Victory

Victory
Written by Lawrence Gowan

You came along, with a power all could envy
Held your head high, even though your eyes were empty
You swept all aside
And gazed down with pride

Mercy
I see their faces in the night crying
Mercy
But you never see

Victory
I’ve got to feel that you’re a part of me
I want to let you take my destiny
Because I’ve got to carry on

Victory
Your Mighty Death Machine is all I see
And though you never tasted sweet to me
I know you’ve got to carry on

I ride along, like a never ending story
Oh, but all I’ve got, are just promises of glory
You conquered so well
And laughed as I fell

Help me
I hear their voices crying in the night
Help me
But you never hear

Victory
I’ve got to feel that you’re a part of me
I want to let you take my destiny
Because I’ve got to carry on

Victory
Your Mighty Death Machine is all I see
And though you never tasted sweet to me
I know you’ve got to carry on
Ooh, you've got to carry on

Oh, Victory
Your Mighty Death Machine is all I see
And now I feel it's running over me
But you’ve just got to carry on, and on, and on

Oh!
I know you've got to carry on
Oh I know you’ve got to carry on
But you’ve just got to carry on, on, on

Victory
Oh, victory
You've got to carry on
Mmm, you've got to carry on
Oh, yeah

Oh, Victory!

Interpretation

As a soldier in an army, or even a citizen back home, when your country is at war, that war becomes a part of you as well.  The power required to achieve victory can lead to pride, and the pain inflicted on the enemy necessitates a sense of detachment ("your eyes were empty") to ward away crippling guilt and sorrow.  As individuals, many of us can't help but see the "faces in the night crying" while "you never see."  We are promised glory, but there is a cost in lives, even our own ("you conquered so well and laughed as I fell").