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Iced Earth - The Glorious Burden lyrics



Tracks



01. The Star-Spangled Banner

Instrumental

02. Declaration Day

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
desperate situation
Forced to retaliation
The task ahead, a burden
Men will suffer, that's for certain
We'll charge into the fire
The cause, we must inspire
We raise our fist to tyranny
A high price, Freedom is not free

The odds are stacked against us
But with our resolve relentless
And arrogance their Weakness
Our cause is just, we won't be beaten
Upon this declaration
Will come a brand new nation
Where men are seen as equal
Governed by and for the people

So we make our stand and pray
On this declaration day
For independence I will fight

With liberty I will defy
So we make our stand and pray
On this declaration day
Give me liberty or give me death
I'll fight 'till my last breath

With virtue as our beacon
Our cause is charged as treason
Battle worn and starving
Through the hell of war we'll keep marching
The birth of our new nation
An act of desperation
We'll force king George down o his knees
Capitulation

So we make our stand and pray
On this declaration day
For independence I will fight

03. When the Eagle Cries

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Another day, just like any other
out of the blue, it turned to horror
How could they? Why would they?
The innocents suffered hell's inferno
An senseless act that goes unforgotten
How could they? They will pay.

When the Eagle Cries (5x)

Out of the ashes came a tempted vengeance,
but we are focused, we seek redemption
we are free, we'll stay free
All they've done, is make us stronger
The sleeping giant, is asleep no longer
If need be, we'll die free

When the Eagle Cries (blood will flow)
When the Eagle Cries (for freedom's fight)
When the Eagle Cries (we love us all)
When the Eagle Cries (we'll sacrifice)
When the Eagle Cries

When the Eagle Cries (blood will flow)
When the Eagle Cries they made us stronger (for freedoms fight)
When the Eagle Cries we'll sacrifice (we love us all)
When the Eagle Cries for freedom's fight (we'll sacrifice)
When the Eagle Cries

04. The Reckoning [Don't Tread on Me]

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Destiny spawned us, it's the reckoning
This time it's our blood, don't tread on me
Revenge is not justice, it's the reckoning
This time it's our blood, yeah don't tread on me

You went too far this time, for this heinous crime
You will know defeat, begging on your knees
One by one you'll fall, your back against the wall
Nowhere to turn, your sure to burn

Destiny spawned us, it's the reckoning
This time it's our blood, don't tread on me

The hours close at hand, I'll make my final stand
Justice shall be done, nowhere to run
True evil grows in you, you're just a brainwashed fool
The coward close that hides, spewing forth his lies

Revenge is not justice, it's the reckoning
This time it's our blood, yeah don't tread on me

Born of destruction, bred in agony
Is this my salvation?
From these ashes of your devastation
If it was up to me, eye for an eye I say
With a hammer we will take, Lady Justice is asleep
The Judgement has been made, in blood it shall be paid
Death knows what to do, the horseman comes for you.

Destiny spawned us, it's the reckoning
This time it's our blood, don't tread on me
Revenge is not justice, it's the reckoning
This time it's our blood, yeah don't tread on me

05. Greenface

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
A warrior down to the depths of my soul
I terrorize evil that's out of control
On land, in the air, at sea
On danger I feed
My warpaint, the last thing my enemies see
Their teeth and their ears are trophies for me
On land, in the air, at sea
I'll be where the metal meets the meat
Greenface
Greenface
Lagoons deep in jungles are home for me
The desert nor mountains, they can't hide from me
On land, in the air, at sea
I'll be where the metal meets the meat
Greenface
Greenface

06. Attila

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
He's ruled them for 20 years
And ravaged as their king
Conquest burns in his eyes
And ice shoots through his veins
Their leader's new ambition lies
Farther to the west
The empire that he seeks
The farther to the rest
Attila wants to take his place
Like the impetuous son
To make the entire world bow
To the kingdom of the huns

Alliance has been made
With many others clns
Frank and Vandal forces
Held within his hand
And by Attila's hand it's said
His brother met with death
To make his rule his legacy
He did his awful best
Ethele and Etzell
By many names he's known
But "scourge of god" is the one
That rings the darkest tone

