Us and Them
Ordinary Battles: Unveiling the Struggle Within
Lyrics
Us (us, us, us, us) and them (them, them, them, them)
Introduction of the division between "Us" and "Them," repeated for emphasis.
And after all we're only ordinary men
Acknowledgment that both groups are composed of ordinary men.
Me
Focus on the speaker ("Me") within the context of the larger groups.
And you (you, you, you)
Addressing the second person ("You") within the context of the division.
God only knows
Uncertainty expressed, emphasizing that only God knows the true nature of the situation.
It's not what we would choose (choose, choose) to do (to do, to do)
Highlighting the lack of control over the situation, emphasizing limited choices.
Forward he cried from the rear
Depiction of a military scene with commands and movement, suggesting chaos and loss of life.
And the front rank died
-And the general sat
-And the lines on the map
-Moved from side to side
-Black (black, black, black)
Reference to colors (black and blue) symbolizing confusion and difficulty distinguishing sides.
And blue (blue, blue)
-And who knows which is which and who is who
-Up (up, up, up, up)
Describing cyclical patterns, possibly representing the repetitive nature of conflicts.
And down (down, down, down, down)
-And in the end it's only round 'n round (round, round, round)
-Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
Noting that the conflict is ultimately a battle of words, emphasizing communication as a weapon.
The poster bearer cried
Dialogue between a poster bearer and a man with a gun, suggesting recruitment and coercion into conflict.
""Listen son"", said the man with the gun
-There's room for you inside
-""I mean, they're not gonna kill ya
Downplaying the severity of the conflict and advocating for a non-lethal response.
So if you give 'em a quick short, sharp, shock
-They won't do it again. Dig it?
-I mean he get off lightly, 'cause I would've given him a thrashing
Reflecting on a disagreement and the speaker's restrained response, emphasizing good manners.
I only hit him once! It was only a difference of opinion, but really
-I mean good manners don't cost nothing do they, eh?""
-Down (down, down, down, down)
Expressing a sense of defeat and being out of the struggle, possibly referencing resignation.
And out (out, out, out, out)
-It can't be helped that there's a lot of it about
Commenting on the prevalence of conflict, suggesting its inevitability.
With (with, with, with), without
Exploring the dichotomy of having or lacking something within the context of the conflict.
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Posing a rhetorical question about the true purpose of the fighting.
Out of the way
Command to move aside, possibly indicating the urgency of the situation.
It's a busy day
Describing a busy day, suggesting the overwhelming nature of life amid conflict.
I've got things on my mind
Indicating preoccupation with personal matters amid the broader conflict.
For the want of the price
Highlighting the triviality of the cause of death, emphasizing the cost of simple pleasures.
Of tea and a slice
-The old man died
Concluding with the death of an old man, underscoring the human cost of the conflict.
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