Battle Born Lyrics
You walk around like a ghost
Your star-spangled heart
Took a train for the coast
So how'd you lose the light?
Was it blown by the wind,
In the still of the night?
There's something dying on the street
When they knock you down
You're gonna get back on your feet
(No you can't stop now)
A mother to a child
But your boys have grown soft
And your girls have gone wild
To the redwood sky
The season may pass
But the dream doesn't die
There's something dying on the street
When they knock you down
You're gonna get back on your feet
(No you can't stop now)
When they cause your soul to mourn
Remember what I said
Boy you was battle born
You was battle born
Are you haunted by the sound?
It's gonna take more than a hand
To turn this thing around
Rescue, set me free
There's something dying on the street
When they knock you down (Up against the wall)
You're gonna get back on your feet
Cause you can't stop now (Cause you can't stop now)
And did they cause your soul to mourn
Remember what I said
Boy you was battle born
Cause you can't stop now (Cause you can't stop now)
Come on give us one more spark
So we'll start a fire
Unless we fall into the dark
And you can't stop now (No, you can't stop now)
If you never learn
You never shine
If you never burn
The rising tide
The undertow
The venom and
The overflow
You turn away
Welcome home
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Regarding songwriting, Brandon has often acknowledged in interviews post Hot Fuss that he wanted to get away from writing songs that conflicted with the moral values that he was raised with. He's mentioned twice that he prefers to be a "positive force" in this world, and I think it could be said that this song is geared towards instilling hope collectively to the people in their home country (the US).
Most powerful to me are the lines: When they break your heart When they cause your soul to mourn Remember what I said Boy you was battle born
Naysayers, fear, and negativity seem to outweigh encouragement, audacity and positivity in today's day and age. It seems Flowers is communicating to his listeners that the negativity will come your way, but you have to be part of the outnumbered positive force and remember that you have a fighter's heart. This stanza could apply to the nation as a whole, or to individuals looking for some form of inspiration to get through the harsher times of life that will come their way due to the disintegration of moral values in today's society.
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I believe the lyric is "Now don't you drop the ball" instead of "Why did you drop the ball"
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I agree with paperbackwriter. This song must be about America. Battle is what we are known for (and semmingly what we seek). We've had our high time and our light and it's faded. Let's face it! But the song is optimistic too. e.g. you can't stop now, show us one more spark, you're going to get back on your feet, etc. Brandon Flowers took a lot of flack for criticizing Green Day for trashing America and egging on German Crowds singing "Don't want to be an American Idiot!" It's a song about a love for a country that has failed in many respect and lost a lot of what made it great but is still worth something and can be great again.
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It's undoubtedly a song about the USA. I also get allusions to the Trojan War, but that's probably just me and my strange mind! The song reminds me of the Trojan hero Hector, who was very patriotic and died fighting for glory and for his people and family, right by the Trojan wall. But, like I said, that's probably just me. Just thought I'd throw it out there! Whatever the case this is a fantastic song, one of my favourites from the Killers.
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Did they break your heart?
And did they call you soft?
In the morn remember what I said
Boy you was battle born
(But you can’t stop now)
or?
hmmm, that sounds like it could be about right actually. i'll have a listen tomorrow and change it if that fits
hmmm, that sounds like it could be about right actually. i'll have a listen tomorrow and change it if that fits
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It should be:
Did they break your heart?
And when they cause your soul to morn (or moan)?
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I hate to politicize lyrics, but even though this song is named after Nevada's state nickname, the state that The Killers are from. But it seems like it could be about the United States as a whole, how we used to be such a strong nation ("When you shine, you're a hilltop mansion"), but we're getting weaker and we're in a rapid downfall ("But your boys have grown soft and your girls have gone wild") as a society. The first verse ("You lost faith in the human spirit. / You walk around like a ghost. / Your star-spangled heart / took a train for the coast") and the verse that says, "Did they break your heart? Did they cause your soul to mourn? Remember what I said. / Boy, you was battle born. / And you can't stop now" sounds like a call to fiercer action in the Middle East. Nevada is called the Battle Born State because it became a state because of the Civil War (known in the South as the War of Northern Aggression). And this country is battle born too. We didn't pussyfoot in the American Revolution, why should we do that now?
I think there no doubt that they are describing their religious beliefs (Mormon) of America and the American people through their lyrics. To be honest, it gives me the creeps to think that they think of America this way and we have a presidential candidate that promotes the Killers. That would suggest that he must feel this way also. I thought I was the only one picking up on this. Did you see the Colbert Report with the Killers? Do you think Stephen was trying to tell us something?
I think there no doubt that they are describing their religious beliefs (Mormon) of America and the American people through their lyrics. To be honest, it gives me the creeps to think that they think of America this way and we have a presidential candidate that promotes the Killers. That would suggest that he must feel this way also. I thought I was the only one picking up on this. Did you see the Colbert Report with the Killers? Do you think Stephen was trying to tell us something?
kevlane, youre an idiot.
kevlane, youre an idiot.
Those were my thoughts as well. Sometimes I feel like "I've always seen you as a kind of keeper, A mother to a child" could be a reference to the statue of liberty. I've also wondered if, in the same spirit you defined, it could be about soldiers returning home and the difficulties they face.
Those were my thoughts as well. Sometimes I feel like "I've always seen you as a kind of keeper, A mother to a child" could be a reference to the statue of liberty. I've also wondered if, in the same spirit you defined, it could be about soldiers returning home and the difficulties they face.
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I like the line to be 'Sing a song of fire' instead of 'So we'll start a fire' but that might just be wishful thinking.
No it is "we'll sing a song of fire" actually, it even says that in the lyrics booklet, but someone went through and changed all of my correct lyrics. gah, hopefully the changes will be up soon, and won't be changed again haha.
No it is "we'll sing a song of fire" actually, it even says that in the lyrics booklet, but someone went through and changed all of my correct lyrics. gah, hopefully the changes will be up soon, and won't be changed again haha.
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I don't understand fans who find faults in the bands/singers they like?
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People saying that Brandon Flowers doesn't look as fashionable, or good.... make me laugh. Perhaps Flowers learnt that having to keep up with a fashion... isn't making him HIM and that some day, he won't be needed any more in the show-business, because there will be other young "hot" People and he will be forgotten. He perhaps realised that this is all superficial and stupid.