A touring sideman, occasio… Read Full Bio ↴American drummer, percussionist and composer.
A touring sideman, occasional bandmember, and session musician, including regular collaborations with Sufjan Stevens.
MARS
James McAlister Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The loneliness outside
And the stones cry out for mercy
Will they see the Lord
The prophecy grows sight
As it is written
I am the god of war
I reside in every creature
Or put away your sword
In the future, there will only be war
The vanity outside
And after all the devastation
Will we see the Lord
As it is written
I am the producer
I am the god of war
I reside in every creature
Dispose of the future
Or put away your sword
Love, peace, forgiveness
And consequence, and trust, and patience
Affection, determining how
Love I hold you in as compensate, contemplate, rhapsody, and energy and hope
The things to look for
Love and peace, forgiveness
And consequence, and trust, and patience
Affection, determining how
Love I hold you in as compensate, contemplate, rhapsody, and energy and hope
The things to look for
Love I hold you in as fantasy, blasphemy, fallacy, and probably as fate
The things we do for love
The lyrics of James McAlister's song "Mars" speak about war, hope, and love. The first stanza speaks of a prophecy that predicts the end of war in the future, but also the possibility of the destruction of humanity. The stanza implies that war is within human nature and that war must be disposed of for humans to have a prosperous future. The second stanza, in contrast, predicts that war will last forever, and humanity will eventually destroy itself. It also references the idea that humans are responsible for the earth's destruction.
The last stanza of the song introduces the idea that love and peace are the key to our future. It lists a variety of positive characteristics that humans should embody to create a better world. The line "Love I hold you in as fantasy, blasphemy, fallacy, and probably as fate" refers to love being an abstract idea that people can't always understand, and that many people will find it difficult to believe that love can make a difference in the world.
The overall message of this song seems to be that war and destruction are elements of humanity, and that we must strive to embrace love, peace, and forgiveness to create a positive future.
Line by Line Meaning
In the future, there will be no war
The singer believes that war will always exist, even in the future.
The loneliness outside
The singer feels lonely and disconnected from the world outside.
And the stones cry out for mercy
The singer hears metaphorical cries for help from inanimate objects around them.
Will they see the Lord
The artist wonders if people will have a chance to see the divine in the future.
The prophecy grows sight
The predictions of the future become clearer and more noticeable as time passes.
As it is written
The singer is referencing something that has been recorded or documented previously.
I am the god of war
The singer takes on the identity of a deity fundamentally associated with violence: Mars, the Roman god of war.
I reside in every creature
The aggressive tendencies that humans associate with war are present in all forms of life.
Dispose of the future
The artist sees the future as something that is disposable and not worth preserving.
Or put away your sword
The artist suggests that people should work towards peace rather than continuing to engage in violent conflict.
Love, peace, forgiveness
The singer lists three abstract concepts associated with harmony and reconciliation.
And consequence, and trust, and patience
The artist adds three more abstract concepts that they believe are important for achieving understanding and unity.
Affection, determining how
The singer suggests that love or care for others is a critical factor in promoting harmony, and something that must be prioritized or decided upon by each individual.
Love I hold you in as compensate, contemplate, rhapsody, and energy and hope
The singer expresses their admiration for love as a catalyst for positive change, and lists other attributes associated with the feeling.
The things to look for
The singer intends to focus on these qualities they've listed as part of their pursuit of unity and understanding.
Love I hold you in as fantasy, blasphemy, fallacy, and probably as fate
The artist recognizes that some people don't believe in the power of love or might even reject the idea altogether, but still sees it as an important force in their own life.
The things we do for love
The artist reflects on the ways love can inspire people to take action or make sacrifices.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Brice David Messner, James Van McAllister
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind