Lyrics for Burn the Fleet as interpreted by ckalelk

Burn the Fleet Lyrics
In this dark night,
We stand or we fall,
We are kings now,
Or nothing at all.

Check your armor,
Light up your torch,
Touch the flame to the sand,
Before you head to the shore.

And we will burn the fleet,
We can never go home,
So to victory or underground.

Burn the fleet,
We’ll be heroes or ghosts,
But we won’t be turned around.

Well the old flag,
Will burn with the sand,
And a new one,
Will fly if we fail.

But the fire,
Continues to rise,
And it shows not a hint,
Of any fear in our eyes.

And we will burn the fleet,
We can never go home,
So to victory or underground.

Burn the fleet,
We’ll be heroes or ghosts,
But we won’t be turned around.

Burn the fleet,
We can never go home,
So to victory or underground.

Burn the fleet,
We’ll be heroes or ghosts,
But we won’t be turned around.


Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 29 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
oldest first     Expand All
WinterKiss
10-13-2007

Rated 0 
From lyric book with some spacing.


In this dark night we
STAND OR WE FALL.
We are kings now,
or nothing at all.
Check your armor;
light up your torch.
Touch the flame to sail
before you head for the shore.

And we will burn the fleet,
we can never go home;
it's on to victory or under ground.
Burn the fleet, we'll be heroes or ghosts,
but we won't be turned around.

The old flag will burn with the sail,
and a new one won't fly if we fail.
But the fire continues to rise,
and it shows not a hint of any fear in our eyes.

And we will burn the fleet,
we can never go home;
it's on to victory or under ground.
Burn the fleet, we'll be heroes or ghosts,
but we won't be turned around.

And we will burn the fleet,
we can never go home;
it's on to victory or under ground.
Burn the fleet, we'll be heroes or ghosts,
but we won't be turned around.

Log in to reply
mellodara
10-13-2007

Rated 0 
perhaps its about fighting for what you believe in no matter what the odds are. really like these lyrics, so abstract. although, i wonder what cave in thinks about this.. it seriously sounds as if cave in wrote it.

Log in to reply
saocore
10-14-2007

Rated 0 
It's about a Captain that arrives to land, and tells his crew to burn their boats, this way they can not escape and the only option left is to conquer

Log in to reply
faithinthethief
10-14-2007

Rated 0 
yeah definately saocore
thats cool
does anyone think some of the fire stuff, this song and the arsonist, sound familiar to some deftones stuff?

Log in to reply
loggery_vnv
10-14-2007

Rated 0 
I think mellodara has it nailed. I love this song, but does anyone else think it sounds a bit like Oasis? ^-^ I'm loving these new songs, I'd though I would be more of a Fire person but now I just don't know what to think.

Log in to reply
Sojourneyman
10-14-2007

Rated 0 
Upon arriving at the New World, Hernan Cortes destroyed his ships, not by fire, but later myth had him destroying them by fire.

http://www.jstor.org/view/00182133/ap020195/02a00030/0

There might be other historical precedence as well

Log in to reply
DubbaEwwTeeEff
10-14-2007

Rated 0 
Good call Sojourneyman, I knew there was at least one historical example of burning the ships like that. There may be literary examples that this is meant to reference, as well. I'm pretty sure it's not what they were going for, but Warcraft III's storyline has a similar plot device, where one of the main characters secretly destroys his own army's ships, to prevent them from deserting and to rally them against the enemy.

Anyway, the song is about committing fully and completely to a cause. The speaker is ordering the ships burned, forcing himself (and his men) to commit to his task until the very end - either he'll be a ghost or a king, but he won't turn around and run.

Log in to reply
TrendyKidsSuck
10-15-2007

Rated 0 
dubbaeww dont be so sure you are not right. Dustin is know to play a shitload of WOW and Warcraft. He might just have been inspired by that story.

Log in to reply
Anglian
10-15-2007

Rated 0 
My view on the meaning of songs are normally very unique but will tell you what this song meant to me anyway.
I felt this the first time i heard this song. It is about how Thrice as a band have evolved, and alot of fans criticise them for not playing hard rock songs like Deadbolt and Paper tigers anymore, and this song is about how they are not going back to their old style, and will continue to make music how they want even if it makes them lose a few fans.

We are kings now,
Or nothing at all.

Although some may be dissapointed this is the way that they are going and there is no going back.

Log in to reply
renevant
10-15-2007

Rated 0 
Anglian, that's a bit too vague and personal to be considered viable.

Log in to reply
Mortisfacio3
10-15-2007

Rated 0 
Hehe, wasn't sure if I was the only one thinking about the Warcraft III storyline when I listen to this song, at least I now know i'm not alone. I remember when I heard he was playing WoW while on tour I wanted to find out where to find him in game, but decided rather not because it would just end up me non-stop questioning him about lyrical analysis and he'd either ignore me or never get to play.

But anyways i'd add my insight to this song, but i think DubbaEwwTeeEff basically summed it all up... again hehe.

