Civil War
Guns' And Roses Lyrics

Look at your young men fighting
Observing young men fighting against one another

Look at your women crying
Noticing women crying because of the violence and conflict

Look at your young men dying The way they've always done before
Pointing out the repetitive nature of young men dying in wars throughout history

Look at the hate we're breeding
Noting the spread of hatred among people

Look at the fear we're feeding
Realizing how people are being made to feel frightened and anxious

Look at the lives we're leading The way we've always done before
Seeing how people are living their lives in a similar manner as in the past despite technological advancements

My hands are tied
Feeling helpless and unable to make a difference

The billions shift from side to side
Noting the shifting of power and wealth among countries and economies

And the wars go on with brainwashed pride
Realizing how wars are being fought in the name of pride and beliefs, despite brainwashing and propaganda

For the love of God and our human rights
Fighting for the principles of humanity and God's love

And all these things are swept aside
How the beliefs and principles of humanity are ignored during wars

By bloody hands time can't deny
How time cannot erase the effects of violence and war

And are washed away by your genocide
People are killed in large groups, leading to the erasure of their existence and identity

And history hides the lies of our civil wars
Noting that the truth about civil wars is often not detailed and are often masked by facts and opinions

D'you wear a black armband When they shot the man
Questioning the symbolism of wearing a black armband in times of tragedy and death

Who said "peace could last forever"
Quoting a phrase said by a person who believed peace could be permanent

And in my first memories They shot Kennedy
Recalling a memory of a famous person being killed

I went numb when I learned to see
Being emotionally affected upon realizing the harsh reality of life

So I never fell for Vietnam
Choosing not to partake in the Vietnam war

We got the wall of D.C. to remind us all That you can't trust freedom
Using the wall of D.C. as a reminder that freedom cannot be trusted when power is involved

When it's not in your hands
Explaining how freedom becomes untrustworthy when it doesn't rest within your reach

When everybody's fightin' For their promised land
Describing the efforts put into wars to achieve promised lands

And I don't need your civil war
Expressing a lack of interest in civil wars

It feeds the rich while it buries the poor
The rich get richer, while wars lead to the death of many poor individuals

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers In a human grocery store Ain't that fresh
Comparing the selling of soldiers for war to selling groceries, often without value given to soldiers as humans

Look at the shoes you're filling Look at the blood we're spilling Look at the world we're killing The way we've always done before
Seeing the disregard for life and humanity that has persisted throughout history

Look in the doubt we've wallowed Look at the leaders we've followed Look at the lies we've swallowed And I don't want to hear no more
Noting the doubts and uncertainties in society, yet are not vocalized, and calling for an end to lies and stories

For all I've seen has changed my mind
Changing the mind after witnessing how wars affect humanity

But still the wars go on as the years go by
The realization that wars are still ongoing despite the passing of time

With no love of God or human rights
The battles are being fought without moral reasons, destroying humanity

'Cause all these dreams are swept aside By bloody hands of the hypnotized
The dreams and aspirations of the people are destroyed by brainwashing and influencing

Who carry the cross of homicide
The people responsible for killing stand to take the responsibility and the consequences of the act

And history bears the scars of our civil wars
The impact of civil wars are visible in the facts and figures about history

Whaz so civil 'bout war anyway?
What makes wars civil, despite violence and destruction involved?