Consider the following questions:
1: What do you think of the lyrics? Comment on at least one quote that you like/dislike. Do you understand why many people are angry?
2: What do you think of the song? Explain why you like/dislike it.
3: Is this a song that could change the world?
Marillion
- Gaza Lyrics
When I was young it all seemed
like a game
Living here brought no sense of shame
But now I'm older I've come to understand
Once we had houses
Once we had land
They rained down bullets on us as our homes collapsed
We lay beneath the rubble terrified
Hoping.. Dare we dream?
We gave up waiting
For us, to dream is still a dream
When I woke up, the house was broken stones
We suddenly had nothing
And nothing's changed
We live, eight people, in this overcrowded heat
Factory-farmed animals living in our own sweat
Living like this is all my baby brother ever knew
The world does nothing. What can we do?
We will kick the ball
We will skip the rope
We will play outside. Be careful
We will paint and draw. We will say our prayers
Outside the pitiless sun bleaches the broken streets
The darkness drops in the evening like an iron door
The men play cards under torchlight
The women stay inside
Hell can erupt in a moment day or night
You ask for trouble if you stray too close to the wall
My father died ..feeding the birds
Mum goes in front of me to check for soldiers
For every hot-head stone ten come back
For every hot-head stone a hundred come back
For every rocket fired the drones come back
For thirteen years the roads have all been closed
We're isolated. We're denied medical supplies
Fuel and work are scarce. They build houses on our farms
The old men weep. The young men take up arms.
We're packed like chickens in this town of block cement
I get headache from the diesel. When it rains, the sewers too
I had no idea what martyrdom meant
Until my older brother.. my older brother
I'm sorry. I can't continue.
You sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind, it is said
When people know they have no future
Can we blame them if we cannot tame them?
And when their hopes and dreams are broken
And they feel they might as well be dead
As they go, will we forgive them
If they take us with them?
Stay close
Stay home
Stay calm
Have faith
With the love of our family we can rise above anything
Someday surely someone must help us
With the love of our family we can rise above anything
Someday surely someone must help us
Even now we will go to school
Even now we will dream to dream
Someday surely someone must help us
Nothing's ever simple - that's for sure
There are grieving mothers on both sides of the wire
And everyone deserves a chance to feel the future just might be bright
But any way you look at it - whichever point of view
For us to have to live like this
It just aint right
It just aint right
It just aint right
We all want peace and freedom that's for sure
But peace won't come from standing on our necks
Everyone deserves a chance to feel the future just might be bright
But any way you look at this - whichever point of view
For us to have to live like this
It just aint right
It just aint right
It just aint right
It's like a nightmare rose up slouching towards Bethlehem
Like a nightmare rose up from this small strip of land
Slouching towards Bethlehem
It's like a nightmare rose up from this small strip of land
Slouching towards Bethlehem
Stay close
Stay home
Have faith
I can't know what twist of history did this to me
It's like a nightmare
With the love of our family
We can rise above anything
Some day surely someone must help us...
Living here brought no sense of shame
But now I'm older I've come to understand
Once we had houses
Once we had land
They rained down bullets on us as our homes collapsed
We lay beneath the rubble terrified
Hoping.. Dare we dream?
We gave up waiting
For us, to dream is still a dream
When I woke up, the house was broken stones
We suddenly had nothing
And nothing's changed
We live, eight people, in this overcrowded heat
Factory-farmed animals living in our own sweat
Living like this is all my baby brother ever knew
The world does nothing. What can we do?
We will kick the ball
We will skip the rope
We will play outside. Be careful
We will paint and draw. We will say our prayers
Outside the pitiless sun bleaches the broken streets
The darkness drops in the evening like an iron door
The men play cards under torchlight
The women stay inside
Hell can erupt in a moment day or night
You ask for trouble if you stray too close to the wall
My father died ..feeding the birds
Mum goes in front of me to check for soldiers
For every hot-head stone ten come back
For every hot-head stone a hundred come back
For every rocket fired the drones come back
For thirteen years the roads have all been closed
We're isolated. We're denied medical supplies
Fuel and work are scarce. They build houses on our farms
The old men weep. The young men take up arms.
We're packed like chickens in this town of block cement
I get headache from the diesel. When it rains, the sewers too
I had no idea what martyrdom meant
Until my older brother.. my older brother
I'm sorry. I can't continue.
You sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind, it is said
When people know they have no future
Can we blame them if we cannot tame them?
