Iced Earth - The Glorious Burden lyrics
Tracks 01. The Star-Spangled Banner
02. Declaration Day 03. When the Eagle Cries 04. The Reckoning [Don't Tread on Me] 05. Greenface 06. Attila 07. Red Baron/Blue Max 08. Hollow Man 09. Valley Forge 10. Waterloo 11. When the Eagle Cries 12. The Devil to Pay 13. Hold at All Costs 14. High Water Mark 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" |