Dust
Mr. Jaws Lyrics


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The door slams, dust falls down between the cracks
Some ran, some promised they'd be back
Saigon all gone, ashes to dust, a solo dance, a solo dance

[Chorus]
And when we leave, we leave our dust, we slap our clothes, we shake it off
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
Out of the dust reach tiny hands to touch their fathers in other lands
Love is locked in these lost eyes, love is lost in these cold eyes
And in these wounds too raw to touch, lie ashes ashes, dust to dust

[Chorus]

We are free, we are not alone, listen to our sound
Take these hands of flesh and bone, reaching out for love
Discards settle where they must, never knowing who to trust
And in these dreams that lie in rust, ashes ashes, dust to dust

[Chorus]





We are free, we are free

Overall Meaning

The song "Dust" by Mr. Jaws is a haunting depiction of the aftermath of war, particularly the Vietnam War. The opening verse references the fall of Saigon and the scattering of dust as people flee for safety. Some escape, some promise to return, but the dust serves as a reminder of the chaos and destruction left in the wake of the conflict. The chorus repeats the theme of dust and its significance as a symbol of departure, while the second verse focuses on the children left behind in the war-torn country. Their fathers are in other lands, and love is lost in their cold, lost eyes. The wounds of the war are too raw to touch, and all that remains is ashes, ashes, dust to dust.


The lyrics of "Dust" call attention to the human toll of war, particularly on innocent bystanders like children. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the cyclical nature of violence and the toll it takes on generations to come. The imagery of dust settling and dreams rusting serve as bleak reminders of the lasting impact of war long after the conflict has ended.


Line by Line Meaning

The door slams, dust falls down between the cracks
As the door slams shut, the resulting tremors cause the dust in the room to come loose and fall between the tiny cracks on the floor.


Some ran, some promised they'd be back
After some tragedy, some people ran away from the situation, while some promised to come back and help.


Saigon all gone, ashes to dust, a solo dance, a solo dance
Saigon is now destroyed, reduced to ashes and dust. People there are left with no choice but to dance alone in the midst of all this destruction.


And when we leave, we leave our dust, we slap our clothes, we shake it off
As we leave a place, we leave behind our own imprint in the form of the dust on our clothes. We try to shake it off as we leave, like trying to forget the memories of the place we just left.


Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
These are the names of different countries, likely referenced because they were all affected by the war.


Out of the dust reach tiny hands to touch their fathers in other lands
Children try to touch their fathers, who are far away, through the dust that separates them.


Love is locked in these lost eyes, love is lost in these cold eyes
The love that once shone in these eyes has been lost, leaving only emptiness behind.


And in these wounds too raw to touch, lie ashes ashes, dust to dust
Painful wounds are left behind, and among all the dust and ash, life is now reduced to nothing.


We are free, we are not alone, listen to our sound
In spite of everything, the survivors have managed to come out of it all, and they are free. They may be alone, but they still have their voices, so they ask to be heard.


Take these hands of flesh and bone, reaching out for love
People try to connect and reach out to those they love through the very physicality of their hands.


Discards settle where they must, never knowing who to trust
As people move on from one place to the next, they leave behind the things they don't need. However, they never know who to trust in these new places.


And in these dreams that lie in rust, ashes ashes, dust to dust
Aspirations and dreams that lie dormant now seem to have rusted and decayed. In a world where everything has turned to dust, even those precious dreams can't survive.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN HUNT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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