Hell awaits behind gaul's gates
The roman's stand only to fall
They will die by his sword
The barbarian Lord
Attila hear's victory call

(Huns)
Path of fire and plunder
Cities burn and crumble
Attila's fate beckons
He will come to conquer

(Romans)
Archers stand at ready
Centurions all together
Keep to your lines
And the mongol's sure to falter

(Huns)
We will surely break them
We will overtake them
Fight till our deaths
Or the christians devastation

(Romans)
They won't overthrow us
God Will stand before us
Show us the path to the huns destruction

Sing to the sky, the battle cry
To propagate their fears
As terror is the weapon drawn
When battle has drawn near
And so the conflict is at hand
The gauntlet has been thrown
Contempt for the christian reign
This poison seed now sewn
And if by chance all is lost
Cut down by roman steel
We'll suffer not as others have
Broken mind nor broken will

Hell awaits behind gaul's gates
The roman's stand only to fall
They will die by his sword
The barbarian Lord
Attila hear's victory call

07. Red Baron/Blue Max

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
The son of a major, Prussian nobleman
His name bestowed by a holy Roman
The war broke out, and looked to the air
24 hours of training he was there

100 miles an hour, top speed his plane would fly
and if he flew behind you, you know you're sure to die
Eighty kills, that are confirmed
While other pilots have so much more to learn

Red Baron! Blue Max! The albatross flies high
Red Baron! Blue Max! He's got you in his sights

The Red-Battle Flyer
Roll right fire
He sees no faces
The ace of aces

His British quarry flew a reckless flight
A shot from the ground took the red baron's life
He flew with honor, he flew with pride
In 1918, The battle flyer died

The red baron...Blue max!
The albatross flies high
The red baron...Blue max!
He's got you in his sight!

08. Hollow Man

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Emptiness consuming me
Head in hands, I can hardly speak
looking for solitude, Lost in humanity
True knowledge leads to suffering
A constant quest an endless dream
Searching for inner peace, hidden so deep in me

Don't wanna be a hollow man
Ain't gonna be the hollow man
Don't wanna be a hollow man
Ain't gonna be the hollow man

Sadness comes knocking constantly
Filling up my eyes, for all to see
Peace will come some day, I pray that it finds a way
Darkness caressing my mind and soul
My spirits rejecting, I'm feeling whole
Emptiness goes away, fills with the light of day

Don't wanna be a hollow man
Ain't gonna be the hollow man
Don't wanna be a hollow man
Ain't gonna be the hollow man

I rise up like the pheonix from the ashes of an older way
With wisdom gained, I turn away, I turned away
Hollow man, find yourself some other Plan

Don't wanna be a hollow man Ain't gonna be the hollow man
Don't wanna be a hollow man
Ain't gonna be the hollow man

09. Valley Forge

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Close your eyes and imagine
the soldier at Valley Forge
The suffering that he endured was real
starvation, total war.
Yet in has eyes the iron will to win
and for the cause, he won't relent

Would he look upon us now in anger and disgust
His politics a birthright and our creed
Will we let ignorance and laziness bring our demise
Complacency, we're blinded by our greed

Standing barefoot, frozen bloody hands
his musket clutched, an iron grip
and for the cause, he has but one regret,
he's only got one life to give

Would he look upon us now in anger and disgust
His politics a birthright and our creed
Will we let ignorance and laziness bring our demise
Complacency, we're blinded by our greed

It's time for us, to open up our eyes,
and cherish the lives we all can have
and to the ones who kept our freedom free
words can't express all that you've done

Would he look upon us now in anger and disgust
His politics a birthright and our creed
Will we let ignorance and laziness bring our demise
Complacency, we're blinded by our greed

10. Waterloo

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Usher in the rally cries
Revolution's here again
The emperor's bond's are broken
And free he shall remain

Escape, though narrow, Was demand
While his reign remained in view
This fight for France, Till bitter end
He must see it Through

Coalition forms of many lands
Against Napoleon, West to East
Dogs of war will take to arms
And soon will be unleashed

Prussian, Russian, Austrian
All follow British lead
At allies' helm is Wellington
Who must make his Foe concede

Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be force to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...And you will see your hundred days
Come to an end
Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...It lies before you, fate shall befall you

Quickly, the allies gather force
Near the Franco-Belgian line
While 124,000 French
March there in double time

As the battle begins
Napoleon springs his audacious plan
He'll attack them on two fronts
Splitting up his warring Band

As the Prussians sound retreat
Behind they leave 12,000 slain
Most of their force is still in tact
And will live to fight again

Wellington, Who felt the loss of 5,000 men
Would feel more under cannon fire
Bombardment from the French

Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be force to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...And you will see your hundred days
Come to an end
Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...It lies before you, fate shall befall you

Of all the wars I have waged
To propel my nations might
For this I'll be remembered
From now 'till the end of time
If to the victor go the spoils
I may die an impoverished man
For in the end, Irony
Has dealt the cruelest hand

The French Force was swift and sure
but their attack would be repelled.
And though their center battered
the Anglo-Dutch line would be held.

As fate or skill would have it
an army moves in from the east.
The Prussians who slipped out of his hands
would soon spell his defeat.

The French lines now are broken
and being open to attack.
The Emperor has no choice
and the Old Guard pulls him back

There were 45,000 wounded or dead
when the fight was finally through
On a three square mile battlefield
at a town called Waterloo.

Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be force to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...And you will see your hundred days
Come to an end
Foreshadowed man of destiny
Soon you will be forced to see
Nations aligning against you
Marking the time your reign is through
...It lies before you, fate shall befall you

11. When the Eagle Cries

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Another day, just like any other
out of the blue, it turned to horror
How could they? Why would they?
The innocents suffered hell's inferno
An senseless act that goes unforgotten
How could they? They will pay.

When the Eagle Cries (5x)

Out of the ashes came a tempted vengeance,
but we are focused, we seek redemption
we are free, we'll stay free
All they've done, is make us stronger
The sleeping giant, is asleep no longer
If need be, we'll die free

When the Eagle Cries (blood will flow)
When the Eagle Cries (for freedom's fight)
When the Eagle Cries (we love us all)
When the Eagle Cries (we'll sacrifice)
When the Eagle Cries

When the Eagle Cries (blood will flow)
When the Eagle Cries they made us stronger (for freedoms fight)
When the Eagle Cries we'll sacrifice (we love us all)
When the Eagle Cries for freedom's fight (we'll sacrifice)
When the Eagle Cries

12. The Devil to Pay

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
In July 1863
A nation torn in tragedy
A trick of fate,Two great armies merge
Gods of war at Gettysburg
Devastation lies ahead
50,000 bodies litter the land
Hell rages three full days
The reaper sows, there's the devil to pay

The pressure's on and the reb's attack
The yanks must hold, They can't fall back
Just two brigades, 2000 strong
Against 20,000 they can't hold long

General Reynolds makes his way
Expect no mercy from the iron brigade
Until he shows they're on their own
But Buford's men have a will of stone

Bayonets gleam in the moorning sun
Smoke and fire belching from their guns
Another volley and again they strike
Thousands more comin' down the Chambersbourg pike

This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
"The reaper has his way"
Men will kill, Blood will spill
To preserve the nation
"There's the devil to pay"

South of town down the Emmitsburg road
The first corps are starting to show
For Buford's men, They're here just in time
The desperate need to strenghthen the line

Bodies dropping the blue and the grey
Muskets fire and cannon blaze
The union fights defending the town
But they're outnumbered and losing ground

From the north and the west more rebels arrive
Thousands more and the fight multiplies
McPhearson's ridge and the black hats strike
A rebel sharpshooter takes Reynolds life

This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
"The reaper has his way"
Men will kill, Blood will spill
To preserve the nation
"There's the devil to pay"

Attack! Attack! General Lee gives command
They're overwhelmed, The situation demands
The federals retreat and rush out of town
But they have fortified and saved the high ground

The day ends in victory for the south
Lee's as convinced as god's will is profound
They are invincible and their cause is just
But Longstreet is cautious and lacking in trust

Across the way the union digs in
The round tops, cemetary ridge and out to culps hill
Their lines are strong, No denying they'll stay
When the confederates strike
There'll be the devil to pay!

