I see trees of green
Red roses, too
One day we'll burn them down
To get a better view
Of the searing city lights, to silence voices in the night
Maybe find a face on which to place our fear so we can fight
It's just not right
And I won't sleep tonight
I see factory flames
And graveyard gates
We seem to hear the ones who warn us
Fifty fucking years too late
The drums of war pound out again, we'll turn a blind eye to the sins
That break the brand new hearts that Heaven holds against the vanity of men
Will you think of them
When your saints go marching in
God help us all, we're hostages
We clutch the gun and cast the blame
We'll drive ourselves the full six under
But I don't think they'll know our names
And if there's still a way for anything
To live here when we're through
I hope they build a shining monument
And engrave it "don't let it be you"
I see waves of blue
And clouds of white
The putrid fumes of burning bone
Will turn the daytime into night
Another place, another time, we still watch Babel's spire climb
To conquer without conscience and leave the young to suffer for her crimes
We're out of time
And dying for their grand designs
God help us all, we're hostages
We clutch the gun and cast the blame
We'll drive ourselves the full six under
But I don't think they'll know our names
And if there's still a way for anything
To live here when we're through
I hope they build a shining monument
And engrave it "don't let it be you"