The Island

1. They say the skies of Lebanon are burning
Those mighty cedars bleedin' in the heat
They're showing pictures on the television
Women and children dying in the street
And we're still at it in our own place
Still tryin' to reach the future through the past
Still tryin' to carve tomorrow from a tombstone...

[Chorus:]
But Hey! Don't listen to me! this
wasn't meant to be no sad song
We've heard too much of that before
Right now I only want to be here with you
'Till the morning dew comes falling And I
wanna take you to the island
Trace your footprints in the sand
And in the evening when the sun goes down
We'll make love to the sound of the ocean.

2. They're raising banners over by the markets
Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls
Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown
No way our holy flag is gonna' fall
Up here we sacrifice our children
To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday
And teach them dying will lead us into glory...

[Chorus]

[Coda:]
Now I know us plain folks don't see all the story
And I know this peace and love's just copping out
And I guess these young boys dying in the ditches
Is just what being free is all about
And how this twisted wreckage down on main street
Will bring us all together in the end
And we'll go marching down the road to freedom... Freedom... Freedom.