The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Brother will kill brother
Spilling blood across the land
Killing for religion
Something I don't understand
Fools like me, who cross the sea
And come to foreign lands
Ask the sheep, for their beliefs
Do you kill on God's command?
A country that's divided
Surely will not stand
My past erased, no more disgrace
No foolish naive stand
The end is near, it's crystal clear
Part of the master plan
Don't look now to Israel
It might be your homelands
Holy wars
Upon my podium, as the
Know it all scholar
Down in my seat of judgement
Gavel's bang, uphold the law
Up on my soapbox, a leader
Out to change the world
Down in my pulpit as the holier
Than-thou-could-be-messenger of God
Wage the war on organized crime
Sneak attacks, repel down the rocks
Behind the lines
Some people risk to employ me
Some people live to destroy me
Either way they die, they die
They killed my wife, and my baby
With hopes to enslave me
First mistake, last mistake!
Paid by the alliance, to slay all the giants
Next mistake, no more mistakes
Fill the cracks in, with judicial granite
Because I don't say it,
Don't mean I ain't thinkin' it
Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away
I know what I said, now I must scream of the overdose
And the lack of mercy killings
Mercy killings
Mercy killings
Killings, killings, killings, killings
Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away
Spilling blood across the land
Killing for religion
Something I don't understand
Fools like me, who cross the sea
And come to foreign lands
Ask the sheep, for their beliefs
Do you kill on God's command?
A country that's divided
Surely will not stand
My past erased, no more disgrace
No foolish naive stand
The end is near, it's crystal clear
Part of the master plan
Don't look now to Israel
It might be your homelands
Holy wars
Upon my podium, as the
Know it all scholar
Down in my seat of judgement
Gavel's bang, uphold the law
Up on my soapbox, a leader
Out to change the world
Down in my pulpit as the holier
Than-thou-could-be-messenger of God
Wage the war on organized crime
Sneak attacks, repel down the rocks
Behind the lines
Some people risk to employ me
Some people live to destroy me
Either way they die, they die
They killed my wife, and my baby
With hopes to enslave me
First mistake, last mistake!
Paid by the alliance, to slay all the giants
Next mistake, no more mistakes
Fill the cracks in, with judicial granite
Because I don't say it,
Don't mean I ain't thinkin' it
Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away
I know what I said, now I must scream of the overdose
And the lack of mercy killings
Mercy killings
Mercy killings
Killings, killings, killings, killings
Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away
Lyrics submitted by elmoz, edited by Peachey117, Yugemos
Holy Wars...The Punishment Due Lyrics as written by Dave Mustaine
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The first half of this song is about the Holy Wars between the Irish Protestants and the Irish Catholics. Mustaine went to Ireland for a show, and basicly told the IRA what a piece of shit they were from the stage. The IRA is the Irish Republican Army. The two religious factions in Ireland have been fighting for hundreds of years. Mustaine had the balls to say during a show there, that he was of Irish ancestry and thought there stupid war needed to stop. He was boo'd by the crowd and had to leave early. He received death threats and barely escaped out of the country with his skin intact. He wrote Holy Wars about his experience over there, and The Punishment Due was based on the comic book The Punisher.
Nearly. But not quite right... It was at the show in Belfast (which is in Northern Ireland - part of the UK not Ireland). What happened was he saw people selling t-shirts outside the gig that said "the cause" on them which he believed to be referring to the cause of metal... i.e. "keepers of the faith".<br /> <br /> He introduced one of their final songs by shouting "This one's for the cause" thinking that he was referring to "this one's for metal". However... "the cause" in Northern Ireland refers to the 'cause of the IRA (terrorists - murdering scumbags - just like all the terrorist organisations here).<br /> <br /> Anyways... When people heard this a section of the crowd cheered while the rest boo-ed. Immediately this split the crowd... Arguments started and a riot ensued. He was issued death threats by both sides of terrorists for doing so.<br /> <br /> But he's been back since.<br /> <br /> Personally I take this song as his apology and totally agree because "killing for religion" is something I don't understand either.
