Northern Lights
Thirty Seconds to Mars/Thirty Seconds to Mars Lyrics
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They're gonna send me on a murdering spree
I can not wait to dance upon your grave
They don't even have a soul left to be saved
You would eat your young
We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night
And sang a song to save us all
Hey, oh, oh, you want a holy war?
Hey, oh, oh, you want a holy war?
I am alive, I'm just playing dead
I'm gonna say what should have never been said
The giants of the world are crashing down
The end is near, I hear the trumpets sound
You would eat your young
We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night
Waiting for the dawn to come
And sang a song to save us all
You'd eat your young
You'd eat your young
You would eat your young
You would eat your young
I am alive, I'm just playing dead
I am alive, I'm just playing dead
We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night
Waiting for the dawn to come
And sang a song to save us all
We swam among the northern lights
And hid beyond the edge of night
Waiting for the dawn to come
And sang a song to save us all
The lyrics to Thirty Seconds to Mars's song "Northern Lights" paint a bleak picture of a violent future, characterized by murder, cannibalism, and war. The singer seems resigned to the inevitability of these horrors, playing dead and anticipating the end of the world. At the same time, the song offers a glimmer of hope in the form of the northern lights, which the singer and their companions swim among and use as a sanctuary from the chaos around them. They also sing a song to save themselves, suggesting that music and collective action may offer a way forward in difficult times.
The verses of "Northern Lights" are particularly striking in their imagery and intensity, with lines like "They're gonna send me on a murdering spree" and "You would eat your young" painting vivid pictures of depravity and desperation. The chorus, on the other hand, is simpler and more anthemic, with the repeated refrain of "Hey, oh, oh, you want a holy war?" suggesting a call to action or challenge to those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't ever take a single second to breathe
There's no time to rest, you must remain constantly active
They're gonna send me on a murdering spree
Someone else is going to compel me to kill
I can not wait to dance upon your grave
I'm eager to celebrate your death
They don't even have a soul left to be saved
The people I'm fighting against are already lost
You would eat your young
You're so heartless that you'd even harm your own children
We swam among the northern lights
We had a transcendent and beautiful experience
And hid beyond the edge of night
We escaped into darkness to hide from danger
Waiting for the dawn to come
We were hopeful that a new day would bring salvation
And sang a song to save us all
We used music to escape our troubles and offer hope to others
Hey, oh, oh, you want a holy war?
Are you really willing to start a violent conflict based on religion?
I am alive, I'm just playing dead
I'm pretending to be dead just to survive
I'm gonna say what should have never been said
I'm going to reveal a dangerous truth
The giants of the world are crashing down
The powerful forces are losing their influence and control
The end is near, I hear the trumpets sound
The apocalypse or some kind of reckoning is coming soon
You'd eat your young
You're so heartless that you'd even harm your own children
I am alive, I'm just playing dead
I'm pretending to be dead just to survive
We swam among the northern lights
We had a transcendent and beautiful experience
And hid beyond the edge of night
We escaped into darkness to hide from danger
Waiting for the dawn to come
We were hopeful that a new day would bring salvation
And sang a song to save us all
We used music to escape our troubles and offer hope to others
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JARED LETO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind