via rikhei & sophiaserpentia

[novapsyche]

When you see this meme, post the lyrics to an anti-war song.

Killing an Arab
The Cure

Standing on a beach
With a gun in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring down the barrel
At the Arab on the ground
See his open mouth
But hear no sound

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab

I can turn and walk away
Or I can fire the gun
Staring at the sky
Staring at the sun
Which terror I choose
It amounts to the same

Absolutely nothing

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab

Feel the steel butt jump
Smooth in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring at myself
Reflected in the eyes of
The dead man on the beach

dead man on the beach

I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an Arab

Comments

[voiceandsalt.livejournal.com]

is that an anti-war song? i never really knew what to make of it, or of the camus book.

one of the djs on my radio station played it on the afternoon of 9/11/01 and the station was inundated with complaints. (of course, he also played "burning airlines give you so much more" by brian eno).

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I do think it's anti-war. It talks about the fruitlessness of war.

[voiceandsalt.livejournal.com]

i get that reading, and also the dehumanization of the victor as well as the victim. i guess i get a sort of nihilistic apathy over all, though.

[jdoggiedogg.livejournal.com]

I just called a friend who's a huge cure fan and she said that it was about a book that Robert Smith had read about a guy who kills an Arab.

[atdt1991.livejournal.com]

I've spent twenty years learning to live
In a world that takes back all that it gives
But I do not want a war
I don't know what's going on
In the scenes behind
I worry about it some of the time
And I hope there's not a war
'Cause I'm not in for killing another man
Defending my holy land
As if there's a god who would understand
And I would walk across highways
To find my fate
If that might settle your crude debate
But I do not want a war
'Cause I'm not in for killing another man
Defending my holy land
As if there's a god who would understand
Feeding the promised land
With your blood by my own hand
At allah's own command
At allah's own command
I came up from the desert and here I will die
Tooth for tooth and an eye for an eye
Though I didn't want a war
I went in for killing another man
Defending my holy land
As if there's a god who would understand
As if there's a god who would understand
I went in for killing another man
Defending my holy land
As if there's a god who would understand
As if there's a god who would understand
Oh yeah...

[xterminal.livejournal.com]

Damn, I had to sit there and look at that for about two minutes, thinking "this sounds real familiar...".

Nice. I haven't heard it in, like, seven shades of forever. Must rectify that soon.