And when their hopes and dreams are broken
And they feel they might as well be dead
As they go, will we forgive them
If they take us with them?
Stay close
Stay home
Stay calm
Have faith
With the love of our family we can rise above anything
Someday surely someone must help us
With the love of our family we can rise above anything
Someday surely someone must help us
Even now we will go to school
Even now we will dream to dream
Someday surely someone must help us
Nothing's ever simple - that's for sure
There are grieving mothers on both sides of the wire
And everyone deserves a chance to feel the future just might be bright
But any way you look at it - whichever point of view
For us to have to live like this
It just aint right
It just aint right
It just aint right
We all want peace and freedom that's for sure
But peace won't come from standing on our necks
Everyone deserves a chance to feel the future just might be bright
But any way you look at this - whichever point of view
For us to have to live like this
It just aint right
It just aint right
It just aint right
It's like a nightmare rose up slouching towards Bethlehem
Like a nightmare rose up from this small strip of land
Slouching towards Bethlehem
It's like a nightmare rose up from this small strip of land
Slouching towards Bethlehem
Stay close
Stay home
Have faith
I can't know what twist of history did this to me
It's like a nightmare
With the love of our family
We can rise above anything
Some day surely someone must help us...
Marillion - Gaza
SvarSletQ1:
The lyrics is about the conflict between Israel and Palestina and some of the problems as a result of the conflict. Even on youtube there is a lot of people discussing this song. For example:
“i'm a huge prog rock and especially a marrilion fan but this song is a shame.i live in israel, and as a 16 years old i've almost died from terror attack about 9 years ago by a suicide bomber,and since then missles are being shot towards me and my city, almost daily.i think no-one,especially not steve hogarth,who have never lived in israel nor gaza,can ever judge us or how it is presnted that we act.i would gladly invite him and all of the people who say fuck israel to live the hell that we live.” – StickLightMusic
“We would never say fuck Israel. Please read our statement that is posted below the video. Shalom/Peace” – marilliononline
“I read someone's comments here recently saying that because of this song he's not going to listen to Marillion any more. Steve has explained on more than one occasion that the band are not taking sides, and never wanted to upset anyone. It's a situation that has inspired the song. A song about a child growing up in Gaza. It could have just as easily have been about a child in Israel, a child in Syria. It's wrong for any child to suffer because of war. This is what the song is saying” – BlackMoonCGI
All of these above is just a few comments who is fighting either against or with palestina or Israel.
A quote I like:
”With love of our family
We can rise above anything
Some day surely someone must help us..”
I really likes this quote because it says that they with each others help they can stay alive and together. But they are still really hoping that someday someone will come and help and solve this conflict.
Why are people angry?:
Many people who are angry are Israelian people who think that their country is described as someone who don’t care about others than themselves. Also other people are angry because they don’t think that Marillion have nothing to do with Palestine.
Do I like the song?:
Well, the song is quite touching and it is really something special. It is NOT something you see every day. But this genre is not really something I like.
Q3:
This song could maybe change the world. It is something new. This is something that we never heard of before, and there has been a long time since an artist published a special song with a deeper meaning than just the lyrics themselves.
I think that the lyrics are very significant and got a nice message. I especially liked the quote: " With the love of our family we can rise above anything. Someday surely someone must help us. " It tells us about how strong the people in Gaza is as long they got each other, then they will last forever. And as long they have patience, someday someone will help them.
SvarSletAfter reading this lyric i remember once again how the situation in Gaza is.
I actually really like the song, the only thing i think could have been better is if it was'nt 17 minutes long. This song is a special song, because of the text. Could it be a song that could change the world? i think so, and if it was a song that changed the world, it will have good reason to be. :)
Nanna Flasnes 2.n
SvarSletMarillion – Gaza
1: The lyrics are very harsh, and tough. If you are not familiar with the situation in Gaza, this song won’t make that much sense. I think it was a little hard to understand, and I wouldn’t have known that Marillion was supposed to be the Palestinians, if you hadn’t said so. But I can understand why someone might be offended by this, if they actually live in this ‘other world’, and then a white dude from England sings about how they live, when he hadn’t even been there.
I’ve chosen the quote: “We’re isolated. We’re denied medical supplies”, because I think that it says a whole lot of things about how Marillon describes the people in Gaza. He turns them into objects.
2: I don’t really know what I think of this song. It is so special, that either you love it, or you hate it. I don’t really like how big a difference there was in the melody. Sometimes it was really rock-like, and other times it was very slow, and I think I would have liked it better, if it was just one of the two. This could become two great songs.
