Sixteen military wives
Thirty-two softly focused brightly colored eyes
Staring at the natural tan of thirty-two gently clenching wrinkled little hands
Seventeen company men
Out of which only twelve will make it back again
Sergeant sends a letter to five
Military wives whose tears drip down from ten little eyes

Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV,
Goes la di da di da

Fifteen celebrity minds
Leading their fifteen sordid, wretched, checkered lives
Will they find the solution in time
Using their fifteen crispy moderate liberal minds

Eighteen academy chairs
Out of which only seven really even cares
Doling out the garland to five
Celebrity minds, they're humbly taken by surprise

Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV,
Goes la di da di da

Fourteen cannibal kings
Wondering blindly what the dinner bell will bring
Fifteen celebrity minds
Served on a leafy bed of sixteen military wives

Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV,
Goes la di da di da



Lyrics submitted by themunkel

Track duration: 04:52

"16 Military Wives" as written by Colin Meloy

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

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Sixteen Military Wives song meanings
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91 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I think we can all agree the first stanza explains itself.
    The chorus is talking about how always gets their way, through whatever violent means they get it through. But all the anchor people on the news just tells us about how we got our way. They have no idea what the heck they are talking about (La di da di da)
    I would write more. But I won't.
    Flag brisingr47on May 20, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Forget where I heard it, but I remember him saying that the primary focus of this song is to be an attack on infotainment and how it depicts warfare and strife. Celebrities will go over to "help" in war efforts, but they won't ever understand the full impact of it all, as the "military wives" do.
    Flag Thylacineon November 30, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:To get the full meaning of this song i really think you need to watch the video in conjunction. The use of the school is immensely significant, as it makes it MORE than simply an anti war statement of political message, but a message of the darkness of mankind and the horror that faces our futre generations.

    If our children are being brought up in a country where everytime they turn on the Tv they see a war, or someone dying, or an invasion of a country in the name of freedom, then what message is that giving them? If they see the news and see other countries bowing down to one nation because it's easier, and the 'outsiders' being oppressed for sticking by what is right, then what does that do to them? Those children are looking at the world and seeing that war is the only way to solve them. That is our future. ULTIMATELY IT IS SAYING THAT THE 'WARS' AND THE OSTRACISING OF THOSE ON THE PLAYGROUND WILL BE REFLECTED ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE IN LATER LIFE. Ignorance is the worlds biggest killer.
    Flag IndyKidzon June 21, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:This song doesn't fit in "Picaresque" at all. I'm not a huge fan of it. It seems to be just an anti-war song to me. Maybe there's more to it, but I don't think it's by any means one of the Decemberists' deeper songs.
    Flag reubencoon December 24, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:The song is about how America conducts it's foreign policy at home. America does things without regard for how it will effect the people. The military wives husbands are kiled fighting wars. The media reinforces this by spouting propaganda to the masses who will believe whatever they hear on tv even though it's just blabbering (La-di-da-di-da-didi-didi-da). Celebrities in america are generally liberal and think they know how to solve the problem, but it's clear they just make it worse by talking about things they don't understand.
    Flag xa3zon December 08, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think that everyone here has got what the song is about. To be honest. It sucks. Not the song, but the situation. If only 12 out of 17 make it home that means that there is a 29.41% chance that my man is never coming home. That is just too much for me.
    Flag hooahgirlfriendon June 03, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:If you're still confused he name "The Decemberists," comes from a left-wing revolutionary group that rose against the monarchy in russia, called "the decembrists"
    Flag blindparadoxon May 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:and rofl @ the people saying the video with a kid literally labled "USA" being arrogant doesn't mean their saying the USA is arrogant
    Flag blindparadoxon May 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:lol @ all the conservatives tripping over themselves to explain how this song isn't anti-war when its so incredibly obvious lol
    Flag blindparadoxon May 26, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This is one of the best anti-war songs because it isn't blatantly angry or sad: it's cheerful, which adds even more bleakness to the picture. The upbeatness emulates the la-di-da-ness of the anchorpeople and of culture in general.
    Flag sourfruiton April 19, 2009   Link

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