Stories from an Empty Classroom

Caught in the Crossfire

Lyrics:

(1) He'd trade his guns for love
But he's caught in the crossfire
And he keeps wakin' up
But it's not to the sound of birds
(5) The tyranny, the violent streets
Deprived of all that we're blessed with
And we can't get enough, no

Heaven if you sent us down
So we could build a playground
(10) For the sinners to play as saints
You'd be so proud of what we've made
I hope you got some beds around
'Cause you're the only refuge now
For every mother, every child, every brother
(15) That's caught in the crossfire
That's caught in the crossfire

I'd trade my luck to know
Why he's caught in the crossfire
And I'm here wakin' up
(20) To the sun and the sound of birds
Society's anxiety
Deprived of all that we're blessed with
We just can't get enough, no!

Heaven if you sent us down
(25) So we could build a playground
For the sinners to play as saints
You'd be so proud of what we've made
I hope you got some beds around
'Cause you're the only refuge now
(30)For every mother, every child, every brother
That's caught in the crossfire!
That's caught in the crossfire!

Can I trust what I'm given?
When faith still needs a gun
(35) Whose ammunition justifies the wrong?
And I can't see from the backseat
So I'm asking from above
Can I trust what I'm given, even when it cuts?

So Heaven if you sent us down
(40) So we could build a playground
For the sinners to play as saints
You'd be so proud of what we made
I hope you got some beds around
'Cause you're the only refuge now
(45) For every mother, every child, every brother
That's caught in the crossfire!
Who's caught in the crossfire
Who's caught in the crossfire
(Who's caught in the crossfire, baby baby)
(50) Who's caught on the cross

The phrase 'Caught in the crossfire' is used everywhere (In songs, by the police, on TV), and generally has several different meanings. The literal one being more of an image than a set of words (Imagine two parties are in a gunfight across from each other. Now imagine someone is walking through that. They could either be Kryptonian, Captain America, or, 'caught in the crossfire.') The meaning used here is that innocent people are being punished for someone else's bad deeds. Sinners, in this case, are acting high and mighty while the rest of us are being punished for it ('For the sinners to play as saints'). Stephen is saying two things here. 1- The blood is on the hands of Heaven, and 2- Heaven better prepare for all the young and righteous that will flood its gates ('Hope you've got some beds around').

The word 'playground' refers to the earth in a gruesome way, actually. A playground, in a general way, is used to describe a set of equipment that children play on, typically outside unless you're at McDonald's (I'm sorry, someone's eating McDonald's French Fries in here and now That's the only thing on my mind). As the song is referring to sinners, as in murderers and thieves, the fact that Stephen refers to the world as a playground for them is a truly horrible thing.

Leading off from the playground, Stephen says 'You'd be so proud of what we made,' which can be taken to mean several different things. one being that Heaven is so horrible that it would be delighted when presented with the world and its people. The other being that the world is so horrible that we've done our job correctly. Granted, the two do tie into each other in a way that suggests that the world is a messed up place but they are different in the sarcasm factor. The word 'proud' is used and, to me at least, unclear whether or not it's used sarcastically, therefor nulling any determination we can derive from the meaning.

Another truly gruesome factor is the set of lines 33-38. Not only is it gruesome, but it's very controversial (I believe it rests on the liberal side but you can decide that for yourself.) in the sense of asking where justice comes from? Who gets to decide what justice is? Why should I trust it when it preaches peace and yet, continues to incite violence. Overall the entire verse is pointing a finger directly at society, saying that it should probably get its act together.

The song refers to Heaven in a personified way, as if deliberately avoiding using the term 'God.' I would assume that Stephen is denying the existence of a god, at least one that rules over heaven in the way biblical scripture suggests. I find that it works with this song in a way that many would find weird. Stephen is not using this song as a warning or praise, he's using it as a curse. I find that cursing a place or object is far easier than cursing a person. We call school 'hell,' we call the desert 'Tartarus,' we say things are 'spicy as hell.' On the flip side of that, we say other things 'taste like heaven' or that girl over there 'is as beautiful as Aphrodite' or that one comfy chair in the back of your library is your 'personal nirvana.' I mean sure, it's easy to call the girl who slapped you last week a bitch, however, I don't know about you but I wouldn't call Zeus a whore to his face, no matter how true it is. It is likely the same thing here, it is easier to curse a place than a god who people have shoved in your face as powerful and wrathful, someone who you wouldn't like to incite the wrath of.

If you did watch the video that I linked (which you should probably do) it also gives way to the controversy of the song. All together, the song is asking for help. That's not the reason I like it, though. Call me shallow if you want, but I find comfort in the music itself, the lyrics are just a bonus to me.