About 10 minutes into the song, there was an instrumental-passage I really liked, but that was it.
3: Maybe. It could certainly create a huge debate, worldwide. I don’t know if I would be a part of that debate, but for people who live in the area, and people who are interested in the situation in Gaza, it probably could change the world, yes.
1: "Living like this is all my baby brother ever knew" i think it's sad to think off, some that was born under the war will only feel fear, anger and hopelessness. They will not know about happiness and laughter.
SvarSlet2: Well I don't like the song, because it's too long and it's hard to concentrate through the whole song. But I think it's a song which makes you think.
3: I think it's hard to say if this song could change the world because of the fact that they're singing about a war, lots of people means that they should mind their own business, because they never experienced it and probably just looked "Palestine/Israel conflict" up on the internet. While others will think that they really nailed it because what they sing about is so realistic.
Ditte :)
Laura Mailand:
SvarSletQuestion 1:
I can truly understand why some people get angry because of this lyric. There are some sentences that I find unnecessary, for example: “We’re packed like chickens in this town of block cement.” I don’t understand why he has to sketch the conflict this much.
Another example is: “Until my older brother... my older brother. I’m sorry. I can’t continue” This I find very stupid, and sort of taunted.
The sentence “Hell can erupt in a moment, day or night” is of course very seriously, but I think it is a nice phrase.
Question 2:
I think it is a cool song, the music is cool and his voice are great. But some sentences in the lyrics are “too much” for me. For example the lines about the nightmare in Bethlehem, that is just disgusting and unnecessary. He makes some pictures that I do not like, for example “Factory-farmed animals living in our own sweat.” This is a disgusting and disrespectful way of describing other people. But it is not all negative, there are some sentence filled with hope and love, “With the love of our family we can rise above anything.”
I don’t know in what way he wants to rise above anything, but there is hope and that is positive.
Question 3:
I don’t know. There are probably some people who changed their point of view because of this song. But I don’t think it will be remembered in centuries like a song “which changed the world.” I think it depends on the people who like this song, there is maybe someone who could find hope and love in this song, and others might think that it is garbage.
Consider the following questions:
SvarSlet1: What do you think of the lyrics? Comment on at least one quote that you like/dislike. Do you understand why many people are angry?
- I think the lyrics are good, and easy to understand. They are some sentences I think shouldn’t be there (it’s a bit annoying) like “my older brother.. I’m sorry. I can’t continue.” You are sitting: “Come one! What happened to your brother? Don’t stop now while you’re telling about all the horrible things that are going on! Tell the truth! What happened??”
- I can also understand why some people would be offended by this song. They’re not from either Palestine or Israel, so what they are singing about has never happened to them. It’s just research from the internet.
2: What do you think of the song? Explain why you like/dislike it.
- It’s a good song and the music is great, well played and all. I’m in doubt what I think about the fact that they’re singing “I” and “we”. It’s easier for us to relate to the song, but is also bothers me, because they aren’t from there. It’s not their stories they are telling. I haven’t really figured out what I think about that yet.
3: Is this a song that could change the world?
-It depends on who you are, what this song means to you and maybe also where you’re from. I’m a bit split, because I can’t see why this song should be any different from “do they know it’s Christmas”. They are making aware of a problem in the world. But then some people don’t like it, actually hate this song, and it’s probably because of the attitude in the lyrics – and that some people feels like it’s a song against Israel.
- I don’t know if this song could change the world.
Katrine "Swupper"
1.
SvarSletQuote: We all want peace and freedom that’s for sure, but peace won’t come from standing on our necks. (Read: suppressing us). This is relevant to this feud, and all others just like it.
I'm undecided. It presents the situation from the perspective of one of the humans directly involved, instead of the political and historical viewpoint we normally receive, which is kind of nice for a change.
It probably caused anger because it totally neglects the troubles of the Israelites, making it seem as if they’re only suppressors, totally neglecting their problems. + portrays it as if the Israelites are the only side in the feud who prevent peace from happening.
2.
I’ve always been of the opinion that Israel were out in the wrong in this particular feud, so I suppose I’m supposed to love a song which supports my stance, and yet I don’t, as a song it’s definitely not my type, and the portrait it gives, might not be just to Israelites.
3.
Honest to god, who knows. Of course it does have a clear political agenda (which a lot of the other songs on the list have as well), and as long as it gains enough media attention, and sparks enough of a debate, then yes I suppose it could.
