The Cure: Killing an Arab Meaning

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Album cover for Killing an Arab album cover

Song Released: 1978

Killing an Arab Lyrics

Standing on the beach
With a gun in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring down the barrel
At the arab on the ground
I can see his open mouth
But I hear no sound
I’m alive
I’m dead
I’m the stranger
Killing an arab

I...

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Modlovecat
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Jul 16th 2005 !⃝
Inspired by Albert Camus' book The Stranger (also known as The Outsider). It is not a racist song, but still caused a lot of controversy because many people assumed it was due to the title. The book deals with existentialism, and the title "Killing An Arab" was taken from a passage where the main character thinks about the emptiness of life after killing a man on a beach.
anonymous
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Oct 10th 2019 !⃝
In my opinion: This is about his rant against his girlfriend at the time, this felt as killing afterwards. She is dark, therefore he mentions her an Arab.
See also Fire in Cairo, about the 'fire' between them. It is about the woman he is is still with.
It is the phenomenon that one can 'kill' the one he of she loves the most, because one is afraid for the real love.

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