Guns N' Roses: Civil War Meaning

Song Released: 1993

Civil War Lyrics

What we've got here is failure to communicate.
Some men you just can't reach...
So, you get what we had here last week,
which is the way he wants it!
Well, he gets it!
N' I don't like it any more than you men." *


Look at your young men...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Feb 21st 2013 !⃝

   Civil War means a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country. Gun's N' Roses lyrics talk about how the government tries to hide the wars and say that they are strong, they will make the world as best as it can be. However, war continues to rage on and the nation cannot obtain peace. In his lyrics, he states they killed the man who said "Peace could last forever." Everyday, people try to lead ordinary lives without realizing their are wars going on and how life is short-lived. Gun's N' Roses says the civil wars for freedom and rights are not as good as people think they are. It states, "Look at the shoes your filling
   Look at the blood we're spilling
   Look at the world we're killing
   The way we've always done before." We, humans are killing this world by fighting and never settling our differences, finding acceptance and understanding. "Look in the doubt we've wallowed
   Look at the leaders we've followed
   Look at the lies we've swallowed
   And I don't want to hear no more." He is telling people to not live with the lies anymore, that civil war is very bad unrest that tears the nation apart, and to reflect on how America was "the land of the free and home of the brave." Gun's N' Roses knows that freedom, equal rights, prosperity, etc. can't be bought without blood all the time, but they want to avoid most of the civil wars because they feel the government is responsible somewhat. "My hands are tied
   For all I've seen has changed my mind
   But still the wars go on as the years go by
   With no love of God or human rights
   'Cause all these dreams are swept aside
   By bloody hands of the hypnotized
   Who carry the cross of homicide
   And history bears the scars of our civil wars."
   He is sick of America's self-destruction and how the wars have direct bearings on innocent civilization. Gun's N' Roses believes there's no love because of all the horror he's seen. Some of the lyrics may seem odd/offensive, but according to Amendment 1, Gun's N' Roses has freedom of expression and petition to the government. Besides he's not saying anything that is threatening, only stating the government should do more to protect our nation and what it actually is instead of trying to be proud or hide it.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Oct 3rd 2011 !⃝

   The song is about how as people we fail to get along and due to our shortsighted actions we draw into war.
3. anonymous

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   Nov 3rd 2023 !⃝

   I think that the message behind civil war is how that nothing is changing and that we are living life how we have always done, seen when it says 'the way we've always done before'. We must change our ways!
4. tony

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   Dec 5th 2021 !⃝

   Civil War means a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country. Gun's N' Roses lyrics talk about how the government tries to hide the wars and say that they are strong, they will make the world as best as it can be. However, war continues to rage on and the nation cannot obtain peace. In his lyrics, he states they killed the man who said "Peace could last forever." Everyday, people try to lead ordinary lives without realizing their are wars going on and how life is short-lived. Gun's N' Roses says the civil wars for freedom and rights are not as good as people think they are. It states, "Look at the shoes your filling
   Look at the blood we're spilling
   Look at the world we're killing
   The way we've always done before." We, humans are killing this world by fighting and never settling our differences, finding acceptance and understanding. "Look in the doubt we've wallowed
   Look at the leaders we've followed
   Look at the lies we've swallowed
   And I don't want to hear no more." He is telling people to not live with the lies anymore, that civil war is very bad unrest that tears the nation apart, and to reflect on how America was "the land of the free and home of the brave." Gun's N' Roses knows that freedom, equal rights, prosperity, etc. can't be bought without blood all the time, but they want to avoid most of the civil wars because they feel the government is responsible somewhat. "My hands are tied
   For all I've seen has changed my mind
   But still the wars go on as the years go by
   With no love of God or human rights
   'Cause all these dreams are swept aside
   By bloody hands of the hypnotized
   Who carry the cross of homicide
   And history bears the scars of our civil wars."
   He is sick of America's self-destruction and how the wars have direct bearings on innocent civilization. Gun's N' Roses believes there's no love because of all the horror he's seen. Some of the lyrics may seem odd/offensive, but according to Amendment 1, Gun's N' Roses has freedom of expression and petition to the government. Besides he's not saying anything that is threatening, only stating the government should do more to protect our nation and what it actually is instead of trying to be proud or hide it. Tony
   
   
5. anonymous

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   Aug 19th 2019 !⃝

   I recon its about war and the consequences it had on the world and it almost sounds like the lyrics are trying to prove a point to the government!
6. anonymous

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   Oct 23rd 2012 !⃝

   it is about civil war

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
7. anonymous

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   Mar 18th 2012 !⃝

   The song is about the band how they had their ups and downs "I don't need your civil war" is basically telling you about the bands problems...... I read this in izzy stratlin interview in guitar world

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
8. anonymous

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   Mar 8th 2012 !⃝

   I think that the songs civil war by Guns N' Roses shows the vietnam war will listen to the lyric really careful.
9. anonymous

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   Mar 22nd 2011 !⃝

   I think this song is about how the government hides what civil war really is and how it is really caused.

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