We Once Held Hands
The Fixx Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Salt, deep in the earth
Salt, has it's worth
Salt, three kings, a birth
Sweet earth! What's it worth?
Mine, well it's all for me
Mine, I'll dig it for free
With slavery, wait and see
This common land
We had no plans.

Oil, the blood that spoils
Oil, the hand that toils
Oil, the gun that recoils wheres the oil?
Mine, well it's all for me
Mine, I'll pump it free
Mine, with slavery
Dead sea, wait and see.

This common land
We had no plans.

Blood, running red
Blood, I want his head
Blood, alive or dead, rage is fed.
Crime, humanity
Crime, hostility
Crime, religiously
Impose your will, blood will spill.

We once held mands
This common land
We had no plans,

Salt, it will preserve
Salt, deep in the earth
Salt, deep in the earth
What's it worth?
Mine, well it's all for me




Mine, can I have it for free?
Mine, with slavery, dead sea wait and see.

Overall Meaning

"We Once Held Hands" by The Fixx is a commentary on the exploitation and destruction of the earth's resources and the human cost of these actions. Salt, seen as a valuable commodity, represents the earth's resources that are being stripped away for personal gain, at the cost of human life and dignity. The use of "three kings" suggests the power dynamic at play, with some benefiting from the exploitation of resources at the expense of others. The repetition of "what's it worth?" highlights the emptiness of valuing material gain over the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants.


The second verse is a critique of the oil industry, which is referred to as "the blood that spoils." The use of the word "blood" also suggests the violence and conflict that have arisen from the pursuit of oil, as financial gain and power struggles drive nations and individuals to harm one another. The chorus repeats that "we had no plans" for this common land, highlighting the short-sightedness and greed of those who exploit the earth and the lack of consideration for future generations.


The last verse highlights the human cost of these actions, as people are killed and oppressed in the pursuit of resources. The repetition of "crime" highlights the moral failings at the heart of these actions, which violate both human rights and religious values. The repetition of "blood" creates a vivid image of the violence and suffering caused by our greed and exploitation. The chorus repeats, emphasizing that the failure to plan for the common good will inevitably lead to destruction and loss.


Line by Line Meaning

Salt, deep in the earth
Salt, a mineral deep in the earth


Salt, has its worth
Salt has value


Salt, three kings, a birth
Reference to three wise men bringing gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh


Sweet earth! What's it worth?
The value of the earth


Mine, well it's all for me
The resources of the earth are for the artist's personal gain


Mine, I'll dig it for free
No monetary cost to the singer to extract resources from the earth


With slavery, wait and see
The singer will use slave labor to extract resources


This common land
A reference to the earth as a shared resource


We had no plans.
No plan to equally distribute or sustainably use shared resources


Oil, the blood that spoils
Oil has negative impacts on the environment and humanity


Oil, the hand that toils
Reference to the labor required to extract oil


Oil, the gun that recoils wheres the oil?
Violence in areas where oil is valuable


Dead sea, wait and see.
Negative environmental impacts of oil extraction on the Dead Sea


Blood, running red
Reference to violence


Blood, I want his head
Desire for revenge


Blood, alive or dead, rage is fed.
Continued anger fueled by violence


Crime, humanity
Humanity commits crimes


Crime, hostility
Hostility leading to violent crimes


Crime, religiously
Religious differences leading to violent crimes


Impose your will, blood will spill.
When one imposes their will, violence can result.


Salt, it will preserve
Salt is a preserving agent


Mine, can I have it for free?
The artist asking for free access


Dead sea, wait and see.
Negative environmental impacts of salt mining on the Dead Sea




Contributed by Elena W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions