Cinnamon Girl
Prince Lyrics

As war drums beat in Babylon
As conflict and chaos escalate in a land that's far away

Cinnamon Girl starts to pray
A girl of mixed ethnicity begins to speak to her higher power for guidance.

I never heard a prayer like this one
The words that were spoken were powerful and moving in a way the singer had never heard before.

Never before that day
It was a moment in time that will always be remembered by those who heard it.

Tearful words of love for people she had never met before
The prayer involved asking for mercy and love for people whom the artist had never even met.

Asking God to grant them mercy in this face of a holy war
Despite the savagery of war, the singer hoped that their God would show compassion and mercy to all involved.

Cinnamon Girl of mixed heritage
The singer is describing the young woman as someone of differing backgrounds.

Never knew the meaning of color lines
The artist implies that the Cinnamon Girl has never had to deal with discrimination or prejudice because of her skin color before 9/11.

911 turned that all around
The tragedy of September 11th changed many things in the United States, and the Cinnamon Girl felt it keenly.

When she got accused of this crime
The Girl was accused of some sort of crime because of her ethnicity, adding to the already heightened atmosphere of distrust and suspicion.

So began the mass illusion, war on terror alibi
After 9/11, people were looking for someone to blame, and the War on Terror began as a way to blame entire nations.

What's the use when the god of confusion
The artist is saying that the rhetoric of official sources is confusing and hard to reconcile with one's own sense of reason.

Keeps on telling the same lie?
Despite the falsehoods and deceptive practices associated with the War on Terror, it keeps on being propagated.

Don't cry, don't shed no tears
The singer is telling the listener to be strong and not to let themselves become overwhelmed by emotion.

One night won't make us feel
One moment in time is not enough to determine the course of someone's life or the entirety of history.

'Cause we know how this movie's ending
The artist is saying that the situation is headed ultimately to a particular outcome, no matter how events may unfold along the way.

As war drums beat in Babylon
A repetition of the opening line

And scorch the blood red sky
The chaotic effects of war are seen in the sky above

Militants bomb the foreign gun
The rationale for war is further complicated by acts of violence on all sides

Both sides, children die
The innocent victims of war are found on all sides, including children.

Cinnamon Girl opens the book she knows will settle all the scores
The young woman turns to a book of some kind that she believes will provide accurate information and clarity about what is happening.

Then she prays after the war that there will not be anymore
Rather than seeking revenge or retribution after the conflict ends, the artist prays that the underlying causes of the conflict be resolved, and that peace can be established between all parties.

(Don't worry, baby, it's gon' be alright)
The singer is reassuring and comforting the Cinnamon Girl, and perhaps also the listener, that everything will ultimately be okay.

Cinnamon Girl
A repetition of the title, drawing the song to a close.