Life During Wartime
Os Paralamas Do Sucesso Lyrics

Heard of a van that is loaded with weapons,
I have heard that there is a van that is full of weapons, fully stocked and equipped for any dangerous situation.

Packed up and ready to go
The van is fully prepared for whatever mission it may be needed for.

Heard of some grave sites, out by the highway,
There are some burial sites located along the roads outside the city, in a hidden spot where nobody will accidentally come across them.

A place where nobody knows
These grave sites are so remote that no one knows where they are or who is buried there.

The sound of gunfire, off in the distance,
Gunshots can be heard in the distance, as if from far-off battles or conflicts.

I'm getting used to it now
This person has become accustomed to the sounds of gunfire and other violent noises in their surroundings.

Lived in a brownstone, lived in the ghetto,
This person has lived in a variety of different living conditions and neighborhoods, from wealthy to poor areas.

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco,
The current situation is not a fun or joyful one, with no time for dancing or relaxation.

This ain't no fooling around
The current situation is serious and requires focus and effort.

No time for dancing, or lovey dovey,
There is no time for socializing, romance or leisurely activities in this time of chaos and danger.

I ain't got time for that now
This person is too busy and preoccupied to take part in such activities.

Transmit the message, to the receiver,
Sending a message through communication channels, hoping for a response in the near future.

Hope for an answer some day
Anticipating a response or resolution in the future, but uncertain when it may come.

I got three passports, a couple of visas,
This person has multiple passports and visas, likely to aid in escaping or travelling through different countries.

You don't even know my real name
This person has kept their true identity a secret, possibly for safety or to avoid detection by authorities.

High on a hillside, the trucks are loading,
Trucks are being loaded high up on a hill, likely with supplies or equipment for a mission or evacuation.

Everything's ready to roll
Everything is prepared and ready to go, possibly for a quick departure or operation.

I sleep in the daytime, I work in the nighttime,
This person has a reversed sleep schedule, working at night and sleeping during the day.

I might not ever get home
There is a possibility that this person may not return home or may not survive their current situation.

Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit?
There are rumors or news about conflicts or dangerous situations in these cities.

Heard about Pittsburgh, PA?
There are rumors or news about conflicts or dangerous situations in this city.

You oughta know not to stand by the window
It is not safe to stand near windows and be exposed, as there may be people watching or targeting this location.

Somebody might see you up there
There is a risk of being seen and possibly targeted if someone spots you standing by a window or in an open area.

I got some groceries, some peanut butter,
This person has some basic supplies such as food and peanut butter, but not much else.

To last a couple of days
These supplies are meant to last only for a short period of time.

But I ain't got no speakers, ain't got no headphones, ain't got no records to play
This person does not have any entertainment items such as speakers, headphones or records to pass the time.

Why stay in college? Why go to night school?
In times of chaos and danger, going to college or night school seems pointless or irrelevant.

Gonna be different this time
Things will be different this time, likely with more urgency or danger than before.

Can't write a letter, can't send a postcard,
This person is unable to communicate through conventional means of mail or postcards, likely due to being on the move.

I can't write nothing at all
This person is unable to write anything at all, possibly due to exhaustion or trauma.

Trouble in transit, got through the roadblock,
This person has encountered trouble while travelling, but was able to get through a roadblock and continue on their journey.

We blended with the crowd
To avoid detection, this person blended in with the surrounding crowd or people while travelling.

We got computer, we're tapping phone lines,
This person has access to technology, such as a computer, and is able to tap phone lines for communication or information gathering purposes.

I know that ain't allowed
This person understands that what they are doing is illegal or against the rules.

We dress like students, we dress like housewives, or in a suit and a tie
To avoid detection, this person dresses like a variety of different people, from students to housewives to businessmen in suits.

I changed my hairstyle, so many times now,
This person has changed their hairstyle multiple times to avoid recognition or detection.

I don't know what I look like!
This person has changed their appearance so many times that they hardly recognize themselves or what they look like.

You make me shiver, I feel so tender,
This person is attracted to someone, feeling shivers and a tender sensation around them.

We make a pretty good team
This person and the person they are addressing work well together and are a successful team.

Don't get exhausted, I'll do some driving,
To prevent exhaustion, this person is offering to do some driving while the person they are addressing rests.

You ought to get some sleep
The person they are addressing should get some rest to avoid exhaustion or burnout.

Get you instructions, follow directions,
Instructions should be given to the person they are addressing, who will then follow them accordingly.

Then you should change your address
To avoid detection, the person they are addressing should change their address or location.

Maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day,
A future action or event may happen tomorrow or the day after, but the timing is uncertain.

Whatever you think is best
The decision is left up to the person they are addressing to decide what is best for them.

Burned all my notebooks, what good are notebooks?
This person has burned all their notebooks, believing they no longer serve a purpose or will be helpful in their current situation.

They won't help me survive
This person believes that their notebooks will not help them in their survival or current situation.

My chest is aching, burns like a furnace,
This person is experiencing pain in their chest that feels like flames from a furnace.

The burning keeps me alive
Despite the pain, this person believes they are kept alive by the burning sensation.

Try to stay healthy, physical fitness,
This person is attempting to stay healthy through physical fitness, likely to maintain their strength and stamina.

Don't want to catch no disease
This person is taking care to avoid catching any diseases that could compromise their health or survival.

Try to be careful, don't take no chances,
This person is being cautious and careful, not wanting to take any risks or chances that could result in harm or danger.

You better watch what you say
The person they are addressing needs to be careful about what they say, as it could potentially be dangerous or incriminating.