Lyrics
What do you say to the ones you love
Contemplating how to communicate with loved ones about the traumatic experiences witnessed.
About the shit you've seen?
Referring to the disturbing events the person has encountered.
Third time back from the war in Iraq
Returning from war multiple times with no resolution or relief.
A never ending dream
Expressing a sense of ongoing, haunting nightmares or memories.
Bodies & limbs scattered all over town
Describing the aftermath of war with graphic imagery of bodies and limbs scattered.
It's all I ever see
Conveying the pervasive impact of war, with violent scenes dominating the person's thoughts.
Come back home to the same ol' shit
Returning home to a familiar and unpleasant environment.
There's nothing here for me
Feeling a lack of purpose or fulfillment in the current situation.
Life is good!
An ironic statement, suggesting a sarcastic perspective on life given the preceding descriptions.
What do you say to the best of friends
Responding to friends inquiring about the war experience.
When they ask what it's like?
Indicating the difficulty of describing the horrors witnessed.
I tell them I kill everything that moves
Admitting to a role in causing harm and death to others.
Within my rifle site
Highlighting the dehumanizing perspective of viewing others as targets through a rifle scope.
I look into the eyes of my unborn child
Reflecting on the impact of the war on the person's family and future generations.
And I tell you what I see
Comparing the innocence of a newborn's eyes to the haunting gaze of a deceased person.
The same damn eyes as a day old corpse
Emphasizing the lasting trauma and psychological toll of war.
On a highway full of IEDs
Referencing the danger and unpredictability of the environment with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Life is good!
Repeating the ironic statement about life being good, highlighting the stark contrast with the preceding lines.
What do you say to the guy on the street
Encountering civilians who may not understand the emotional and psychological struggles.
Who wants to shake your hand
Expressing a preference for confrontation over communication due to difficulty in understanding.
I'd rather take him down then talk to him later
Choosing violence over dialogue as a means of coping or asserting control.
You wouldn't understand
Highlighting the communication barrier between the person and civilians.
I didn't ever really wanna be this way
Acknowledging a departure from the person's original self, possibly due to the impact of war.
But this is what I've become
Accepting the transformation into a more aggressive and hardened persona.
Can't wait to see my unit again
Anxious to reunite with the military unit, suggesting a sense of belonging or identity in the military context.
To live and die by the gun
Embracing a fatalistic outlook, willing to live and die by the gun, symbolizing the military lifestyle.
Life is good!
Reiterating the ironic statement about life being good, emphasizing the recurring theme of sarcasm and disillusionment.
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