Yeah, that's what I heard.<br /> <br /> About "IRA (terrorists - murdering scumbags - just like all the terrorist organisations here)"... Well, most of the murdering scumbags of the world aren't in "terrorist" organisations. In fact, now the US government consider people trying to stop torturing and killing of the REAL innocents (animals) terrorists so... objectively, 99.9% of humanity are fucking murdering scumbags. <br /> <br /> BTW, regardless my opinion about the IRA, check WHY they became the IRA and so on. It's easy to judge.
Yeah the fuckin English
@Agreenmachine why does he mention Israel? always thought he was attacking the Israel government and the Hamas
one of their best songs ever
Most kick ass metal song.
religion sucks? negative impacts of religion?
Believe it or not most religions do not allow senseless killings, fanatics make it seem like they do. Most of them also do not condone suicide, so you can't blame religion for suicide bombings. If you'd still like to point fingers, point them at fanatics, don't blindly accuse religion for all things wrong with the world, maybe you could blame James Hetfield for that.
And Dave seems to getting more and more Christian nowadays..
ohh, great song by the way..
One of the few good comments i have seen around here...
I stongly disagree but agree... religion isn't bad... CHRISTIANITY AND CATHOLISM ARE. For one, I know religions that are good and actually are free. I find both those religions to be very hateful and "I am right not you" kinda philosophy. I myself am Pagan, I'm not saying paganism is without it's dickheads but the religion itself is free, you can worship whatever you want and they teach many things like acceptance. Christians say you should accept others but we all know that they don't I mean HELLO look at homosexuals and their lack of rights, lack of rights of women until recently and black people. I'm just saying I wish Constantine had not released the ban on Christianity 2000 yrs ago and created Catholism as a way to convert pagans and then with that the two religeons were blood lustful and destroyed all others... thats my oppinion on those two religions and I have nothing against any other religion at all infact I think Budhism is great aswell as Muslim society and Freemasonry and also (I know you disagree but anyone who does obviously hasnt researched their ethics) Satanism
I am currently reading 'Mustaine'. Dave's autobiography. Awesome read if you guys get the chance. Before he wrote this song, Megadeth were playing a show in Ireland, and Dave was smashed out of his gourd. He yelled to the crowd, 'give Ireland back to the Irish!!' .... He didn't know why he said it, he was just fuckin' around. Then suddenly the crowd parted like the red sea and it was Catholics on one side and Protestants on the other, ready to tear each other apart. The show immediately ended and Megadeth got the hell out of there. That was one of the biggest influences for him writing Holy Wars.
Don't forget about The Bootlegger who sell Megadeth stuff for "THE CAUSE". Others are right, Criticism on Irish War and Protestant-Catholic belief.
AMAZING RIFF AT THE END. Mustaine is fucking incredible
this is probrably my favorite song by megadeth. as a member of the U.S. military i can relate to some of the things said "a country that's divided surely cannot stand". this is a surefire implication in my opinion of how civilians have a tendency to lose heart when things get tough, despite the fact the military and government believe they can win. as such they end up losing whatever endeavor then engage in. as for the rest of the song, i think it examines the view from the outside (the holy wars section) and the latter half is about how people may feel shortly before they join in a Jihad. with the last verse finally being the end result of both opinions. the war. and even though the punishment due is based off the punisher comics (so says mustaine) i still think it can be applied in the above mentioned ideas. this song has never been more poignant in my opinion.
a member of the U.S. military??? jesus, i hope you are just the janitor...
This song was written about the Marvel Comics character 'The Punisher'. In the comic, Frank Castle(the Punisher) witnesses his child and wife murdered by a gang lord and becomes a vigilante to punish criminals.
ok...im not a religeous man....and im just going to say this with out religen you wouldnt be able to "god damn" it
How amusing.. There is always plenty of curse words available. No need for religion.
This song is the best! I saw them live at the Astoria and when they played this the place went mad, it was soo kool.
Also he lauffed at me cos i got lifted up.. kool huh!
See them at download 2! religion sux