Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
I must have dreamed a thousand dreams
Been haunted by a million screams
But I can hear the marching feet
They're moving into the street
Now, did you read the news today?
They say the danger has gone away
But I can see the fire's still alight
They're burning into the night
There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go around
Can't you see this is the land of confusion?
This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in
Oh, Superman, where are you now?
When every thing's gone wrong somehow?
Men of steel, these men of power
I'm losing control by the hour
This is the time, this is the place
So we look for the future
But there's not much love to go around
Tell me why this is the land of confusion
This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in
I remember long ago
When the sun was shining
And all the stars were bright all through the night
In the wake up this madness, as I held you tight
So long ago
I won't be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We're not just making promises
That we know we'll never keep
There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go around
Can't you see this is the land of confusion?
Now, this is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth fighting for
This is the world we live in
And these are the names we're given
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to
Been haunted by a million screams
But I can hear the marching feet
They're moving into the street
Now, did you read the news today?
They say the danger has gone away
But I can see the fire's still alight
They're burning into the night
There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go around
Can't you see this is the land of confusion?
This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in
Oh, Superman, where are you now?
When every thing's gone wrong somehow?
Men of steel, these men of power
I'm losing control by the hour
This is the time, this is the place
So we look for the future
But there's not much love to go around
Tell me why this is the land of confusion
This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in
I remember long ago
When the sun was shining
And all the stars were bright all through the night
In the wake up this madness, as I held you tight
So long ago
I won't be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We're not just making promises
That we know we'll never keep
There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go around
Can't you see this is the land of confusion?
Now, this is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth fighting for
This is the world we live in
And these are the names we're given
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to
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More Featured Meanings
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
This song is a cover of Genesis' "Land Of Confusion" from the CD "Invisible Touch".
This was originally a song by Genesis, lyrics by Mike Rutherford. The song is a message against apathy. During the cold war, there were very high tensions running through all political spectrums. It wasn't just America vs. Russia, it was about the disarmament of all nations and the defiance of many countries like America and Russia. This lead to many civil wars like the Greek Civil War, Korean War, Vietnam War and the Soviet-Afghan War. These wars had super power support on different sides.
What Genesis meant by this song is that people should look more closely at what is going on, and speak out against government injustices.
Disturbed's rendition echoes Genesis' original intent, they just updated the musical stylings for a new generation. I believe that Disturbed is simply renewing the message, and not creating there own interpretation.
The videos do have different focuses though, Genesis focuses on the governments unwillingness to compromise and the peoples unwavering trust in it's government. Disturbed focuses on the corruption of government in a capitalist society.
Both videos, however are saying that it is the people, that are ultimately responsible for the actions and accountability of their government.
My question is, why is only that one line changed in the cover?
'and the sound of your laughter' has become 'and wake up this madness.'
Very distinct difference there.
On the other hand, this is a perfect cover. Truly Disturbed's style and energy, but you can still feel everything Phil Collins and his college cronies put into the original.
Wasn't Peter Gabriel the frontman at the time?
no it was Phil Collins
I like how they turn a soft rock(yeah by soft I mean the opposite of heavy) into a metal song, and the music video is so much better then Genesis'.
I agree with everything that everyone has stated so far. Also, I feel that this song is one of the most powerful political commentary songs that i've ver heard, mostly because of david's excellent vocals. you can feel his sense of anger/frustration and you can definately tell that he wants to do something about the current state of the world. Over all, this is also one of the best covers ever. It stays true to the original yet surpasses it in so many ways.
it's about how our world is messed up (land of confusion) and we need to make it a better place-"to make this a place worth living in/fighting for"
also could be talking about there being "to many problems" in the world and not enough compassion- "not much love to around." which would lead to saying that we eed to make our world better.
anyway, love this song, very addiciting.
This is a GREAT remake of Genesis' "Land Of Confusion".
the_white_stripe:
The black faced man is named "The guy." He first made his debut on Disturbed's Ten Thousand Fists album. Todd McFarlane drew that cover art, and created the video for this song.
Todd McFarlane, of course, is known for his Spawn character, who, like The Guy, also straddles the line between good and evil in a similar fashion.
why does the word "Duh" come to mind? :P
Blasphemous little cur. Just kidding. I agree, this version does feel so much more powerful than the Genesis original.
love this song...(and rendition)