Lyrics
Write these words back down inside
Expressing the act of writing these words internally
We have burned their villages and all the people in them died
Reflecting on destructive actions, burning villages, and causing death
And we adopt their customs and everything they say we steal
Criticizing cultural appropriation, accusing of stealing customs and ideas
All the dreams they had we kill
Destroying the aspirations and dreams of the affected group
Still we all sleep sound tonight
Despite the harm caused, a sense of collective indifference and peace
Is this what you wanted to hear?
Questioning whether this harsh reality is what the listener wanted to hear
We erased all their images and dance
Removing cultural representations and celebrating through dance
And replaced them with borders and flags
Replacing cultural symbols with political boundaries and national flags
At the top of this timeline you'll remember
Reflecting on historical events and their lasting impact
This is the lipstick on the collar
Metaphorically referring to deceit, comparing it to lipstick on a collar
and in my own life I've seen it in the mirror
Personal acknowledgment of witnessing deception in one's own life
sometimes at the cost of others hopes
Recognizing that personal gains may come at the expense of others' aspirations
Write these words back down inside
Reiteration of the importance of internalizing these words
That's where you need it the most and without conviction of heart
Emphasizing the need for conviction in the heart to truly feel the impact
You will never feel it at all
Suggesting that without conviction, the impact is not felt at all
Yeah, we all dance to the same beat when we're marching
Highlighting conformity in actions, especially during marches
Yeah, the TV tells us everything we need
Commenting on the influence of television in shaping perceptions
And this scene is painting in all the fashions
Describing a scene influenced by current trends, perhaps superficial
Of the moment and history is all the same
Asserting that both the present moment and historical events are intertwined
Everything you say you stole
Accusation that everything said is stolen from others
Every dream you dream you bought
Highlighting the commercialization of dreams, suggesting they are bought rather than genuine
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