Gimme Shelter
Forest Rangers Lyrics

The lyrics to Forest Rangers's song Gimme Shelter is a powerful commentary on the state of the world in the late 1960s. The opening lines, "Oh, a storm is threat'ning / My very life today," create a sense of unease and foreboding. The singer is in danger, and they need shelter to survive. The second verse, "Ooh, see the fire is sweepin' / My very street today / Burns like a red coal carpet / Mad bull lost its way," includes vivid imagery that shows the violence and chaos that the singer is experiencing.

The repeated refrain, "War, children, it's just a shot away / It's just a shot away," is an explicit reference to the Vietnam War, which was raging at the time the song was written. The lyrics also reference rape and murder, suggesting that the violence is not limited to the battlefield but is a pervasive threat to everyday life. The singer is scared and feels that their life is under constant threat.

The final lines of the song, "I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away / It's just a kiss away / It's just a kiss away," offer a small glimmer of hope in the midst of the chaos. Even in a world where war and violence are so prevalent, love and connection are still possible.