World Citizen
Ryuichi Sakamoto feat. David Sylvian Lyrics
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The butterfly has lost its wings
The air′s too thick to breathe
And there's something in the drinking water.
The sun comes up
The sun comes up and you′re alone
Your sense of purpose come undone
And the news from the sky
Is looking better for today
In every single way
But not for you
World citizen
World citizen
It's not safe
All the yellow birds are sleeping
Cos the air's not fit for breathing
It′s not safe
Why can′t we be
Without beginning, without end?
Why can't we be?
World citizen
World citizen
And if I stop
And talk with you awhile
I′m overwhelmed by the scale
Of everything you feel
The lonely inner state emergency
I want to feel
Until my heart can take no more
And there's nothing in this world I wouldn′t give
I want to break
The indifference of the days
I want a conscience that will keep me wide awake
I won't be disappointed
I won′t be disappointed
I won't be.
I saw a face
It was a face I didn't know
Her sadness told me everything about my own
Can′t let it be
When least expected there she is
Gone the time and space that separates us
And I′m not safe
I think I need a second skin
No, I'm not safe
World citizen
World citizen
I want to travel by night
Across the steppes and over seas
I want to understand the cost
Of everything that′s lost
I want to pronounce all their names correctly
World citizen
World citizen
I won't be disappointed
I won′t be.
She doesn't laugh
We′ve gone from comedy to commerce
And she doesn't feel the ground she walks upon
I turn away
And I'm not sleeping well at night
And while I know this isn′t right
What can you do?
The song World Citizen by Ryuichi Sakamoto, featuring David Sylvian, is a poignant reflection on the state of modern society. The opening lines set the tone for the song with the butterfly losing its wings and the air being too thick to breathe, highlighting the damage being done to the natural world. The sense of purpose that once drove humanity is now lost, and people are alone and disconnected from one another. The news may be better, but it seems like it's not for the listener, who remains unhappy and unfulfilled.
The chorus highlights the desire to be truly connected as a world citizen, without beginning or end, but challenges remain. The air isn't safe to breathe, and the indifference of daily life needs to be countered with a conscience that stays awake. The verses reflect on a need to feel, to be moved, and to understand the cost of what has been lost. The desire to know and to pronounce everyone's name correctly underscores the need for connection and empathy.
Overall, World Citizen reflects on the deep sense of disconnection and sadness felt in modern society where people feel lonely, unhappy, and adrift within their lives. The song emphasizes the importance of empathy for one another, the environmental devastation we have wrought, and the need for a fundamental change in how we live.
Line by Line Meaning
What happened here?
Questioning the current state of the world
The butterfly has lost its wings
The beauty of nature is being destroyed
The air's too thick to breathe
Pollution is making it difficult to breathe
And there’s something in the drinking water.
Contaminants are affecting drinking water
The sun comes up
A new day has begun
The sun comes up and you're alone
Feeling isolated and detached from others
Your sense of purpose come undone
Feeling lost and purposeless
The traffic tails back to the maze on 101
Traffic congestion adds to the chaos of life
And the news from the sky
The world news
Is looking better for today
There are positive developments
In every single way
In all aspects
But not for you
Despite the positive news, one still feels hopeless
World citizen
We are all citizens of the world
It's not safe
The world is not a safe place
All the yellow birds are sleeping
Birds are no longer singing due to pollution
Cos the air's not fit for breathing
The air quality is impacting even the birds
Why can't we be?
Questioning why humans can't live in harmony
Without beginning, without end?
