Battle Cries
The Amazing Devil Lyrics


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I'm at the brink, don't laugh (The wrinkles and bricks that we're left with at last)
At the winks I've masked (And drink will fix all those questions unasked)
(Who died...) Who'll save you when you fall? (...and made you king of it all?)
Who wins this war? You've a knack (Now the wind is so warm on the back of my neck)
For applause from the back of the stalls but you lack (As I walk with the sun hand in hand from the wreck)
The conviction to look at me straight and say, "yes" (Some fictions we took to mean fate, believe me, I know)

Don't be uncouth, be a man (Tell the truth to me love, does my hair look as nice...)
Don't lie with your eyes, you know I despise that look (...as it did when you once tangled up in your eyes?)
Look at me as you say this ("You're home"), don't look at your phone
For God's sake, I'm
Done with your dreams, they won't last ('Cause that sun that beams down as my hands touch the grass)
Thirty winters will pass, you'll look back (After summers of fasting, I feel hunger at last)
At the woman 50-year-old-you will be proud to have known (For the person 15-year-old-me would be proud to have known)

'Cause these plates, they smash like waves (Place your smile in mine)
And the wine stains, hide the tears (Why stay? Hide the–)
But that breathing you hear, don't mistake it for sighs
Don't you realise they're just battle cries, dear?
And these lines aren't wrinkles, dear heart (Hardly knew the words)
They're just dollops of paint on a new work of art (I'm dolled up, love, don't I deserve to–)
And as I walk away I know, I've been through the wars
But that creaking you hear in my bones, it's not pain, it's applause

With you, I could summon the gods and the stars (Come on love, please, don't start)
Watch them dance out the plays that we wrote from the heart (Sing your notes, play your part)
And we'd laugh at the ghosts of our fears (Then we'll leave)
We were gods, we were kids

"'Come at me, your blaggards," you'd yell from the banks (You'd from the back of the gallery)
Wielding words against make-believe wizards and tanks (Say goodbye)
And by God, love, believe me, I wanted to play too, I did (And I am not a...)
But we sunk into water no creature can know (A drunkard, a daughter, a preacher, God knows)
You dragged us both into the darkness that grows (How you dragged me along to watch all your shows)
Our devils broke rank (Oh, dear God) and out of the depths came an army (I won't...)
I won't let you turn our last night into this (Leave without a fight)
I'm going to binge, watch a box set, drink wine, reminisce
This isn't a break-up, dear heart, it's a season finale

'Cause these plates, they smash like waves (Place your smile in mine)
And the wine stains, hide the tears (Why stay? Hide the–)
But that breathing you hear, don't mistake it for sighs
Don't you realise they're just battle cries, dear?
And these lines aren't wrinkles, dear heart (Hardly knew the words)
They're just dollops of paint on a new work of art (I'm dolled up, love, don't I deserve to–)
And as I walk away I know that I've been through the wars
But that creaking you hear in my bones, it's not pain, it's applause
It's not pain (It's applause), it's not pain (It's applause)

All it took to unearth in the dust and the dirt
Some release or respite from the heat and the hurt
Was taking the time now and then to ask how I am
And now at the end (At the end of all things)




I'm not gonna scream, beat my chest at the wind
I'm doing fine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Amazing Devil's song "Battle Cries" explore the idea of the end of a relationship and the battles that come with it. The song opens with the singer expressing their vulnerability in this moment, with wrinkles and bricks symbolizing the wear and tear of life. The singer questions who will save the person they were with when they fall and why they were made king of everything. The singer then acknowledges aspects of the relationship that made it difficult, such as wanting applause from the back of the stalls but lacking the conviction to look at the singer straight and say yes. The singer urges their partner to be truthful with them and insists that they do not want to hear their partner's dreams anymore, as they know they will not last. Instead, the singer encourages their partner to look towards the future, where they will look back at the person they are proud to have known.


The second verse explores the couple's past together with the use of metaphors such as plates that smash like waves and wine stains that hide tears. The singer reassures their partner that the sounds they hear are battle cries, not sighs, which shows how committed they were to the relationship, and that the lines on their face are just paint on a new work of art. The singer notes that they have been through the wars but the creaking in their bones is applause, not pain. The chorus is repeated, with the addition of the singer acknowledging that they are doing fine in the end, expressing that they have come to terms with the end of their relationship and are moving on.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm at the brink, don't laugh
The wrinkles and bricks that we're left with at last


Who'll save you when you fall?
...and made you king of it all?


Who wins this war? You've a knack
Now the wind is so warm on the back of my neck


For applause from the back of the stalls but you lack
As I walk with the sun hand in hand from the wreck


The conviction to look at me straight and say, "yes"
Some fictions we took to mean fate, believe me, I know


Don't be uncouth, be a man
Tell the truth to me love, does my hair look as nice...


Don't lie with your eyes, you know I despise that look
...as it did when you once tangled up in your eyes?


Look at me as you say this ("You're home"), don't look at your phone
For God's sake, I'm


Done with your dreams, they won't last
'Cause that sun that beams down as my hands touch the grass


Thirty winters will pass, you'll look back
After summers of fasting, I feel hunger at last


At the woman 50-year-old-you will be proud to have known
For the person 15-year-old-me would be proud to have known


'Cause these plates, they smash like waves
Place your smile in mine


And the wine stains, hide the tears
Why stay? Hide the–


But that breathing you hear, don't mistake it for sighs
Don't you realise they're just battle cries, dear?


And these lines aren't wrinkles, dear heart
Hardly knew the words


They're just dollops of paint on a new work of art
I'm dolled up, love, don't I deserve to–


And as I walk away I know, I've been through the wars
But that creaking you hear in my bones, it's not pain, it's applause


With you, I could summon the gods and the stars
Come on love, please, don't start


Watch them dance out the plays that we wrote from the heart
Sing your notes, play your part


And we'd laugh at the ghosts of our fears
Then we'll leave


We were gods, we were kids


"'Come at me, your blaggards," you'd yell from the banks
You'd from the back of the gallery


Wielding words against make-believe wizards and tanks
Say goodbye


And by God, love, believe me, I wanted to play too, I did
And I am not a...


But we sunk into water no creature can know
A drunkard, a daughter, a preacher, God knows


You dragged us both into the darkness that grows
How you dragged me along to watch all your shows


Our devils broke rank and out of the depths came an army
I won't...


I won't let you turn our last night into this
Leave without a fight


I'm going to binge, watch a box set, drink wine, reminisce
This isn't a break-up, dear heart, it's a season finale


'Cause these plates, they smash like waves
Place your smile in mine


And the wine stains, hide the tears
Why stay? Hide the–


But that breathing you hear, don't mistake it for sighs
Don't you realise they're just battle cries, dear?


And these lines aren't wrinkles, dear heart
Hardly knew the words


They're just dollops of paint on a new work of art
I'm dolled up, love, don't I deserve to–


And as I walk away I know that I've been through the wars
But that creaking you hear in my bones, it's not pain, it's applause


It's not pain (It's applause), it's not pain (It's applause)


All it took to unearth in the dust and the dirt
Some release or respite from the heat and the hurt


Some release or respite from the heat and the hurt
Taking the time now and then to ask how I am


And now at the end (At the end of all things)


I'm not gonna scream, beat my chest at the wind


I'm doing fine




Contributed by Camilla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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