" suggests that the nation has been misled and has lost its morality. The colors of the flag are described as symbols of hate, violence, and porn. The final lines suggest that there is no hope for salvation, and the flag still waves as a symbol of the nation's aggression.


Overall, Exodus's "Scar Spangled Banner" is a powerful anti-war song that challenges the idea of American exceptionalism and patriotism. The lyrics are critical of the violent and arrogant attitude of the United States and expose the hidden consequences of war. The use of irony and sarcasm highlights the hypocrisy and immorality of the nation's actions.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh say can you fucking see
Can you see the destruction and violence caused by war?


The missiles fall like rain
There is an excessive amount of bombing and destruction happening.


Bloody mountains majesty
The aftermath of war and destruction looks like a horrific landscape.


Dead bodies on the plain
The violence of war has resulted in many casualties.


By the bombing's eerie light
The light from the bombings creates a haunting and unsettling atmosphere.


See the crimsons waves of red
The bloodshed from war is overwhelming.


What so proudly they all fell
The fallen soldiers did not have a proud or heroic death.


The twilight of the dead
The aftermath of war is desolate and bleak.


America the violent
America is characterized by its excessive violence and aggression.


The indifferent
People are apathetic towards the violence and destruction happening around them.


God shit is grace on me
The idea of God's grace is being mocked because of the extreme violence and brutality.


America the arrogant
America displays an attitude of superiority and entitlement.


The belligerent
America is hostile and aggressive towards other nations and people.


Will live in infamy
America's violent legacy will be remembered with shame and dishonor.


We the people, for no people
The government and leaders do not have the people's best interests in mind.


Secure the blessings of tragedy
The government is securing tragedy instead of blessings.


Do or don't we have established
Have we established a legacy of violence and destruction or not?


The scar spangled banner
The American flag represents a legacy of violence and destruction.


We pledge allegiance to no god
The American people do not pledge allegiance to any divine being or higher power.


Only to the blood
The American people are bound by the violence and bloodshed of their nation's history.


Liberty is just a dream
The idea of liberty is not a reality when there is so much violence and aggression happening.


When dying in the mud
The reality of war is very different from the rhetoric that is given about liberty and freedom.


This, the land of the deceived, home of the depraved
America is a nation full of deceit and depravity.


Bombs, they drop like falling leaves
There is an excessive amount of bombings and destruction happening.


And the deadly flag still waves
The American flag promotes a legacy of violence and destruction.


Red the beautiful color of blood
The color red is representative of the bloodshed and violence caused by war.


Flowing like a stream
There is a constant flow of bloodshed and violence happening.


White the color of bleaching bone
The color white represents the death and decay that happens after war.


Lovely and obscene
The beauty of the color white is juxtaposed against the gruesome reality it represents.


Blue the bruising color of flesh
The color blue represents the damage and trauma that occurs during war.


Battered, ripped and torn
The reality of war is extremely violent and destructive.


The colors of the flag of hate
The American flag represents a legacy of violence and aggression.


Of violence and porn
The violence and brutality of war is like a spectacle or entertainment for some people.


What you see is what you get
The reality of war is even worse than what is portrayed through media and propaganda.


You haven't see the bloody trail yet
The reality of war is much more gruesome and violent than what is seen in the media.


I'm no patriot, just a hate-triot
The artist does not feel any allegiance or pride towards their country, only anger and hatred.


Blood sport, my sure bet
War and violence is like a sport or a game to some people.


See the flag, get a body bag
The American flag represents death and violence for many people.


Salvation form a .44 mag.
Violence and aggression is seen as a solution to problems.


Nothing left, no one saved
War and violence leaves behind destruction and suffering with no true winners.


'Cause our goddamn motherfucking bloody ass
The American legacy of violence and aggression is the reason for the destruction happening.


Banner still waves
The American flag represents a violent legacy that is still ongoing.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY HOLT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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