DeVaughn's musical story began with his mother's vinyl collection. "I always loved music so I would sneak into her record collection when she wasn't around and play her stuff." DeVaughn's father, noted jazz musician Abdul Wadud was also an influence. DeVaughn knew at an early age that he would become an entertainer.
DeVaughn graduated from High Point High School in Beltsville, Maryland; then headed to nearby Coppin State. It was the first day of college that changed the course of his life. "I saw a group of guys standing outside singing, Boyz II Men style," remembers DeVaughn. "I just went up there and started harmonizing with them. Before I knew what was going on, I was in a group, cutting class to write lyrics and record." After winning $2,000.00 in a talent show at Bar None, a Washington D.C. nightclub, DeVaughn decided to go for broke and invested all of his winnings into a CD burner. Several independent releases led to a showcase with Jive Records, and the career was on it's way.
Nobody Wins A War
Raheem DeVaughn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See, families only die
And birds won't soar the sky
And there'll be no sun to shine
No country wins a war
The grass won't grow the same
The moon won't shine at night
And there's a losing fight
Now what would you do, what would you say
If you heard a bomb was headed your way?
Where would you go, what would you bring
If you heard a bomb was headed your way?
Now what would you do, what would you say
If you heard a rocket was headed your way?
Where would you go, what would you bring?
No soldier wins a war
See, soldiers only die
And mamas only cry
Just for a conscious flag to fly, that's why
Nobody wins a war
No war is worth your life
See, that's a priceless pride
No war is worth your blood
Nobody wins a war
Now what would you do, what would you say
If you heard a bomb was headed your way?
Where would you go, what would you bring
If you heard a bomb was headed your way?
Now what would you do, what would you say
If you heard a rocket was headed your way?
Where would you go, what would you bring?
Tell me, who would you pray to?
Now what would you do, what would you say
If you heard a bomb was headed your way?
Where would you go, what would you bring
If you heard a bomb was headed your way?
Now what would you do, what would you say
If you heard a rocket was headed your way?
Where would you go, what would you bring?
No one wins a war
No one wins a war, no one wins
No one wins a war
No one wins a war, no one wins
No one wins a war
No one wins a war, no one wins
No one wins a war
No one wins a war, no one wins
No one wins a war
Nobody wins a war
Nobody wins a war
We the people speak, speak
We want to be free of this sick bureaucracy
No more death tolls with our morning coffee
Oh, government, you have lost your feeling for life
It is war that you reap
But the loss is too great and the pain is too deep
The scars do not heal
Your system is thoughtless and your vision is weak
Your actions are hurtful
You never find what you seek
You make the sky a storm
You destroy the earth, make possibilities bleak
Your lies are your destruction
Your justice stinks
Your pride is maniacal
You are the bearer of grief
Your win is shallow
Your truth is oblique
Your patriotism is garbage
It rots and it reeks of death in the wind
The foul stench of men basking in their cruelty
Rejoicing in their sin
You give up and give over so easily to the darker side
Because of your pride
You risk all of humanity
You send my children to murder human beings
Families they do not yet know
People they have never seen
You send my children to war
Without exasperating dialogue to get to the meat
An equal understanding, as if there isn't even a possibility for peace
But there is always a possibility for peace
As un-perfect as we are, we should in all ways reach deep
Deep down in our beings
Oh, this wicked, wicked system of things
As our grandmothers say
Will soon be no more
Will soon be no more
Because nobody no one ever wins a war
In "Nobody Wins A War," Raheem DeVaughn explicitly and powerfully exposes the harsh reality of war. He highlights the consequences of war, its impact on families, soldiers, and the environment. DeVaughn sees war as a futile exercise where no one truly wins, and everyone loses. He talks about the physical and emotional turmoil that war brings, the devastation and loss of life, and how it affects everyone. His lyrics urge individuals to question the reason behind war and the value of fighting a battle through violence, which only leads to destruction and suffering. The chorus is repeated throughout the song, reminding listeners of the senselessness of war, and how it benefits no one.
Line by Line Meaning
No one will win the war
The conflict will not have any winner.
See, families only die
In war, families and not nations alone bear the brunt of the violence and death.
And birds won't soar the sky
The war will have a disastrous effect on nature.
And there'll be no sun to shine
The war will create a dark and bleak environment.
No country wins a war
No country benefits from the devastation and loss that come with war.
The grass won't grow the same
The environment is destroyed and takes time to recover.
The moon won't shine at night
The night sky is shrouded in the darkness of the war.
And there's a losing fight
There is no way to win because in war, both sides suffer greatly.
Nobody wins a war
The singer emphasizes that there are no true winners in war.
Now what would you do, what would you say
The singer is posing rhetorical questions about reacting to incoming threats of war.
If you heard a bomb was headed your way?
If war was imminent and there was a threat to someone's safety or existence.
Where would you go, what would you bring
If war was imminent, what could you do to stay safe?
No soldier wins a war
The cost of the fight is human lives, and no victory is worth that price.
See, soldiers only die
Young soldiers lose their lives fighting futile conflicts, causing families to grieve.
And mamas only cry
The mothers of deceased soldiers/ children of war only cry in the aftermath.
Just for a conscious flag to fly, that's why
Soldiers lose their lives in war for the cause of their country, which is just the indication of a flag waving.
No war is worth your life
No conflict is worth sacrificing human life.
See, that's a priceless pride
Pride is beyond monetary or materialistic standards, which is precisely why it is priceless.
No war is worth your blood
No fight is worth the bloodshed of human beings.
We the people speak, speak
The singer indicates the audience is demanding for their opinion to be heard.
We want to be free of this sick bureaucracy
The common people are tired of being bound to an unjust and corrupt government system.
Oh, government, you have lost your feeling for life
The government is apathetic to the loss of human life resulting from their actions.
Your system is thoughtless and your vision is weak
The singer is challenging the government's lack of good judgment and foresight in implementing warlike policies.
Because of your pride
The government is excessively proud of their policies and actions, which is dangerous.
Nobody no one ever wins a war
The singer reiterates his declaration that war does not benefit any country or society.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL KENNETH GONZALEZ, JILL H. SCOTT, MICHAEL CIRO, RAHEEM DE VAUGHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
africanbella28
This is what you call impeccable music. Love the message of this song.
Music Enthusiast
I love Raheem for raising the bar!
Ruthie Gilley
THIS SONG NEEDS TO BE RE-RELEASED ASAP
MayaLuv
This whole album is amazing!
Starrscreem
This was a great album that should have sold millions of copies. Love this song
Life 4 Learning
2017...Still bangin this... Sadly, this song is as relevant today as it was when it was first released.
Daniella Gutierrez
2022 ... And still bangin this joint.
MarliCW
No words...just WOW!!! The message and the question... "what would we do if we heard a bomb was coming our way?" We here in the States cannot truly relate to bombs exploding all around us 24/7. This man is such a musical prodigy and he brought together some of the most talented vocals out today. I only wish there was a video of them in the studio recording this song...that would be AWESOME! I agree Raheem... this is a MASTERPIECE!!!
Andrew Mashigo
No one wins a war; but everyone can win when love is given a chance. Love is selfless, it is encouraging, it does not keep a record of wrong, it is edifying, it brings the best out of all people and all situations. But no one ever wins a war!
Carina Russell
I love this song. My dad plays this song all the time in the Benz and it is loud but I love it!!