They were raining from the sky
Exploding in my heart
Is this a love in disguise?
Or just a form of modern art?

From the skies, you could almost hear them cry
Tora! Tora! Tora!
In the town, they were going down
Tora! Tora! Tora!

I had a nightmare only yesterday
You played a skeleton
You took my love then died that day
I played an American

From the skies, you can almost hear them cry
Tora! Tora! Tora!
In the town, they were going down
Tora! Tora! Tora!

I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (an American)
I played an American
I played an American (an American)


Lyrics submitted by Fistan

Tora! Tora! Tora! Lyrics as written by Martin Lee Gore

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Tora! Tora! Tora! song meanings
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16 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    "Tora" = "Tiger" in Japanese. "Tora! Tora! Tora!" was the code signal for the Japanese bombers of Pearl Harbor, during World War II.

    AgentOrenon March 12, 2006   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    In my opinion this song is about deception. I think it is specifically about the potentials and suspicions around Pearl Harbour.(Tora,tora,tora - anonymous attack).

    It is not clear who was the intended benefactor, at Pearl Harbour. There is still controversy about the why of Pearl Harbour.

    Was the Emperor attempting to tip the balance (all leaders hate war, they just want victory, or failur), or was America looking for a way in?

    FrankSzon January 26, 2014   Link
  • +2
    My Opinion

    I believe that this song is about japanese attack on Perl Harbor "From the skies you could almost hear them cry Tora Tora Tora In the town they were going down Tora Tora Tora" I think it's valid proof

    BudofMayon January 17, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    great song !

    xl5ronon June 02, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Martin's first work recorded with Depeche Mode. It's a very interesting introduction that paved the way to a very brilliant career indeed.

    AgenOren paints a very interesting picture of it...

    "I played an American..."

    mopo976on July 07, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Tora also means 'now' in Greek....

    interpolarityon August 13, 2006   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion

    I believe budofmay if correct is in interpretation. Tora! Tora! Tora! was the title of a 1970 film that was a dramatic retelling of the Pearl Harbor attack details including everything in the days that led up to that tragic moment in American history.

    EternalTearsOfSorrowon October 26, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    After "Speak and Spell", Vince Clarke left the band to pursue other musical avenues (Yazoo, Erasure), leaving Martin Gore to handle most of the songwriting duties on DM's album #2, "A Broken Frame"--including this cleverly seductive tune about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, of course, with that hooky chant, "I played an American" at the end...very cool!

    pharmageekon September 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Whoops, my bad...this was on "Speak and Spell"!
    (Please tell me this slip was not one of those "senior moments"--I maybe over 40 now; plus the "midlife crises" are enough to cope with at the moment!! :P )

    pharmageekon September 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It seems so strange that Martin would write a song about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. For some odd reason or other this song really reminds me of an UFO encounter-being analogized to the Pearl Harbor bombing.

    Sozlukon January 15, 2008   Link

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