Soldier Song
Firebrands Lyrics


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There's a bus rollin' down the road
Kickin' up dust as it goes
It stops at the tattered mailbox signs
Picks up babies, mama's crying

Cause power ain't found in gun and badge
It can't be found in drugs or cash
Believe a lie your heart knows ain't true
Dead end life boy, the power's got you

What on earth are you marching for
Soldier
In the jungle when it rains it pours
Soldier
In the end its not your war
Soldier
So what on earth are you marching for
Soldier

Time to open your eyes, soldier
Time to take 'em by surprise, soldier
Time to know who to despise, soldier
Take back your life
You gotta take back your life

They're coming to take you away
They're coming to take you away
They're coming to take you away

They're coming to take you away
They're coming to take you away
They're coming to take you away
Today

What on earth are you marching for
Soldier
In the jungle when it rains it pours
Soldier
In the end its not your war
Soldier
So what on earth are you marching for
Soldier

[Speaking Voice] This is my rifle
There are many like it but this one is mine
My rifle is my best friend, it is my life
I must master it as I mater my life
My rifle without me is useless
Without my rifle, I am useless
I must fire my rifle true
I will
Before to God I swear this creed
We are the masters of our enemy
We are the saviours of my life
So be it
Until there is no enemy
But peace.

My feet are heavy but I'm still kickin'
Soldier songs take away my breathin'
I know the truth but I'm not free

My heart is heavy but its still tickin'
Soldier songs take away my feelin'
Mama's tears are all I see

My feet are heavy but I'm still kickin'
Soldier songs take away my breathin'
I know the truth but I'm not free

My heart is heavy but its still tickin'




Soldier songs take away my feelin'
Mama's tears are all I see

Overall Meaning

The song "Soldier Song" by Firebrands is a powerful anthem about the harsh realities of war and the ways in which soldiers are often used as pawns in a larger political game. The lyrics describe a scene of a bus picking up soldiers' families and friends, with the mothers crying as they say goodbye to their loved ones. The song argues that while soldiers may have power in terms of their weapons and their status in the military hierarchy, real power comes from within and cannot be found in violence or aggression.


The chorus of the song asks the soldier what they are marching for, highlighting the senselessness of war and the fact that soldiers often have little understanding of the larger political context that they are fighting in. The verses describe the heavy toll that war takes on soldiers and their families, with references to drugs, death, and the loss of freedom. The final spoken-word section of the song is a powerful statement about the importance of self-mastery and the need for soldiers to take control of their own lives and destinies.


Overall, "Soldier Song" is a moving and thought-provoking commentary on the realities of war and the ways in which soldiers are often used and abused by those in power.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a bus rollin' down the road
A bus is moving on the road


Kickin' up dust as it goes
The bus is creating dust in its wake


It stops at the tattered mailbox signs
The bus stops where mailbox signs are worn out


Picks up babies, mama's crying
The bus is picking up crying babies and their mothers


Cause power ain't found in gun and badge
Having a gun and a badge doesn't mean having power


It can't be found in drugs or cash
Power can't be found in drugs or money either


Believe a lie your heart knows ain't true
Don't believe a lie that your heart knows is not true


Dead end life boy, the power's got you
The power that you think you have is bringing you towards a dead-end life


What on earth are you marching for
Why are you marching on the earth?


In the jungle when it rains it pours
Heavy rains occur in the jungle


In the end its not your war
It's not your war in the end


Time to open your eyes, soldier
It's time to open your eyes


Time to take 'em by surprise, soldier
It's time to take your enemies by surprise


Time to know who to despise, soldier
It's time to know who to hate


Take back your life
Take control of your life


They're coming to take you away
They are coming to take you somewhere


Today
This day


This is my rifle
The singer is introducing their rifle


There are many like it but this one is mine
There are many rifles like this one, but this one belongs to the singer


My rifle is my best friend, it is my life
The artist considers their rifle as their best friend and their life


I must master it as I mater my life
The artist must master their rifle as they master their life


My rifle without me is useless
The rifle is useless without the artist


Without my rifle, I am useless
The singer is useless without their rifle


I must fire my rifle true
The artist must aim their rifle accurately


Before to God I swear this creed
The singer swears this creed in front of God


We are the masters of our enemy
The singer is the master of their enemy


We are the saviours of my life
The singer is the savior of their life


So be it
So it shall be


Until there is no enemy
Until there are no enemies left


But peace.
Then the only thing left would be peace


My feet are heavy but I'm still kickin'
The singer's feet are heavy but they're still moving forward


Soldier songs take away my breathin'
Songs for soldiers make the artist's breathing difficult


I know the truth but I'm not free
The artist knows the truth but they're not free


My heart is heavy but its still tickin'
The artist's heart is heavy but it's still beating


Soldier songs take away my feelin'
Songs for soldiers make the singer lose their emotions


Mama's tears are all I see
All the artist can see are their mother's tears




Contributed by Christian K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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