Forgotten Sons
Marillion Lyrics

Armalite, street lights, nightsights
The singer describes the scene of a wartime city, using words that evoke danger and fear.

Searching the roofs for a sniper, a viper, a fighter
Soldiers are looking for enemy combatants, who are referred to as snakes to dehumanize them.

Death in the shadows he'll maim you, he'll wound you, he'll kill you
The enemy is hiding and can cause harm from a place of concealment, showing the danger and unpredictability of war.

For a long forgotten cause, on not so foreign shores
The war is taking place in a land that may not be technically foreign, but has lost its significance to the ruling powers who sent their troops there.

Boys baptised in wars
The young soldiers, who may lack maturity or experience, become initiated into the reality of war.

Morphine, chill scream, bad dream
The singer describes the physical and emotional pain of soldiers, as well as their reliance on drugs for pain relief.

Serving as numbers on dogtags, flakrags, sandbags
The soldiers are dehumanized and represented by their names and numbers on military equipment.

Your girl has married your best friend, loves end, poison pen
This line describes the common experience of soldiers who left behind loved ones, who may move on while they are gone or suffer betrayal.

Your flesh will always creep, tossing turning sleep
The memories and trauma of war do not disappear, and soldiers can experience physical and mental symptoms of PTSD.

The wounds that burn so deep
The damage caused by war is not just physical, but can scar a person emotionally and psychologically as well.

Your mother sits on the edge of the world
The singer imagines the sorrow felt by soldiers' mothers, often far away from them and their dangerous surroundings.

When the cameras start to roll
The media often focuses on the spectacle or heroics of war, while hiding its darker nature.

Panoramic viewpoint resurrect the killing fold
The media's representation of war can glamorize or glorify it, leading to a dangerous cycle of violence and militarism.

Your father drains another beer, he's one of the few that cares
The singer focuses on the subdued sadness of fathers and families of soldiers, who may be isolated from a society that perpetuates wars.

Crawling behind a Saracen's hull from the safety of his living room chair
Even those who may not serve on the frontlines can be complicit in the war machine, carrying out operations from afar or from their homes.

Forgotten sons, forgotten sons, forgotten sons
The repetition of this phrase highlights the sense of abandonment and betrayal felt by soldiers who may return to a society that does not adequately support or appreciate them.

And so as I patrol in the valley of the shadow of the tricolour
The artist is still haunted by the memories and experiences of war, which continue to affect their lives.

I must fear evil, for I am but mortal and mortals can only die
The singer has seen the brutalities of war, and understands the very real possibility of their own death.

Asking questions, pleading answers from the nameless faceless watchers
The singer questions those in power, who make decisions that have devastating and far-reaching consequences, often without accountability or transparency.

That stalk the carpeted corridors of Whitehall
The corridors of power are often far removed from the realities of war, with those in power lacking an understanding of its true consequences.

Who orders desecration, mutilation, verbal masturbation
The artist questions the reasons behind war and the seemingly senseless acts of violence that take place.

I in the guarded bureaucratic wombs
The artist is aware of the impersonal, often faceless machinery that drives war and perpetuates it.

Minister, minister care for your children, order them not into damnation
The singer appeals directly to those in power, asking for them to consider the lives of those on the frontlines and to avoid sending them into harm's way.

To eliminate those who would trespass against you
The artist is aware of the self-serving motivations behind many military operations, which may be more about the interests of the ruling powers than about legitimate defense.

For whose is the kingdom, the power, the glory forever and ever, Amen
The singer questions the morality and ethics behind war and the motivations of those who make decisions that affect the lives of so many.

Halt who goes there, Death, approach friend
The singer accepts the inevitability of death in a warzone, and acknowledges death as a presence to be reckoned with.

You're just another coffin on its way down the emerald aisle
The singer understands that soldiers are often viewed as disposable, and may not receive the respect or honor they deserve when they die.

When your children's stony glances mourn your death in a terrorist's smile
The artist sees the true cost of war in the devastation it leaves behind, including the cycle of violence that can result from it.

The bomber's arm placing fiery gifts on the supermarket shelves
Terrorism and other acts of violence can lead to more death and destruction, further perpetuating the cycle of war and bloodshed.

Alley sings with shrapnel detonate a temporary hell
The vivid imagery here emphasizes the horrors of war and the human toll it takes.

Forgotten Sons
The singer returns to the theme of soldiers who are forgotten or abandoned by society after they return from war.

From the dole queue to the regiment a profession in a flash
The artist highlights the often rigid societal expectations and lack of options for young men, many of whom are drawn into the military as a career path.

But remember Monday signings when from door to door you dash
The artist is referring to the concept of conscription, where soldiers are forced to serve regardless of whether they want to or not.

On the news a nation mourns you unknown soldier, count the cost
Even though society may mourn the loss of soldiers, the true cost of war and the individual lives lost can be brushed aside or forgotten.

For a second you'll be famous but labeled posthumous
The short-lived attention soldiers may receive after their death can be cold comfort to those who are still suffering in their aftermath.

Forgotten sons, forgotten sons
The repetition here represents the theme of soldiers being abandoned by society, and left to suffer alone with the lasting effects of war.

Peace on earth and mercy mild, Mother Brown has lost her child
The singer questions the true impact of war on a supposedly peaceful world, and imagines the personal tragedy that comes with each individual loss.

Just another Forgotten Son
The song ends with a somber and poignant reminder of the true cost of war and the toll it takes on individuals and families alike.