we are the earth intruders
we are the earth intruders
muddy with twigs and branches

turmoil! carnage!

here come the earth intruders
we are the paratroopers
stampede of sharpshooters
comes right from voodoo

with our feet thumping
with our feet marching
grinding skeptics into the soil

shower of goodness
coming to end the doubt pouring over
shower of goodness coming to end

we are the earth intruders
we are the sharp shooters
flock of parashooters
necessary voodoo

I have guided my bones
through some voltage
and loved them still
and loved them too

metallic carnage!
feriocity!
feel the speed!

we are the earth intruders
we are the sharp shooters
flock of parashooters
necessary voodoo

there is turmoil out there
carnage! rambling!
what is to do but dig
dig bones out of earth

mudgraves! timber!
morbid trenches!

here come the earth intruders
stampede of resistance
we are the canoneers
necessary voodoo

and the beast
with many heads
and arms rolling
steamroller!

we are the earth intruders
we are the earth intruders
muddy with twigs and branches

(forgive this tribe)

we are the earth intruders
we are the earth intruders
muddy with twigs and branches

we are the earth intruders
muddy with twigs and branches
we are the earth intruders

we are the earth intruders
muddy with twigs and branches
marching

we are the earth intruders
muddy with twigs and branches
marching

march

march

march



Lyrics submitted by major key


Earth Intruders song meanings
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54 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:I believe this song is about divine beings interfering with free will to speed up the conscious evolution. They are recruiting human souls to become enlighten and be the new soldiers of love and justice. The divine beings are no longer just watching. They are now actively taking as many of us as they can to help us through for the upcoming conscious shift. It's a necessary Voodoo
    Flag macrisorton October 08, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Could it be that she's talking about a more small and specific group of humans within the whole human race?

    Maybe a group of inspirers... a group with a "shower of goodness" message to share with earth...

    "Intruding" would be stirring up the dull daily lives that most humans have.
    Flag yibbittaon July 30, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:I wasn't sure what to think of this song at first- while it has a KILLER beat and awesome vocals, the message of the song was a bit unclear.

    After a bit of consideration I think I've figured out an interpretation that seems to fit it best.
    I believe that the "Earth Intruders" she speaks of are us humans, killing the Earth we live on and causing destruction and turmoil to the plants and animals.
    "Digging bones out of the ground" and "Necessary voodoo" were two lines that had me thinking for a while but I think that digging bones out of the ground is a way to describe us destroying the Earth in an attempt to find such things as fossils and fossil fuels; necessary voodoo is causing destruction and death in an attempt to tame the wilderness and/or cause war as a means to get what we want from places that we shouldn't.

    And the line, "Forgive this tribe" seems to be a desperate attempt of one person who cares to apologize for the acts of the rest of their kind.

    Personally I don't see how religion and whatnot can be tied into this, it doesn't seem to go that way at all.
    Flag ViviBlackmyston July 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:A tsunami of people invades developed civilization in order to right the wrongs in developing civilizations.
    Flag ferrariguy90on August 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:*Capitalists pretend that they're fighting to spread democracy (a "shower of goodness"), but they are really "coming to end the doubt," peoples' doubt that patriarchy, civilization, etc. is the only way to live.
    Flag MsEarthIntruderon August 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:From an anti-civ POV, the lyrics are directed toward those who started (and continue industrial) civilization. They (early humans) emerged from their natural and sustainable state "muddy with twigs and branches" to bring "turmoil" and "carnage" on the rest of the earth, including other humans, using science and slavery to, as Derrick Jensen would say, "turn the living into the dead."

    So early humans marched, "grinding skeptics into the soil," or those who question the advancement of capitalism, civilization, science, et cetera.

    Capitalists pretend that they're fighting to spread democracy (a "shower of goodness") that is "coming to end the doubt" that those who question patriarchy, civilization, etc. have.

    The "comes right from voodoo" later changes to "necessary voodoo," possibly referring to religion's role in creating civilization. Believe systems that evolved in indigenous societies were later turned into religions that are now "necessary" to keep people believing that it is okay to spread "turmoil" and "carnage."

    "There is turmoil out there / what is to do but dig / dig bones out of earth" could be a reference to fossil fuels, oil. What is there to do but keep producing, keep consuming if everything's already so fucked up.

    "And the beast with many heads and arms, rolling. Steamroller!" is reference to how companies are now "beasts with many heads and arms," or workers, people, who are now just part of a machine. Government and corporations now have control over people as though they are a machine that the powerful can control.

    The verses almost sound like a chant that would be used by the army or a football team. Except for the "turmoil" and "carnage" lines, which seem to be simply statements of fact.

    Björk is fucking brilliant.
    Flag MsEarthIntruderon August 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:bjork and maynard... wouldn't have seen that one. that'd be wicked though, come to think of it
    Flag predicateon March 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"imperialism? mercantilism? colonization? "
    Well! Yes.
    I too think masupalami is right, it also is interesting to study who manages 'oil' issues in the world of now and the world of yesterday. There's a precise vocabulary used here, and Skull&Bones metaphors are quite obvious in my opinion.
    It is about space invadors, on every possible level of meaning.
    Flag othonieon September 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think its about Bjork talking about the earth and people who ruin it like do crazy stuff...I lovelovelove this song!!!
    Flag morikahjoon February 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think its about Bjork talking about the earth and people who ruin it like do crazy stuff...I lovelovelove this song!!!
    Flag morikahjoon February 06, 2008   Link

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