- Abdi
1: What do you think of the lyrics? Comment on at least one quote that you like/dislike. Do you understand why many people are angry?
SvarSlet- I think the lyrics was okay, some times it was a little all over the place, there was a lot of information about what happened, and sometimes it was a little to much, I would like it a little better if it was a little shorter and more defined, but when that it said, I thought it was okay. I liked when it said “everyone deserves a chance to feel the future just might be bright” because in any kind of situation you may be in, that little hope, that is something we all should feel.
- A reason that some people might be angry could be that Marillion are putting them self’s in one place and making the others look very bad, and when you feel like someone is trying to make you look bad, then obviously you get mad and frustrated
2: What do you think of the song? Explain why you like/dislike it.
- It was way to long, and it was a little weird that it changed melody and tempo so much, and sometimes it felt like the lyrics didn’t fit to the melody, that it was to completely different songs that was mixed together, and one person says “that’s okay, no one will notice” and then everyone notices.
3: Is this a song that could change the world?
- It could be. Maybe it would be an eye-opener for someone in the word, and if a lot of people went together to help, they might actually be able to make a difference. Then you read the lyrics you will notice that there are some serious problems, and if enough people goes together they could change it.
“With the love of our family we can rise above anything
SvarSletSomeday surely someone must help us
With the love of our family we can rise above anything
Someday surely someone must help us
Even now we will go to school
Even now we will dream to dream
Someday surely someone must help us”
I really like this lyric. Because I think it’s true, that when we love our family, we can rise above anything. Family is the most important thing we have.
I think he is trying to say; that no matter how tough it all seems we will still do the usual things we do, like go to school and everything, hoping for a better life for us and our loved ones. We are still dreaming about having real dreams again. But that can be harder than we all seems to think, so if we get some help it might get easier.
I think the song is good, but I also think it’s a bit sad. The feelings are described so clear, so you can’t help but imagining pictures and really feel for the people the artist sings about. And not just people in this song, just people that live like this every day. It’ so awful that a place like this actually exists.
We should really be grateful for what we got, because there are people that have it way worse. And those people would give anything to have what we have.
But for some reason, people find it hard to think like that.
Cathrine, 2n
1. The lyrics are very straightforward. Marillion is definitely not using the “show – don’t tell”-principle, like Hemingway did. They are very clear in their sayings; maybe a little too much. “My father died, feeding the birds.” “I had no idea what martyrdom meant, until my older brother... I’m sorry, I can’t continue.”
SvarSletIt’s very tough to read, and I understand that some might get offended.
2. The music is not for me. I am really not into the rock-type of music, and that explains why I do not like the song. But I do think that the lyrics are very spectacular, and very realistic.
3. No, I don’t think the song could change the world. I guess that the music is a little too abstract to most people.
/Smitt.
Olivia Madsen 2.n
SvarSletMarillion – Gaza
1. Quote:”there are grieving mothers on both sides of the wire. And everyone deserves a chance to feel the future just might be bright”.
This quote describes how they are equal on both sides. It doesn’t matter if you are Israelis or Palestinians, they will all feel sorrow if someone dies, and all of them deserve the hope of a better life and future.
It’s easy to see why people are angry. He sings like he is a part of it, uses his family in the song and he blames the world “the world does nothing. What can we do?”
2. I don’t like the song. It’s not my type of music and I would never have listened to the song by myself. But I like that it brings “awareness”, and that it describes a real problem.
3. I think it could just as well be there as not. It’s without a doubt a song there will make you think, but I’m just not sure that it’s a subject people a willing to talk about. War is a taboo, and as long as the war didn’t end or people realized exactly what is going on, the song hasn’t changed the world jet.
The lyrics is very long, and they use many abstract words and phrases. Marillion ends the song with: "Some day surely someone must help us…" With this quote taken into consideration I understand why people, primary the Israelis, are angry about it. It is like the band just assumes how it is to be them. They had to do a little more research before they published the song.
SvarSletGenerally I think the song is okay even thought I wouldn’t hear it myself at home. What I don’t like is the transitions between some of the verses. It’s like suddenly it is a whole different song we hear. The music changes all of a sudden.
Could “Gaza” change the world? It’s a hard question to answer, but I am sure it could start a massive discussion. I may not participate in the possible debate, but the people who lives in the area that feel offend would surely do it. I would too, if I felt insulted.
