By David Sylvian
Version 1
What happened here?
The butterfly has lost its wings
The air's too thick to breathe
And there's something in the drinking water.
The sun comes up
The sun comes up and you're alone
Your sense of purpose come undone
The traffic tails back to the maze on 101
And the news from the sky
Is looking better for today
In every single way
But not for you
World citizen
World citizen
It's not safe
All the yellow birds are sleeping
Cos the air's not fit for breathing
It's not safe
Why can't we be
Without beginning, without end?
Why can't we be?
World citizen
World citizen
And if I stop
And talk with you awhile
I'm overwhelmed by the scale
Of everything you feel
The lonely inner state emergency
I want to feel
Until my heart can take no more
And there's nothing in this world I wouldn't give
I want to break
The indifference of the days
I want a conscience that will keep me wide awake
I won't be disappointed
I won't be disappointed
I won't be.
I saw a face
It was a face I didn't know
Her sadness told me everything about my own
Can't let it be
When least expected there she is
Gone the time and space that separates us
And I'm not safe
I think I need a second skin
No, I'm not safe
World citizen
World citizen
I want to travel by night
Across the steppes and over seas
I want to understand the cost
Of everything that's lost
I want to pronounce all their names correctly
World citizen
World citizen
I won't be disappointed
I won't be.
She doesn't laugh
We've gone from comedy to commerce
And she doesn't feel the ground she walks upon
I turn away
And I'm not sleeping well at night
And while I know this isn't right
What can you do?
Version 2
There goes one baby's life
It's such a small amount
She's un-American
I guess it doesn't count
Six thousand children's lives
Were simply thrown away
Lost without medicine
Inside of thirty days
In the New York harbour
Where the stock's withheld
It was the price we paid
For a safer world
World is suffering
World is suffering
World is suffering
World citizen
In Madhya Pradesh
Where they're building dams
They're displacing native people
From their homes and lands
So they hunger strike
'Cause they believe they count
To lose a single life
Is such a small amount
In the name of progress
And democracy
The concepts represented in name only
[Refrain:]
His world is suffering
Her world is suffering
Their world is suffering
World citizen
World citizen
And the buildings fall
In a cloud of dust
And we ask ourselves
How could they hate us?
Well, when we live in ignorance and luxury
While our super powers practice
Puppet mastery
We raise the men
Who run the fascist states
And we sell them arms
So they maintain their place
We turn our backs
On the things they done
Their human rights record
And the guns they run
[Refain]
My world is suffering
Your world is suffering
Our world is suffering
World citizen
Who'll do away with flags?
Who'll do us proud?
Remove the money from their pockets
Scream dissent out loud?
'Cause God ain't on our side
The shoe won't fit
And though they think the war is won
That's not the last of it
Disenfranchised people
Need their voices heard
And if no one stops to listen
Lose their faith in words
And violence rises
When all hope is lost
Who'll embrace the human spirit
And absorb the cost?
Not one life is taken
In my name
In my name
[Refrain]
My world is suffering
Your world is suffering
Our world is suffering
World citizen
Not one life is taken
In my name
In my name
World citizen (x4)
His world is suffering
Her world is suffering
Their world is suffering
Our world is suffering
World Citizen (x3)
Version 1
What happened here?
The butterfly has lost its wings
The air's too thick to breathe
And there's something in the drinking water.
The sun comes up
The sun comes up and you're alone
Your sense of purpose come undone
The traffic tails back to the maze on 101
And the news from the sky
Is looking better for today
In every single way
But not for you
World citizen
World citizen
It's not safe
All the yellow birds are sleeping
Cos the air's not fit for breathing
It's not safe
Why can't we be
Without beginning, without end?
Why can't we be?
World citizen
World citizen
And if I stop
And talk with you awhile
I'm overwhelmed by the scale
Of everything you feel
The lonely inner state emergency
I want to feel
Until my heart can take no more
And there's nothing in this world I wouldn't give
I want to break
The indifference of the days
I want a conscience that will keep me wide awake
I won't be disappointed
I won't be disappointed
I won't be.