Living without a sense of time and chronology
World citizen
We are all citizens of the world
And if I stop
Reflecting on pausing from the chaos of life
And talk with you awhile
Meeting and connecting with others
I'm overwhelmed by the scale
Feeling small in the face of larger issues
Of everything you feel
The emotions of others can be intense
The lonely inner state emergency
Feeling alone despite the chaos of life
I want to feel
Desiring to experience emotions fully
Until my heart can take no more
Desiring to experience emotions to the fullest extent
And there's nothing in this world I wouldn't give
Willing to give everything to experience true emotions
I want to break
Desiring change from the current state of the world
The indifference of the days
The monotony of each day is indifferent to the struggles of the world
I want a conscience that will keep me wide awake
Desiring awareness and action towards important issues
I won't be disappointed
Despite the struggles, there is still hope
I saw a face
Noticing and connecting with strangers
It was a face I didn't know
Meeting a stranger for the first time
Her sadness told me everything about my own
Empathizing with the emotions of others
Can't let it be
Unable to ignore the struggles of others
When least expected there she is
Meetings with others happen when least expected
Gone the time and space that separates us
Connections can overcome barriers of time and space
And I'm not safe
The world is still a dangerous place
I think I need a second skin
Feeling vulnerable and exposed in the world
No, I'm not safe
Feeling vulnerable and exposed in the world (repeated)
I want to travel by night
A desire for adventure and exploration
Across the steppes and over seas
Travelling to unfamiliar places
I want to understand the cost
Desiring to understand the cost of actions
Of everything that's lost
Understanding the impact of loss
I want to pronounce all their names correctly
Acknowledging and honoring those who have been lost
She doesn't laugh
Noticing and acknowledging the lack of joy in others
We've gone from comedy to commerce
Prioritizing profit over joy
And she doesn't feel the ground she walks upon
Feeling disoriented and disconnected from the world
I turn away
Feeling overwhelmed and unable to handle the struggles of the world
And I'm not sleeping well at night
Feeling anxious and restless
And while I know this isn't right
Recognizing the need for change
What can you do?
Feeling powerless in the face of larger issues
Writer(s): David Sylvian
Contributed by Xavier A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@vaxjalus5647
(Track 2)
What happened here?
The butterfly has lost its wings
The air's too thick to breathe
And there's something in the drinking water.
The sun comes up
The sun comes up and you're alone
Your sense of purpose come undone
The traffic tails back to the maze on 101
And the news from the sky
Is looking better for today
In every single way
But not for you
World citizen
World citizen
It's not safe
All the yellow birds are sleeping
Cos the air's not fit for breathing
It's not safe
Why can't we be
Without beginning, without end?
Why can't we be?
World citizen
World citizen
And if I stop
And talk with you awhile
I'm overwhelmed by the scale
Of everything you feel
The lonely inner state emergency
I want to feel
Until my heart can take no more
And there's nothing in this world I wouldn't give
I want to break
The indifference of the days
I want a conscience that will keep me wide awake
I won't be disappointed
I won't be disappointed
I won't be.
I saw a face
It was a face I didn't know
Her sadness told me everything about my own
Can't let it be
When least expected there she is
Gone the time and space that separates us
And I'm not safe
I think I need a second skin
No, I'm not safe
World citizen
World citizen
I want to travel by night
Across the steppes and over seas
I want to understand the cost
Of everything that's lost
I want to pronounce all their names correctly
World citizen
World citizen
I won't be disappointed
I won't be.
She doesn't laugh
We've gone from comedy to commerce
And she doesn't feel the ground she walks upon
I turn away
And I'm not sleeping well at night
And while I know this isn't right
What can you do?
@noris9237
デビットの声は安心感とゾクゾクするのと、渋いのと自分は大好きなミュージシャンで、もちろん教授も大好きです。
この組み合わせは最高‼️
@wendellwiggins3776
RIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RYUICHI
@TheJudgeraye
I used to have secrets of the Beehive on cassette and would listen to it as a soundtrack to my life at the time. That's what we do when we like music, we imagine things when we listen or we listen when we're doing things and associate it. This stuff proves this Sylvian guy still knows what he's doing...
@karoI508
Long version takes me into another dimension. Astounding artist is what David Sylvian is.
@dazzp2
RIP Ryuichi 神のお恵みがありますように。
@ulisesavath6499
Ayudas a entender la vida. Gracias David.
@KissEnlightenment
ソロになってからのシルヴィアン史上最もオシャレな作品だと思った。 シルヴィアン＋コラボレーションの組み合わせは素晴らしいね、
@tomislavzdunic802
Most beautiful man voice lirics music in world.. Solar system.. Esoteric diamond.. Croatia
@anattosw5838
David è una stella Bianca che spande ancora luce su questa sconfitta umanità.
@user-jn8gp2pw2b
Je ne connaissais pas votre musique, je dois avouer que c'est une magnifique découverte, vous avez beaucoup de talent!