The Holy War

[Intro — oud / hand percussion / deep bass]
[Verse 1 — Male vocal]
They left before the morning came,
a suitcase, a photograph, a name.
Behind them smoke was rising,
and nobody explained why.
A child looked back toward the houses.
His mother held his hand.
Somewhere beyond the railway,
another family ran.
[Chorus]
They call it a holy war,
they call it destiny.
They draw a line across the earth
and say, “This belongs to me.”
They raise their hands toward heaven,
then turn them into guns.
How many names can we give to God
before we remember we're one?
[Instrumental — oud / percussion / bass / electric guitar]
[Verse 2]
An old man prayed inside a church.
Across the street, another man prayed too.
Both carried photographs
of someone they had lost.
One spoke about his homeland.
The other spoke of his faith.
And somewhere behind a desk,
another border changed its shape.
[Chorus]
They call it a holy war,
they call it destiny.
They draw a line across the earth
and say, “This belongs to me.”
They raise their hands toward heaven,
then turn them into guns.
How many names can we give to God
before we remember we're one?
[Instrumental — extended]
[Female vocal]
What if the child across the river
has the same fear inside his eyes?
[Male vocal]
What if the land we fight to own
will still be here when we are gone?
[Instrumental — oud / violin / percussion]
[Verse 3]
I don't know where the first line started.
I don't know who was first betrayed.
I only know that every generation
can add another stone to the grave.
And underneath the flags and slogans,
people are still trying to live.
A woman opens up her doorway
and asks a stranger what he needs.
[Final Chorus]
They call it a holy war,
they call it destiny.
They draw a line across the earth
and say, “This belongs to me.”
They raise their hands toward heaven,
then turn them into guns.
How many names can we give to God
before we remember we're one?
[Outro — Female vocal, almost whispered]
The earth remembers every name.
The earth remains.