Lost Brotherhood [Lawrence Gowan]

Lost Brotherhood
Written by Lawrence Gowan
Lead Vocals by Lawrence Gowan

On their street, on their strip
No one's ever free from their grip
You were weak, they were strong
An offer of security, a place to belong
Every now and then you'd hear a siren scream
Not exactly something from your mother's dream

They made plans, they made deals
Marked with their indelible seal
Every day, every night
You feel their mission about to ignite
Never could convince yourself there's nothing there
Now the holy face of terror is the one you wear

Another member of the lost brotherhood
You stumbled in the wrong neighborhood
Swore you'd never become one
Now you find that you're one for good

No escape, no choice
Lost your self to the power of their voice
You don't hear, you don't see
Your mind's a blank and you
Let it all be
Once upon a time I knew another you

Something must have happened
Cause they've broken through
They're your blood, they're your kin
They're in your soul like original sin
You've got them, they've got you
And nothing's ever going to come between the two
Ain't it so ironic how it all works out
Isn't this what brotherhood
Is all about?

Another member of the lost brotherhood
You stumbled in the wrong neighborhood
Swore you'd never become one
Now you find that you're one for good

Interpretation

Street gangs recruit members when they are young, offering security and belonging in a chaotic world. Before long you hear the sirens of the police cars. You never planned to join, but you end up committed for life, buying into the lies of the leaders. 

What happened? I knew you before all this, but now you talk like they are your family, like they are your own flesh and blood.  Just like original sin (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12-21), you are corrupted by the sin of this brotherhood, and you are lost.