Civil War
Motorhead渀 Lyrics
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The wolf at your door
Do you hear the drummin'?
Outside your window
Outside your window
Civil war, civil war
All your yesterdays gone before
Can you tell me what you're fighting for?
Soldiers of Fortune
The traitor within
Blood on the pale moon
Outside your window
Outside your window
Children learn to kill
Bet your ass you'll pay the bill
Season of the dog
The dollar takes the place of God
Death laughs in your face
Anarchy will take your place
You give all your children guns
See what you have done
Backlash coming soon
Joker gonna call the tune
Your children are learning
You teach them to hate
Your cities are burning
Outside your window
Outside your window
The lyrics of Motorhead's song Civil War are a scathing critique of war and its devastating impact on society. The opening lines, "White noise is coming, the wolf at your door," are a haunting reminder of the deadly silence that accompanies war. The drumming in the background suggests the ominous march towards destruction.
The chorus "Civil war, civil war, all your yesterdays gone before, can you tell me what you're fighting for?" is a rhetorical question, asking what the point of war and violence is, and simultaneously making the point that the past, the people and the ideals that drove us to war have all disappeared into the maelstrom, leaving only chaos in their wake.
The second verse is a scathing criticism of the political and economic forces that drive conflicts, with the line "The dollar takes the place of God" suggesting that greed and power have replaced morality and faith. Death is personified as a figure that mocks the living, and anarchy is portrayed as the only possible outcome of war. The final lines speak of the repercussions of war, portraying a dystopian future with a joker who calls the tune, violence and hatred reigning supreme.
Line by Line Meaning
White noise is coming
There is a lot of distracting, meaningless noise happening around you.
The wolf at your door
There is danger at your doorstep, threatening you and your safety.
Do you hear the drummin'?
Can you sense the impending battle or conflict? It's getting closer and closer.
Outside your window
All of this chaos is happening right outside, within your immediate surroundings.
Civil war, civil war
There is a violent and bitter conflict happening within society.
All your yesterdays gone before
The past is gone, and nothing will ever be the same again.
Can you tell me what you're fighting for?
What are the reasons behind this violent conflict? Are they truly worth fighting for?
Soldiers of Fortune
People who profit from war and violence are leading this conflict.
The traitor within
There is someone among us who has betrayed the people and the cause they claim to be fighting for.
Blood on the pale moon
The violence has reached such a point that even the moon, a symbol of peace and calm, is stained with blood.
Children learn to kill
Innocent children are being taught how to take the lives of others, causing irreparable psychological damage.
Bet your ass you'll pay the bill
Violence begets more violence, and society will ultimately bear the heavy costs of this conflict.
Season of the dog
This is a time of viciousness and brutality, where those who are weak or vulnerable are the first to suffer.
The dollar takes the place of God
Money is more important to those in power than morality, religion or human life.
Death laughs in your face
The violence and bloodshed have reached such a point that it has become a sick, twisted joke.
Anarchy will take your place
The society has totally broken down - there is no law or order, only chaos and destruction.
You give all your children guns
By letting the violence continue, we are exposing innocent and impressionable young minds to weapons and destruction.
See what you have done
Look at the consequences of your actions - they have led us to this point.
Backlash coming soon
There will be a violent reaction against the violence that has been allowed to continue unchecked.
Joker gonna call the tune
The person in power is not to be trusted - they have no morals, and their end goal is only to manipulate and gain control.
Your children are learning
Our future generations are being influenced and corrupted by the violence and hatred they witness.
You teach them to hate
By continuing to allow the violence to happen, we are teaching future generations to value conflict and destruction over love and understanding.
Your cities are burning
The violence and chaos have reached such a point that cities themselves are being destroyed and lost to the flames.
Outside your window
All of this is happening right outside, within your immediate surroundings. It is impossible to ignore.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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