Let me reintroduce Were Not Going Down in the hopes that people will hear the song for what it was meant to be: a call to action for young people everywhere, regardless of their backgrounds or political beliefs.
I dont usually get into a discussion about the meaning of my own lyrics, but there is one point I really need to address here. Some people took issue with the words a war were going to lose, especially those with loved ones serving overseas.
I felt that line was pretty explicitly referring to the medias negative portrayal of fighting in the Middle East (that is, Front page news.) Let me state this as clearly as I can: I have never thought not for a second that our heroic servicemen and women might fail in their mission; when they do come home, it will be in honor, not in defeat.
Ive spent the past three months living in Texas and the patriotism Ive encountered in every store, bar, and ballgame has made me change the way I look at our country and the times we are in. American patriotism is the greatest feeling I have ever felt. But I dont think that people who shut their eyes to the problems we face here in America and throughout the world are being patriotic.
Touring the mid-west, I met a lot of off-duty troops who came to my shows, and I was awed by their courage and discipline. They were all actively engaged in the fight to make the world a better, safer place. If there was any doubt before, meeting those men and women made it absolutely clear to me that I am not cut out to be a soldier. But that doesnt mean that I can simply turn off to everything thats going on in the world.
No matter where you fall on the political spectrum or what your views on foreign policy, you can find a lot of evil and misery in the world today. My song is not about pointing fingers at America, or at a particular political party or world leader. If theres a villain in the song, its apathy, and indifference, and blind acceptance of the status quo.
Its time for the people of my generation to take a stand, to show some awareness of the unnecessary suffering in the world, to acknowledge the mistakes that have been made. Patriotism, I have learned, helps unify us in this common struggle, so that we can lift our voices together and say with courage and pride, Were Not Going Down!
LYRICS:
Front page news has Louisiana blues
And a war we're gonna lose; we're dying.
Hunger strikes in the middle of the night
Are we covering our eyes and hiding
This is never-ending, we could make it right
We could keep pretending, but why...
These walls are falling down
There's fire all around
We hear the sirens sound, but we're not going down
Our time is here and now
We come together now
We're standing strong and proud, 'cos we're not going down
Winter heat burning people on the street
Devils marching to the beat of crying
Crash n' burn to the point of no return
Are we ever gonna learn we're lying
We could be the saviors, we could make this right
We could all be neighbors, tonight...
These walls are falling down
There's fire all around
We hear the sirens sound, but we're not going down
Our time is here and now
We come together now
We're standing strong and proud, 'cos we're not going down
Arms raised in the human parade
We fight for the future today
We are the Mission, and we are the Vision
Together we'll trigger the change
We'll scream at the top of our lungs
We'll jump from the tip of our toes
Our generation can save the nation
From more, more, more war, more war
These walls are falling down
There's fire all around
We hear the sirens sound, but we're not going down
Our time is here and now
We come together now
We're standing strong and proud, 'cos we're not going down
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