Log in to reply
Cavman
10-17-2007

Rated 0 
All or nothing. I think that kinda sums it up for me.

And the Warcraft story. it's Arthas in Northrend. His dad(the king) orders his men home, so he goes behind their backs and hire mercenaries to destroy the boats then tells his troops that the mercs did it as an act of aggresion. Show's how crazy he got though ,and to quote Muradin: "You lied to your men and betrayed the Mercenaries that fought for you! What's happening to you Arthas, is vengeance all that's important to you?"

Log in to reply
billymonstar
10-26-2007

Rated 0 
from warcraft to cortes, all are similar except that in warcraft arthas had men burn his ships behind his back. In the song the captain orders his men to set ablaze the sails themselves. Though it may have been inspired by warcraft, I think dustin went for a more historical ref and adapted it to a universal truth of goals and causes - to finish a task and not look back. This song holds much of the same spirit as 'melting point of wax'.

Log in to reply
allen_ajones
11-05-2007

Rated 0 
An army of people conquering a new land do not turn into kings (plural), the are just military men. The King is back at his home land. Thrice is very sneaky.....but I see you. I see you.

Log in to reply
billymonstar
11-08-2007

Rated 0 
But yah, almost 100% sure it's about cortez - amazing song.

Log in to reply
CaKiYo
11-23-2007

Rated 0 
This song is so epic. I only hope that no movies are made that pick it up til I get a chance to make a movie with it. It'd be pretty sweet if it is about Cortez because it goes to show how at least some bands are well-read/educated.

Log in to reply
laurelinwyntre
12-01-2007

Rated 0 
"We are kings now, or nothing at all"

Perhaps a reference to their song Kings Upon The Main perhaps not.

Log in to reply
cscott2435
01-30-2008

Rated 0 
Imagine landing ashore, gathering your small army and ordering them to burn their ride home before they go into battle. There is no greater motivation.

Log in to reply
sabio
02-08-2008

Rated 0 
One word:

Commitment

Log in to reply
WyvernZ
03-12-2008

Rated 0 
I figured out what this song can directly apply to--it hit me during American Litt (which has more history than my American History class, by the way.)
Well, I'm certain everyone knows how the national anthem of the United States was made by Francis Scott Key, while he saw the flames?
I can see this song as being from the perspective of the British, or the Americans. It works well for either.

Log in to reply
CptnCuddles
04-12-2008

Rated 0 
I have to agree with Sojourneyman and Billymonstar, all Fire has the Cortez story, Water has the Whaler story (which i have yet to find out its historical ties), Air has the story about Daedulus and Ichoris from greek myth, the father who helped build wings for his son so he could scape prison but he flew to close to the sun and the wax that held in the feathers melted and Ichoris fell to his death...anyway...and I havent read the lyrics for earth yet so i dont know what story that one has in it...but im sure its there.

Log in to reply
Cbrus1
04-30-2008

Rated 0 
I think you are all wrong. Cortes didn't burn his ships. They must have gotten the reference from the following...

"The annals of Arab history tell us that in the year 711, the Arabs in North Africa were about to make history by expanding their conquest into a third continent. They were preparing to invade the Iberian Peninsula. The Arab military genius Tariq ibn Ziyad crossed the straight now named after him as the straight of Jabal Tariq, the Straight of Gibraltar, with a modest invasion force of 300 cavalry and 7,000 infantry. As he and his forces landed on the Iberian shores, Tariq gave the order to empty the ships and set their sails ablaze. With his own fleet completely burned, Tariq addressed his stranded troops. "The sea is behind you, and the enemy is ahead of you," he told them "and you have no escape but the truth and patience." This was their moment of truth, on a shore they had never been on before, doing what no Arab force had ever done, invade Europe. Tariq ibn Ziyad and his troops went on to defeat 30,000 Visigoths, a force three times their size, at Wadi Laqqa in the battle of the Transductine Promontories. And thus began the almost 800 years of Arab rule on the Iberian Peninsula."


Now i may or may not be right. Here's the link to the book i got it from. I think the band read this since the album not only is has bible, greek myth, and politcal references.

http://www.counterpunch.org/ladah1116.html

Log in to reply
Cbrus1
04-30-2008

Rated 0 
Actually the song is based upon this guy's ( Tariq ibn Ziyad) speech which can be read at the following link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariq_ibn-Ziyad

The last link i posted a book that just references him to saddam.

Log in to reply
ashtonbt1
05-13-2008

Rated 0 
Right on, Cbrus1. Thanks for that insight!

Log in to reply
the second flood
12-11-2008

Rated 0 
i think it's about giving yourself fully to your endeavors. The captain burns the fleet so he knows that his soldiers will only look forward and give 100% because the option or fleeing has been crushed. It kind of shows the valor and pride that even in not accomplishing their mission to conquer their honor, valor and pride are still intact because the captain would rather face death than run away from a fight..

Log in to reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here