The 9-11 attacks obviously had his influence on musicians. Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Green Day and Neil Young wrote lyrics relating to the event, the impact it had on people and / or about the political situation in the USA in the last couple of years.

REM released a record last year, Around the Sun, which seems to deal with post 9-11 america. Often in a very subdued, subtle, indirect way, but some songs are very direct about the subject. Theres especially one lyric that is really striking in my opinion, the song is called I wanted to be wrong.

It is sung from the point of view of a person who doesnt understand what is happening in his country at this moment, thinking the president doesnt represent his views and ideals (the 'Mad Man shouting in the streets' in the title is obviously George W. Bush).

The lyric works so strong in my opinion because it puts emphasis on the contrast between all the 'so called' great, wonderfull things america have brought to the world, with the view of a american not understanding and comprehensing what is going on. A person who is opening his eyes, understanding the 'american dream' isnt all shining and great.

Heres the lyrics:

You know where I come from
You know what I feel
You're Yul Brenner Westworld
Reporting from the field.
I threw it into reverse,
Made a motion to repeal.
You kicked my legs from under me,
And tried to take the wheel.

I told you I wanted to be wrong,
But everyone is humming a song
That I don't understand.

Now I know that the sun has shined on my side of the street.
The basket of America, the weevils and the wheat.
The milk and honeyed congregation, scrubbed and apple-cheeked
Salute Apollo 13 from the rattle jewelry seats.

Mythology's seductive and it turned a trick on me
That I have just begun to understand.

I told you I wanted to be wrong,
But everyone is humming a song
That I don't understand.

The rodeo is staged, gold circle goat-ropers and clowns.
A rumble in the third act, tie 'em up and burn 'em down.
We're armed to the teeth, born a little breech;
Blue-plate special analysts, cells and SUV's

We can't approach the Allies 'cause they seem a little peeved
And speak a language we don't understand.

I told you I wanted to be wrong
But everyone is humming a song
That I don't understand.

Storm into the boardroom of the conquering elite.
Did you recognize the madman who is shouting in the streets?
Destroy the things that I don't understand
Destroy the things that I don't understand.

You have any examples of great (subjectieve view of course) post 9-11 lyrics?

When you cast your eyes upon the skylines of this ...
Once proud nation
Can you sense the fear and the hatred
Growing in the hearts of it's population?

And our youth, oh youth, are being seduced
By the greedy hands of politics and half truths

The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Reared on a diet of prejudice and misinformation
The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Open your eyes, open your imagination

We're being sedated by the gasoline fumes
And hypnotised by the satellites
Into believing what is good and what is right

You may be worshipping the temples of mammon
Or lost in the prisons of religion
But can you still walk back to happiness
When you've nowhere left to run?

If they send in the special police
To deliver us from evil and keep us from peace

Then won't the words sit ill upon their tongues
When they tell us justice is being done
That freedom lives in the barrels of a warm gun?

The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Reared on a diet of prejudice and misinformation
The beaten generation, the beaten generation
Open your eyes, open your imagination


The The (1989)

yeah, The Final Straw, from the same REM album is a great track too.

lilgish said:

I thought this thread asked for post 9-11 lyrics.

sextonseven said:

I cheated :

Riverpoet31 said:

Sleater-Kinney - "Combat Rock" (2002)

They tell us there are only two sides to be on
If you are on our side you're right if not you're wrong
But are we innocent, paragons of good?
Is our guilt erased by the pain that we've endured?
Hey look it's time to pledge allegiance
Oh god I love my dirty Uncle Sam
Our country's marching to the beat now
And we must learn to step in time
Where is the questioning where is the protest song?
Since when is skepticism un-American?
Dissent's not treason but they talk like it's the same
Those who disagree are afraid to show their face
Let's break out our old machines now
It sure is good to see them run again
Oh gentlemen start your engines
And we know where we get the oil from
Are you feeling alright now
Paint myself all red white blue
Are you singing let's fight now
Innocent people die, uh oh
There are reasons to unite
Is this why we unite?
If you hate this time
Remember we are the time!
Show you love your country go out and spend some cash
Red white blue hot pants doing it for Uncle Sam
Flex our muscles show them we're stronger than the rest
Raise your hands up baby are you sure that we're the best?
We'll come out with our fists raised
The good old boys are back on top again
And if we let them lead us blindly
The past becomes the future once again

