Time To Go Home
Michael Franti and Spearhead Lyrics

Those who start wars, never fight them
The people who initiate wars are not the ones who physically engage in combat.

And those who fight wars, they never like them
Even the people who participate in wars don't enjoy them.

And those who write laws, they can recite them
Those who make laws know them by heart.

And those of us who just fight laws, We live and die them
People who challenge legal systems are often subject to negative consequences.

But I know, they never gonna tell you why, no
Authorities rarely explain the reasons behind their actions.

They only wanna tell you lies, no
Instead of the truth, officials often resort to deception.

Never ever gonna tell you why, no
Explanations are never forthcoming from authority figures.

It's time
A moment for change has arrived.

Don't take our boys away, no
Do not conscript young men for military service.

Don't take our girls away, no
Do not conscript young women for military service.

Those who build walls are pretending
Wall-builders are deluding themselves into thinking walls provide true security.

That forever they can defend them (No, no, no)
Defense of walls is impossible in the long run.

Those who dam streams can build fountains (Yes they can)
Those who conserve resources can use them wisely.

But those of us who just let them run free, We can move mountains
People who allow natural processes to occur can achieve great things.

How many people were they runnin' from and
The song is asking how many people were forced to flee their homes.

How many people never saw it comin'
Many people were caught unprepared by conflict and chaos.

How many people never heard the warnin'
Warning signs of looming conflict were often ignored.

How many people never stayed at home and
Not enough people stayed home to prevent war and destruction.

How many people never heard the callin'
How many refused the call to defend themselves.

How many people never saw it all and
Some people missed all of the destructive activity around them.

How many people did they spend it on and
How many people bore the brunt of the conflict?

How many people got to sing the song and
How many people enjoyed the victory and peace that followed?

How many people never heard the cry and
How many people were oblivious to the suffering around them?

How many people gotten pushed aside
How many people were marginalized in the conflict?

How many people never saw the dust fly
Some people were too far from the fighting to see it firsthand.

How many people never said goodbye and
How many people died without the chance to say farewell?

How many people never saw the fall and
Some people missed seeing the end of the conflict.

How many people did we end it all and
How many people contributed to the end of the turmoil?

How many people never saw the wrong and
How many people refused to see the injustices of war and conflict?

How many people did we drop the bomb on
The song is asking how many people were killed by bombs.

Away
A call to leave the old ways behind.