I Believe
Whittaker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And if you fix your bayonet so
And if you kill that man my friend
The one we call the foe
And if you do it often lad
And if you do it right
You'll be a hero overnight
You'll save your country from her plight
If you survive to see the sight
A friend now greeting foe
[Chorus]
No you won't believe in If anymore
It's an illusion
It's an illusion
No you won't believe in If anymore
If is for children
If is for children
Building daydreams
If I knew then what I know now
(I thought I did you know somehow)
If I could have the time again
I'd take the sunshine leave the rain
If only time would trickle slow
Like rain that melts the fallen snow
If only Lord if only
If only Lord if only
[Chorus: x2]
Whittaker's song "I Believe" seems to be a deep commentary on war and its consequences. The opening stanza vividly depicts the process of training soldiers to kill in battle under the guise of patriotism, religion, and national pride. The chorus, "No you won't believe in If anymore, If is for children, building daydreams," is a poignant reminder of how the promises made by people about the virtue of war are illusory and mostly meant to deceive young and inexperienced people. The song seems to argue that war is not only cruel and brutal but also dishonest, as it leads people to trade the beauty of life for an illusion of glory.
The second verse of the song seems to express a sense of regret by the singer, who realizes with hindsight the mistakes of their past. The phrase, "If I knew then what I know now," implies that the singer has made decisions that they would have otherwise avoided if they had known better. The line "I'd take the sunshine leave the rain," suggests that the singer would have opted for a happier and brighter life rather than one filled with pain and misery. The verse concludes with the phrase "If only Lord if only," which seems to suggest that the singer desires to make amends or change something he cannot reverse finally.
The song seems to be an emotive commentary on the futility of war, the loss of youth and innocence, and the need for reflection and peace. The song warns the hearers that war is an illusion that comes with devastating costs that only end when people start refusing to fight and promote peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if you load your rifle right
If you correctly prepare your weapon for battle
And if you fix your bayonet so
And if you ready your weapon with the sharp blade attached
And if you kill that man my friend
And if you take another person's life, who we have labeled as the enemy
The one we call the foe
The one we classify as the enemy
And if you do it often lad
And if you repeat this action on multiple occasions, young man
And if you do it right
And if you do it with precision and accuracy
You'll be a hero overnight
You'll gain fame and admiration instantly
You'll save your country from her plight
You'll rescue your country from a difficult or dangerous situation
Remember God is always right
Don't forget that God's will is always correct
If you survive to see the sight
If you live long enough to witness the aftermath of the battle
A friend now greeting foe
A person who was once a friend is now seen as an enemy
No you won't believe in If anymore
You will no longer have faith in the idea of "if"
It's an illusion
Because it's not based on reality or fact
It's an illusion
Because it's not based on reality or fact
If is for children
The concept of "if" is childish
If is for children
The concept of "if" is childish
Building daydreams
Creating unrealistic fantasies in your mind
If I knew then what I know now
If I had the knowledge back then that I possess now
(I thought I did you know somehow)
(I believed I already knew, somehow)
If I could have the time again
If I could go back in time and do things differently
I'd take the sunshine leave the rain
I'd choose the positive aspects and avoid the negative
If only time would trickle slow
If only time would pass more slowly
Like rain that melts the fallen snow
Like rain that gradually dissolves the remnants of winter
If only Lord if only
I wish, oh I wish
If only Lord if only
I wish, oh I wish
[Chorus: x2]
Repeating the previous sentiments of disbelief in the concept of "if" and its illusionary nature
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROGER WHITTAKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Laddingford
easily one of the whistle masters most understated songs
RustlingRagazza 2.0 (Iva T)
I think the world is nowadays constructed in a way that most people don't get the meaning of it. Perhaps because even at our worst, even when it comes to people in the crappiest of Western countries (e.g. mine), we have not seen the true poverty and the true extent of what he's singing about.