Don't just stand there watching it happening
I can't stand it
Don't feel it
Something's telling me
Don't want to go out this way
But have a nice day

Then read it in the headlines
Watch it on the TV
Put it in the background
Stick it in the bag
Stick it in the bag

For the beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
You don't need an invitation
To drop in upon a nation

I'm too cynical
I'm just sitting here
I'm just wasting my time
Half a million civillians gonna die today
But look the wrong way

Then read it in the headlines
Watch it on the TV
Put it in the background
Stick it in the bag
Stick it in the bag

For the beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
You don't need an invitation
To drop in upon a nation

Don't just stand there watching it happening
I can't stand it
Don't feel it
Something telling me
Don't want to go out this way
But have a nice day

Then read it in the headlines
Watch it on the TV
Put it in the background
Stick in the bag
Stick in the bag

For the beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
Don't need an invitation
To drop in upon a nation

The beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
So much for an intervention
Don't call the united nations



Lyrics submitted by Selling Absolutions

Track duration: 03:45

"The Beautiful Occupation" as written by Francis Healy

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Beautiful Occupation song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:From listening to the song, I thought it was about 9-11, because it came out in 2003 and could have been written about that. But then, I think really it just refers to any war or terrorist attacks or any mass killing.
    A beautiful and tragic song.
    Flag katiekatieon April 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:For your information, Fran is not against war in general. He's against *this* war. This is what he said introducing the song at a gig in Oslo 2003:
    "I'm not against war, right. I think if someone drops a bomb on your house, well, I'm up to fight, you know, I'm gonna fight. I would do that, if someone dropped a bomb on your mum and dad's house and killed them, you'd be like "okay!" but... I don't see any bombs dropping on any of us, you know, we had the planes fly into the buildings, but that had nothing to do with it. Millions of people marched and said "no way". [someone] was on tv yesterday saying that he thinks they destroyed all their weapons of mass destruction ten years ago. So it's all about money and greed. And the biggest weapon of mass destruction - at the moment anyway - is aids and they're not spending 87 billion dollars - you know, they could wipe it out like that, they could help people, but they're not. They just want to - I don't know what they want to do...! It's crazy."
    Flag Ulrikkeon June 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:OK. Once and for all the song is about iraq. End if discussion.
    Flag whitecrowon March 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My friends slaughter me for being a fan of the "bland sounds" of Travis but I'm a big fan of them and in particular 12 Memories which is at heart an anti-war album, mind you, not the best album to listen to if your feeling suicidal.
    Flag General_Tokinon March 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Anachronism:

    I think most of us are well aware of the Rwandan genocide, and if that's the basis for this song then explain the following.

    "don't need an invitation to drop in upon a nation"

    The Rwandan genocide was an interal conflict started by the national government of Rwanda, there was no outside nation dropping in without an invitation.
    Flag Coffee and TVon December 19, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:THIS SONG IS NOT ABOUT IRAQ!

    This song is about the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and war in general.

    Read this article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

    The lyrics should now make perfect sense.

    Travis are a very active band in the same sense as Coldplay.
    Coldplay are active supporters of Make Trade Fair,likewise Travis support the Save the Children fund. Fran recently visited the Sudan with the support of Save the Children.

    FYI: The 2003 Iraq war campaign of "Shock and Awe" did not yeild half a million civilian casualties, it arguably yeilded no civilian casualites. The United States armed forces had said that targets, munitions and attack times were chosen to minimize civilian casualties.
    Flag anachronismon October 04, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Damn right it's about war and Iraq. It was written during the buildup to the invasion of Iraq.

    "Half a million civilians gonna die today
    They looked the wrong way"

    Might be referring to the possible casualties expected from the "shock and awe" campaign.
    Flag cloud7on September 16, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Fran wrote this before any mention of wars, but he had this weird feeling that it was coming, and he could do nothing about it. The song is about feeling helpless.
    I love this song. When I first listened to '12 Memories' this was the song that jumped out at me. It's still one of my favorites.
    Flag Ulrikkeon September 02, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:There are also I believe some mistakes in the lyrics...

    #1
    "Stick it in the back
    Stick it in the back"

    It should be

    "Stick it in the bag,
    Stick it in the bag..."

    #2
    "Up to city come
    I'm just sittin here
    I'm just wastin my time
    Half a million civilians gonna die today
    They looked the wrong way"

    It should be:

    "I'm too cynical,
    I'm just sitting here,
    I'm just wasting my time,
    Half a million civillians gonna die today,
    But look the wrong way..."
    Flag freezegelmanon August 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with lategreats, it def. has to do with the war in Iraq...

    Half a million, civilians gonna die today...
    Look the wrong way...
    Flagged freezegelmanon August 05, 2005   Link

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