This tragedy and what it brings
All the devastation
"The reaper has his way"
Men will kill, Blood will spill
To preserve the nation
"There's the devil to pay"

13. Hold at All Costs

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Just a mile or so away
Is my dearest friend in this world.
He wears the Blue and I the Grey
And god it hurts me so
The last time we were together I grabbed his hand and I pledged
If I ever draw my sword on you may the good lord strike me dead

The union flank's in trouble
To the round top on the double
A bad decision, insubordination
Exposed our line in a dangerous way

The burden lies upon us
Surrender is not an option
We are the flank, and if we break, the union crumbles we could lose the war

Down below's the carnage
The rebels charging onward
Push the slaughter forward, the peach orchard.
Through the wheat field and devil's den

The valour of the Texans
And Alabama's best men
They're Unrelenting
And Devastating
The last full measure of devotion's clear

We'll know what we're made of.
When up against all odds we hold our line
For the cause that we so love
We must hold at all cost
We'll know what we're made of
When our nation needs us
We'll stay the course, for the union we so love
We must hold at all costs!

Wave after wave, they are coming
Their power must be waning!
We're out of ammo, we can't fall back, no !
A desperate measure, a means to end

On their next wave we charge at them
There is no other option
Disconcert them, force submission, on my command, fix bayonets!

We'll know what we're made of.
When up against all odds we hold our line
For the cause that we so love
We must hold at all cost
We'll know what we're made of
When our nation needs us
We'll stay the course, for the union we so love
We must hold at all costs!

We'll know what we're made of
The burden lies with us
When up against al odds we hold our line
We can't fail
For the cause that we so love
We must hold at all costs
We'll know what we're made of
With courage in our hearts
When our nation needs us, We'll stay the course
We won't fail
For the union we so love
We must hold at all cost!!

14. High Water Mark

Music & lyrics by Schaffer
Lee:
"It was very close, yesterday,
I thought for sure, they would break
But this attack, that I have planned
A massive strike across open land
In the center, they will break (will they break?)
But plan it well, everything's at stake
We'll hit em hard, not a silent gun.
Before the infantry's begun"

"Execute it well, we risk everything"
"It's in Gods hands now"

Longstreet:
"General Lee, I must tell you straight
I beleive this attack will fail.
No 15,000 men ever made,
Will overtake that ridge today
A mile charge over open ground,
With yankee cannon gunnin' us down"

Lee:
"We do our duty, we do what we must
And in my plan, you will trust"

(Thousands die, On this day)

"Execute it well, we risk everything"
"It's in Gods hands now"

The rebel cannon break the silence
One hundred fifty guns make up their cannonade

They must destroy the union center
Before the infantry can launch their grand assult

The yankees are returning fire
(The earth shakes violently)
In Washington D.C. Lincoln feels the earth shake

What happens here this day
The fate of this nation
In the balance it will hang
Consumed with the pain
The courage of the blue
The valour of the grey
So very sad but true
Consumed with the pain

The virginians are the chosen
In wait behind the trees on Seminary Ridge

Longstreet's slow to give the orders
The lines emerged a mile, 15,000 men

The charge begins in all its granduer
(To the copse of trees)
For many of these men, they know it is their last

The slaughter now ensues
Bodies fall like rain
They valiantly pursue
Yet doomed to remain
At the double quick they charge
The canister rips through them
To the mouth of hell they march
Glory, the only gain

[Cannon Scene]

Armistead:
"We're almost there my boys
I've never served with finer
We must push forward boys
And bayonet the yankee tyrants
To the copse of trees we charge
To crush the union center
And when they turn and run
An open road leads us to freedom"

[Battle Ensues, Orchestra Solo, With people dying in the background]

Lee:
"It's over now we are retreating
I never thought that we'd be beaten
All this blood is on my hands
The thousands dead due to my plan
I am responsible, all of it is my fault
I thought us invincible
Is this gods will, after all?
I look across this blood soaked land
All this blood is on my hands
God forgive me, please forgive me
It's all my fault, the blood is on my hands"