The current incarnation of the band includes Jones, lead vocalist Kelly Hansen, bass guitarist Jeff Pilson and multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel.
With ten multi-platinum albums and sixteen Top 30 hits, Foreigner is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 75 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems including Juke Box Hero, Feels Like The First Time, Urgent, Head Games, Say You Will, Cold as Ice, Hot Blooded, and the worldwide #1 hit, I Want To Know What Love Is, Foreigner continues to rock the charts more than thirty years into the game.
At War With the World
Foreigner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For any military aid
And I never took charge of the light brigade
I got no castle to defend or attack
But still I seem to be picking up flack
I am the captain of this body of mine
I'll send fear into the enemy lines
They're all pointing a finger at me
I'm at war with the world
That's the way it must be
I'll fight while I can
To put an end to this misery
I'm at war with the world
I'll have to fight to be free
Yes I'm at war with the world
Nobody's capturing me
Never have no need
For any military aid
Never took charge of the light brigade
I got no castle to defend or attack
But still I seem to be picking up flack
War with the world, with the world
I'll have to fight to be be free
Yes I'm at war with the world, with the world
Nobody's capturing me
War with the world
What do they want from me?
War with the world
Why don't they let me be?
The lyrics to Foreigner's song "At War With the World" suggest a feeling of being caught in the middle of a battle that the singer did not choose to fight. The opening lyrics express a sense of independence and lack of involvement in military affairs, but despite this the singer feels that they are being targeted and challenged. The chorus highlights the struggle that the singer is facing, fighting against the world and the misery that seems to be all-encompassing. The lines "I'm at war with the world, I'll have to fight to be free" indicate that the singer is fighting not just for themselves, but for the ability to exist freely in a world that is hostile to them.
The repetition of the lines "Never had no need for any military aid" and "I got no castle to defend or attack" suggest that the singer sees themselves as just an ordinary person, yet they are still being dragged into a conflict. The lines "I am the captain of this body of mine, I'll send fear into the enemy lines" express a sense of determination and self-reliance in the face of adversity, but also highlight the idea that the singer is fighting an internal battle as well.
Overall, the lyrics to "At War With the World" convey a sense of frustration and helplessness in the face of a conflict that the singer did not choose to be a part of. The repeated chorus reinforces the idea that the singer is fighting alone, against a hostile world that is determined to bring them down.
Line by Line Meaning
Never had no need
I never required the assistance of a military force
For any military aid
I didn't need any help to protect myself or accomplish my goals
And I never took charge of the light brigade
I've never commanded troops in battle
I got no castle to defend or attack
I don't have any physical or emotional fortresses to protect or invade
But still I seem to be picking up flack
Despite my lack of involvement in conflicts, I'm still facing criticism and hostility
I am the captain of this body of mine
I have control over my own thoughts and actions
I'll send fear into the enemy lines
I'll intimidate those who oppose me
On the ground, in the air or at sea
I'm willing to fight on any terrain or in any circumstance
They're all pointing a finger at me
People are blaming me for problems beyond my control
I'm at war with the world
My life feels like a constant battle against obstacles and opposition
That's the way it must be
I feel like I have no other choice but to keep fighting
I'll fight while I can
I'll keep struggling until I can no longer do so
To put an end to this misery
I want to overcome my struggles and find happiness
I'll have to fight to be free
I need to persevere in order to achieve true freedom
Yes I'm at war with the world
I'm constantly battling obstacles and opposition
Nobody's capturing me
I won't be defeated or imprisoned by my struggles
War with the world
My life feels like an ongoing conflict
What do they want from me?
I don't understand why I face so many challenges
Why don't they let me be?
I wish people would stop opposing me and just let me live my life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dscott351
The debut Foreigner album gets no love when the greatest debut albums are mentioned. But it's still my fav of all of Foreigner output.
Guy Salzmann
Indeed! Every tract solid. No lemons. Too bad could not have kept original 6 line-up.
John Conway
True from the "first time" 😉 Scores of foolish record producers passed on their demos. It was only "rediscovered" when someone went through an old stack of demos that were set aside.
KD Keiser
In the summer of I believe 1975, I heard this song on KMET in Los Angeles CA. This was their debut song, Jim Ladd was the DJ.
Sergio D'Ambrosio
I like this album very much. This song is one of my favorite on it. This and Starrider. A great debut album!
Greetings from Italy!
Jess S
Don, that’s only in our dimension. In higher dimensions it’s in the Rock and Roll Universe Hall of Fame........
Mike S
Damn, this whole album was great! Pretty friggin' good for their debut! I probably almost wore this LP out when I was a teenager.
Bill Lombard
First rock album I owned, this album kicks a@@ to this day. Why this song doesn’t get more play is beyond me
stormshear1
to me, one of their best.. those harmonies in the chorus are just amazing
Doobie1975
great song, Foreigner really showed so much promise with their early albums but got too commercial later on, too bad Mick's ego caused half of the original lineup to leave after a few albums, I thought Foreigner was at their best when Ian McDonald, Al Greenwood and Ed Gagliardi were in the band