Fleetwood Mac/Illume (9-11)

Illume says the candle that I burn
A reflection in the window
All the way to Point Dune
Illume-like it dances
I am a cliff dweller
From the old school

I like the coastal cities
I like the lights...
I like the way the ocean blends
Into the city at night
Like living on a working river
This coastline is glittering
Like a diamond snake
In a black sky

I'm alone now
With my thoughts
Of how we could make it
Of how we could get out
What we've been through
All of the trauma
The smell of Nag Champra
Shadow of a stranger

I will not take you for granted
I wouldn't trade you for jade
Or for diamonds
Not for one minute
Not for anything
I need you to be there
Just remember when I am haunted
That I was just so scared

I'm alone now
With my thoughts
Of how we could make it
Of how we could get out
What we've been through
All of the trauma
The smell of Nag Champra
Shadows of a stranger

What I saw on this journey
I saw history go down
I cannot pretend
That the heartache falls away
It's just like a river
Ooh, it's never ending
I cannot pretend
That the heartache falls away

Because it's just like a river
It's never ending
It's just like a river
It's never ending

I'm alone now
With my thoughts
Of how we could make it
How we could get out
What we've been through
And all of the trauma
The smell of Nag Champra
Shadow of a stranger
...

11. Made For Tv Movie - (3:37)
I heard a word from 'on high'
glare like a light in the sky
it said, "quit blowing each other up"
voicing so crystaline clear
something's unclean in your ear
when only blood fills your cup

Hello, I'm trying to focus
but my eyes decieve me, yeah
focus, I'm witnessing history repeating

It fell like a tear from my eye
flying machine so up high
well, there goes the neighborhood
a scene set to singe innocence
upheave, unhinge, and pit against
like every made for tv movie should

Hello, I'm trying to focus
but my eyes decieve me, yeah
focus, I'm witnessing history repeating

Focus, focus, focus
focus! (I can see now)
focus! (I can see now)
focus! (I can see now)

We are, we know, we see, we think for you
the who, the what, the when, the where, the why
we build your young, we built you too, we see you all

Hello, I'm trying to focus
but my eyes decieve me, yeah
focus, I'm witnessing history repeating

. Megalomaniac - (4:54)
I hear you on the radio
you permeate my screen, it's unkind but
if I met you in a scissor fight
I'd cut off both your wings on principle alone
on principle alone

Hey megalomaniac
you're no Jesus
yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
and step down, step down, step down

If I were your appendages
I'd hold open your eyes so you would see
that all of us are heaven sent
and there was never meant to be only one
to be only one

Hey megalomaniac
you're no Jesus
yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
and step down, step down, step down

Step down, step down
ooh, step down

Yeah
you're, you're, you're
you're no Jesus
you're not Elvis
you're no Jesus
you're no Jesus
you're no Elvis
you're no answer

Step down, step down
step down, step down, hey, hey

Hey megalomaniac
you're no Jesus
yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
and step down, step, step down
step down, oh step down
oh, step down, step down

Sleater-kinney - "Far Away"

7:30 am nurse the baby on the couch
then the phone rings
"Turn on the T.V."
watch the world explode in flames
and don't leave the house
And the sky overhead
is silent, waiting
Clear blue holds its breath
And the heart is hit
in a city far away
but it feels so close
Don't breathe the air today
Don't speak of why you're afraid
(Standing here on a one way road
and I fall down,
no other direction for this to go
so we fall down)
WHY CAN'T I GET ALONG WITH YOU?
And the president hides
while working men rush in
To give their lives
I look to the sky
and ask it not to rain
On my family tonight

...I'm no judge of great lyrics, but this is my favorite post 9-11 tune...