He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his disdain for city life, his enthusiasm for music, and his relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, in all earning him twelve gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "Sunshine on My Shoulders".
Denver starred in films and several notable television specials in the 1970s and 1980s. He continued to record in the 1990s, also focusing on environmental issues by lending vocal support to space exploration and testifying in front of Congress in protest against censorship in music. He lived in Aspen, Colorado for much of his life and was known for his love of Colorado which he sang about numerous times. In 1974 Denver was named poet laureate of the state. The Colorado state legislature also adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as one of its two state songs in 2007. Denver was an avid pilot and died at the age of 53 in a single-fatality crash of his personal experimental aircraft.
You Say That the Battle Is Over
John Denver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you say that the war is all done
Go tell it to those
With the wind in their nose
Who run from the sound of the gun
And write it on the sides
Of the great whaling ships
With the wind in their eyes
It is they who must die
And it's we who must measure the loss
And you say that the battle is over
And finally the world is at peace
You mean no one is dying
And mothers don't weep
Or it's not in the papers at least
There are those who would deal
In the darkness of life
There are those who would tear down the sun
And most men are ruthless
But some will still weep
When the gifts we were given are gone
Now the blame cannot fall
On the heads of a few
It's become such a part of the race
It's eternally tragic
That that which is magic
Be killed at the end of the glorious chase
From young seals to great whales
From waters to wood
They will fall just like weeds in the wind
With fur coats and perfumes
And trophies on walls
What a hell of a race to call men
And you say that the battle is over
And you say that the war is all done
Go tell it to those
With the wind in their nose
Who run from the sound of the gun
And write it on the sides
Of the great whaling ships
Or on ice floes where conscience is tossed
With the wind in their eyes
It is they who must die
And it's we who must measure the loss
With the wind in their eyes
It is they who must die
And it's we who must measure the cost
John Denver's "You Say That the Battle is Over" is a powerful anti-war statement, speaking out against the killing of innocent creatures and the impact it has on our world. The song tells of those who claim that the war is over, and the implications of their statement. Denver sings to those who run from the sound of war, those who have been affected by the devastation wrought by conflict. He speaks of the battle being over, but the loss still being present as a result of the damage and destruction wrought by the human race.
Denver speaks of the great whaling ships, and the ice floes where conscience is tossed. He speaks of the pain and suffering that is wrought when we cease to care for the planet and the creatures that inhabit it. He talks about the darkness of life and the ruthlessness of some men. He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our roles in the loss of life and the destruction of the environment.
Finally, Denver speaks of the loss of the gifts we were given by the earth, and the tragic end to what should be a glorious chase. He brings attention to the fact that these are not just animals, but living beings who deserve respect and care. The singer emphasizes that the impact of war and destruction touches all of us, and the consequences are long-lasting.
Line by Line Meaning
And you say that the battle is over
You claim that the conflict has been resolved
And you say that the war is all done
You assert that the fighting has ended completely
Go tell it to those
Inform the people who
With the wind in their nose
Are running towards danger
Who run from the sound of the gun
Who flee from the sound of gunfire
And write it on the sides
Inscribe it onto the surfaces
Of the great whaling ships
Of the enormous vessels used for hunting whales
Or on ice floes where conscience is tossed
Or on floating sheets of ice where moral principles are disregarded
With the wind in their eyes
While they face adversity
It is they who must die
They are the ones who will suffer fatal consequences
And it's we who must measure the loss
We are the ones who must determine the extent of the damage
And finally the world is at peace
That means the world is finally peaceful
You mean no one is dying
You imply that no lives are being lost
And mothers don't weep
And mothers aren't grieving
Or it's not in the papers at least
Or it's not being reported in the media
There are those who would deal
There are people who would engage in
In the darkness of life
In the difficult, unpleasant aspects of existence
There are those who would tear down the sun
There are people who would ruin the beauty in the world
And most men are ruthless
And the majority of men lack compassion
But some will still weep
But there will still be those who mourn
When the gifts we were given are gone
When the blessings we received are depleted
Now the blame cannot fall
Now the responsibility cannot be placed solely on
On the heads of a few
On the actions of a small group
It's become such a part of the race
It has become ingrained in the culture
It's eternally tragic
It is perpetually sorrowful
That that which is magic
That which is enchanting
Be killed at the end of the glorious chase
Is destroyed after being hunted down triumphantly
From young seals to great whales
From immature seals to massive whales
From waters to wood
From the ocean to the jungle
They will fall just like weeds in the wind
They will be destroyed like insignificant plants in the breeze
With fur coats and perfumes
With furs to wear and scents to use
And trophies on walls
And items to display as rewards for their destruction
What a hell of a race to call men
What a terrible thing to identify as human beings
And you say that the battle is over
You state that the conflict has ceased
And you say that the war is all done
And you pronounce that the strife is complete
Go tell it to those
Inform the people who
With the wind in their nose
Who are facing danger head-on
Who run from the sound of the gun
Who escape the deafening noise of firearms
And write it on the sides
Inscribe it onto the surfaces
Of the great whaling ships
Of the massive vessels employed in hunting whales
Or on ice floes where conscience is tossed
Or on floating sheets of ice where moral principles are disregarded
With the wind in their eyes
While they face adversity
It is they who must die
They are the ones who will suffer fatal consequences
And it's we who must measure the loss
We are the ones who must determine the extent of the damage
With the wind in their eyes
While they face adversity
It is they who must die
They are the ones who will suffer fatal consequences
And it's we who must measure the cost
We are the ones who must determine the price paid
Contributed by Isaac S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ben - Moderator
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J Parker
SonicHits just gets worse and worse. Albums that don't play,songs that don't play, tracks that are NOT the named song or even the right artist, adverts that cover content and cause the site to interrupt and buffer inthe middle of songs. I've got to find a better music site!
aplacetohideaway
This beautiful song was written by master songwriter David Mallett. Beautifully performed by John Denver.
That 70's Girl
John Denver may be gone, but not fogotten. His music will live on... Forever!!
Chloe54 Brown780
I love John Denver's words of hope, advice, and inspiration. He will be forever missed but never forgotten. We will always remember the singer, guitar player, husband, father, and pilot. May you Rest In Peace John Denver.
Pauline H
Nice words Chloe
Paul Connor Drums
The lyrics in this song are awesome, and John just brings out the passion and meaning like no one else could.
Qutaiba Al-Mahawili
We still measure the loss of losing you John. We miss you.
Ludji-Michael Riwu-Kaho
Amazing. Be at peace John Denver🎶🎙⚘🙏
Gloria Ertel
Soo lovely John Denver...……...You're more amazing every time I hear your sweet voice.....Missing more and more every day...….RIP...11/28/19