I saw a face
It was a face I didn't know
Her sadness told me everything about my own
Can't let it be
When least expected there she is
Gone the time and space that separates us
And I'm not safe
I think I need a second skin
No, I'm not safe
World citizen
World citizen
I want to travel by night
Across the steppes and over seas
I want to understand the cost
Of everything that's lost
I want to pronounce all their names correctly
World citizen
World citizen
I won't be disappointed
I won't be.
She doesn't laugh
We've gone from comedy to commerce
And she doesn't feel the ground she walks upon
I turn away
And I'm not sleeping well at night
And while I know this isn't right
What can you do?
Version 2
There goes one baby's life
It's such a small amount
She's un-American
I guess it doesn't count
Six thousand children's lives
Were simply thrown away
Lost without medicine
Inside of thirty days
In the New York harbour
Where the stock's withheld
It was the price we paid
For a safer world
World is suffering
World is suffering
World is suffering
World citizen
In Madhya Pradesh
Where they're building dams
They're displacing native people
From their homes and lands
So they hunger strike
'Cause they believe they count
To lose a single life
Is such a small amount
In the name of progress
And democracy
The concepts represented in name only
[Refrain:]
His world is suffering
Her world is suffering
Their world is suffering
World citizen
World citizen
And the buildings fall
In a cloud of dust
And we ask ourselves
How could they hate us?
Well, when we live in ignorance and luxury
While our super powers practice
Puppet mastery
We raise the men
Who run the fascist states
And we sell them arms
So they maintain their place
We turn our backs
On the things they done
Their human rights record
And the guns they run
[Refain]
My world is suffering
Your world is suffering
Our world is suffering
World citizen
Who'll do away with flags?
Who'll do us proud?
Remove the money from their pockets
Scream dissent out loud?
'Cause God ain't on our side
The shoe won't fit
And though they think the war is won
That's not the last of it
Disenfranchised people
Need their voices heard
And if no one stops to listen
Lose their faith in words
And violence rises
When all hope is lost
Who'll embrace the human spirit
And absorb the cost?
Not one life is taken
In my name
In my name
[Refrain]
My world is suffering
Your world is suffering
Our world is suffering
World citizen
Not one life is taken
In my name
In my name
World citizen (x4)
His world is suffering
Her world is suffering
Their world is suffering
Our world is suffering
World Citizen (x3)
© 2003 by David Sylvian/Opium (Arts) Ltd
Recorded live in Italy 10 April 2003, during the Fire In The Forest tour, 2003-2004.
In
performance: David Sylvian, Steve Jansen, Masakatsu Takagi (projection
images - live mix). DV footage by Yuka Fujii for Osmosis
Bonus
Zero Landmine
Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and lyrics by David Sylvian, 2001
This recording was created to promote awareness of the problem of landmines and to promote a ban on landmines. Proceeds from the CD of the recording went towards de-mining efforts and other related funds.
This Is My Home
The Land Of My Mother
The Place I Play
With Sisters And Brothers
The Trees Are Rooted
In The Ground Beneath
Take Away The Violence
Give The Earth Back Its Peace
This Is Our World
Our Common Salvation
It Knows No Borders
It Serves No Nation
The Same Sun Shines Equally
On Those Beneath
Take Away The Violence
Give The Earth Back Its Peace
There's Fire In The Ground
In The Space Between The Trees
In The Forests and Fields
On Pathways, In Dreams
The Stars Are Whispering
To The Ground Beneath
Take Away The Darkness
Give The Earth Back Its Peace
Who Painted The Green Grass Red
With Danger
Who Coloured The Big Sky Blue
With Sorrow
A Strong Wind Carrying Fear
And Anger
Came And Went And Stole Tomorrow
This Is My Home
The Land Of My Mother
The Place I Play
With Sisters And Brothers
The Trees Are Rooted
In the Ground Beneath
Take Away The Violence
Give the Earth Back Its Peace
The Same Sun Shines Equally
On Those Beneath
Take Away The Darkness
Give The Earth Back Its Peace
Like Trees We're Rooted
In the Ground Beneath
Take Away the Violence
Give the Earth Back Its Peace
Give The Earth Back Its Peace
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