Universal Soldier
Lobo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He fights with missiles and with spears
He's all of thirty one, and he's only seventeen
He's been a soldier for a thousand years
He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jain
A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew
And he knows he shouldn't kill
Kill you for me, my friend, and me for you
And he's fighting for democracy, he's fighting for the Reds
He says it's for the peace of all
He's the one who must decide
Who's to live and who's to die
And he never sees the writing on the wall
But without him how would Hitler have condemned him at Dachau?
Without him Caesar would have stood alone
He's the one who gives his body as a weapon of the war
And without him all this killing can't go on
He's the universal soldier, and he really is to blame
His orders come from far away no more
They come from him, and you and me
And brothers, can't you see
This is not the way we'll put the end to war
The lyrics of Lobo's song Universal Soldier reflect on the idea of the 'universal soldier' as someone who has fought in wars throughout history, across borders and with different allegiances. The opening lines contrast the soldier's physical stature with the weapons he fights with, suggesting an incongruity in his humanity and the way he is forced to fight. The soldier is described as having multifaith beliefs, yet ultimately ends up killing for the sake of others.
The song alludes to the soldier's ignorance of the bigger picture and how he is manipulated by those in power. He fights for democracy and the Reds, yet the lyrics suggest that these ideals are not really his own, and he is unaware of their true meaning. The reference to Hitler and Caesar highlights the way in which the soldier has been historically used, and how his actions both for and against some of history's worst figures have been used to justify his own existence.
The overarching message of the song therefore appears to be one of anti-war sentiment and advocating for peace. The lyrics convey the notion that the universal soldier is not to blame for the wars he fights in, but rather the people who give him orders and make him fight. This idea is encapsulated in the final lines of the chorus: "And brothers, can't you see / This is not the way we'll put the end to war".
Line by Line Meaning
He's five foot two and he's six feet four
He has a contradictory appearance that doesn't make sense
He fights with missiles and with spears
He fights with both modern and ancient weapons
He's all of thirty one, and he's only seventeen
He's old and experienced, but also young and naive
He's been a soldier for a thousand years
He represents the universal soldier throughout history
He's a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jain
He doesn't follow a specific religion or creed
A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew
He embodies all religions and beliefs
And he knows he shouldn't kill
He understands that killing is wrong
And he knows he always will
He is still forced to kill despite this understanding
Kill you for me, my friend, and me for you
He kills for alliances and relationships, not for personal gain
And he's fighting for democracy, he's fighting for the Reds
He fights for different ideologies that are often in conflict
He says it's for the peace of all
He believes that his actions will lead to a peaceful outcome
He's the one who must decide
He has the power to make decisions that determine life and death
Who's to live and who's to die
He has the responsibility to choose who lives and who dies
And he never sees the writing on the wall
He can't see the consequences of his actions or the inevitable end of war
But without him how would Hitler have condemned him at Dachau?
Without soldiers, leaders wouldn't be able to commit atrocities on their own
Without him Caesar would have stood alone
Without soldiers, leaders wouldn't have the support they need to achieve their goals
He's the one who gives his body as a weapon of the war
He sacrifices himself physically and mentally for the war
And without him all this killing can't go on
Soldiers are necessary for war to continue
He's the universal soldier, and he really is to blame
He represents the root cause of war and its atrocities
His orders come from far away no more
He can't blame distant leaders for his actions anymore
They come from him, and you and me
We all contribute to the decision to go to war and its actions
And brothers, can't you see
The message is directed at those who are also caught up in the cycle of war
This is not the way we'll put the end to war
War won't end until we take responsibility for our actions and find a better way to resolve conflicts
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.