I really don’t like it. The Marillions have written this song in a way so it sounded like they live there and were the people of Gaza. They have a quote that says “…We’re packed like chickens in this town of block cement…” it is like are trying to tell us how hard it is, but they actually never lived there, and that’s what’s irritate me. I completely understand why many people are angry about the song, but I would not say that I’m angry, but I would not hear it by myself in the future. I also think the song is too long and they sing in a very different tone of voice.
SvarSletCould it change the world? Yes, it could maybe start a big fight between Marillion and the Israelis. I think that if Muslims can attack the big USA because of a movie, why not a song?
Karina, 2.n
1. The lyrics are very special on a positive way; I like the use of reputation in the text fx. (We will kick the ball. We will skip the rope.) etc.
SvarSletBut I can’t understand why some people get angry and upset because of this song, of cause they aren’t Israel’s but Marillion is just trying to describe the cruelness and pain these people have experienced.
(It’s like a nightmare rose up slouching towards Bethlehem) I could imagine that many Israel’s would be offended by this quote, because of Marillion “lack” of knowledge about this subject. It’s a provocative thing to say especially to the people living there.
2. I like melancholy in songs, because it gives songs a hole other meaning and feeling. In this song “Gaza” the use of melancholy is perfect, if the lyrics were the same and the melody were more hardcore, I probably wouldn’t like this song, but because of the great production 17 minutes isn’t that long again
3. I don’t think the song ”Gaza” could change the world, but it could give the world a better view on problems in areas beyond Europe. Or maybe it could start political discussions about how the problems could be solved.
Like=(We will kick the ball. We will skip the rope.)
Dislike=(It’s like a nightmare rose up slouching towards Bethlehem)
Q1/2:
SvarSletI think the lyrics gives us a good perspective from the Palestinians point of view. It's a very touching song.
" You ask for trouble if you stray too close to the wall
My father died ..feeding the birds
Mum goes in front of me to check for soldiers"
"We're packed like chickens in this town of block cement
I get headache from the diesel. When it rains, the sewers too
I had no idea what martyrdom meant
Until my older brother.. my older brother
I'm sorry. I can't continue."
Q3:
Yes I think it is, because like I said before, it gives us a good perspective from the Palestinians point of view. It is not everyone what is aware of the situation in Palestine, and this song actually describes the "main point" . The only "understanding" one needs of the situation is that it's just plain horrible, which is the only message in this song. And what's why I completely like the song from top to the end.
-Romsø.
I think the song is easy to understand, and I think the lyrics are good.
SvarSletBut some of the quotes like “I’m sorry. I can’t continue” is too much. Suddenly it does not seem so serious like before. I do understand why some people are angry, and especially the people the song is about. The band has not experienced the things they sing about, and still they say “we” and “us”. Some people may feel hurt about that.
The song starts very strong, I think. I can clearly see the meaning and the point in the lyrics, but I don’t like the music breaks.
I don’t think this is a song that could change the world, even though it is a song about some serious problems between two populations in the world. I think the song takes a side, instead of being general, and therefore people get angry.
Mai
1: I totally understand why the Palestinians are angry. This song shows how hard this conflict has stroked on the individuals. They are scared and have stopped dreaming. The song shows the circumstances millions of Palestinians live under.
SvarSlet"I had no idea what martyrdom meant
Until my older brother.. My older brother
I´m sorry. I can´t continue"
The quote shows exactly how hard the conflict has stroked on the individual. This conflict has ruined his life and has cost him his family´s lives.
2: I really like the lyrics. Once again we are reminded that this conflict cost many lives and that there are consequences connected to the birth of Israel. The lyrics make us think about the conflict and how we should react. Should we just forget all those who live under these primitive circumstances in the refugee camps.
3: I don´t think this song could change the world. The song reminds us about the conflict but we are actually very often reminded of it. This song is not doing something "new" affect the conflict.
This conflict is huge and that a song will change the conflict and make peace is impossible. This song will not affect the governments.
Thomas 2.N
1. The lyrics are a sub story. We follow what the Palestinians are going though since 1948. I understand why the Palestinians are angry, because Israel has taken Palestinians country, they have nothing left and lost everything. The lyrics says “once we had houses, once we had land” and that is because it was the palestinians’ home once. I like the quote: “ we will say our prayers” because it shows that the Palestinians still have hopes of getting their country back and they still remember to pray to god.
SvarSlet2. I don’t like rock-songs, but I like the lyrics “Gaza” because it makes sense.
3. The lyrics makes the song special and it can change the world because the song is realistic.
- linna