Abstract
The theme of war is probably the most serious and commoving one. This terrible phenomenon makes people all over the world worry and pray for preventing it. The analyzed song was released on 20th May, 2009 in Santa-Monica, California. The song is included to the album “Appeal to Reason”.
Introduction
The lead singer of the band is Timothy James McIlrath who is better known as Tim McIlrath. Tim is a reference of morality and justice in the modern world of music. As well as other musicians of the band, Tim is participant of a straight-edge movement, which means that they do not smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, or have any fugitive intimate relationships. Timothy hates wars and always tries to explain people how disastrous and silly wars are. He always calls for peace and tries to evoke the same ideas in his audience by the means of his art.
The song “Hero of War” was released in 2009, the year when the war in Iraq was at its peak. Perhaps, it was one of the severest years for the United States troops since that year United Kingdom and Romanian troops ended their missions in Iraq and left the US troops there alone. All countries that participated in this horrible war suffered great losses since too many people were killed. All these horrible events evoked a desire to write “Hero of War” in Tim McIlrath. Though the song does not strictly point out the war in Iraq, the main message is to stop all wars.
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As one can see, one cannot state that the war in Iraq is referenced in the song. However, this very war was the main inspiration for writing this song. The musicians gave their audience an opportunity to observe the situation from two sides. In the first part of the song, one can see that the speaker is glad to go on a war, while in the second part he understands that peace is much better than making war. The song is critical about wars at all and gives rather controversial impression. The reason is that at first, the speaker acts immoral; for instance, he says that “I yelled my commands/The children, they cried/But I got my man/We took him away/A bag over his face/From his family and his friends/They took off his clothes/They pissed in his hands/I told them to stop/But then I joined in/We beat him with guns/And batons not just once/But again and again”. Later in the song, the speaker realizes that he is not doing a virtue and slowly becomes a bad man as well as others. After shooting a woman who was holding a white flag in her hands, the young man realizes that a white flag is the only one that is worth being trusted and loved.
In fact, it is the main message of the song that people should love their countries and flags, but if there is any choice, they should choose the white flag of peace. In many cases, soldiers do not even know what they are actually fighting and killing for. However, choosing the white flag, they always know the results.
Appendix – Rise Against – Hero of War Lyrics
He said “Son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could?
Just carry this gun and you’ll even get paid.”
I said “That sounds pretty good.”
Black leather boots
Spit-shined so bright
They cut off my hair but it looked alright
We marched and we sang
We all became friends
As we learned how to fight
A hero of war
Yeah that’s what I’ll be
And when I come home
They’ll be damn proud of me
I’ll carry this flag
To the grave if I must
Because it’s a flag that I love
And a flag that I trust
I kicked in the door
I yelled my commands
The children, they cried
But I got my man
We took him away
A bag over his face
From his family and his friends
They took off his clothes
They pissed in his hands
I told them to stop
But then I joined in
We beat him with guns
And batons not just once
But again and again
A hero of war
Yeah that’s what I’ll be
And when I come home
They’ll be damn proud of me
I’ll carry this flag
To the grave if I must
Because it’s a flag that I love
And a flag that I trust
She walked through bullets and haze
I asked her to stop
I begged her to stay
But she pressed on
So I lifted my gun
And I fired away
The shells jumped through the smoke
And into the sand
That the blood now had soaked
She collapsed with a flag in her hand
A flag white as snow
A hero of war
Is that what they see?
Just medals and scars
So damn proud of me
And I brought home that flag
Now it gathers dust
But it’s a flag that I love
It’s the only flag I trust
He said, “Son, have you seen the world?
Well what would you say if I said that you could?”
