Whisper A Prayer For The Dying [Coverdale/Page featuring Ricky Phillips]

Whisper A Prayer For The Dying
Written by David Coverdale, Jimmy Page
Lead Vocals by David Coverdale

I hear the sound of distant thunder echo all around
I see the tragedy of young ones lying on the ground
I see the fathers' sons and daughters, I hear the mothers crying
Nothing left for me to do, whisper a prayer for the dying

Oh, oh, a prayer for the dying

The suffocating heat of jungles, burning desert sands
Where everything reminds you, you're a stranger in a strange land
The soothing words of politicians, those bodyguards of lies
While guardian angels waste their time and every mother cries

Oh, oh, a prayer for the dying, dying, dying
Oh, oh

Machine gun, battle cry
You pray to God when the bullets fly
The bombs fall like black rain
And all your dreams take you home again
Nothing but bad dreams

You can't read, you can't write
You're so scared, you can't sleep at night
You try to carry the heavy load
Walking down Armageddon road, oh, Armageddon road

I hear the sound of distant thunder echo all around
I see the tragedy of young ones lying on the ground
I see the fathers' sons and daughters, I hear the mothers crying
Nothing left for me to do but whisper a prayer for the dying

Oh, a prayer for the dying, dying
Oh, a prayer for the dying, baby, baby
Oh, a prayer for the dying, dying
Whisper a prayer for the dying, oh

You can't run, you can't hide
You can't show what you feel inside
You're going crazy, going insane
You know you'll never be the same again, no, no

Whisper a prayer for the dying, dying, dying, dying, dying, no, no
Armageddon road, Armageddon road, I'm walking down Armageddon road

Interpretation

Politicians send soldiers to die in wars, whether in the jungles of the Far East or Central America or the desert sands of the Middle East. Mothers are crying for their sons and daughters dying on the other side of the world. The soldiers who may have never prayed before will pray to God when the bullets start flying.  Many are practically still kids, terrified and unable to sleep, feeling like they are going crazy, and they come home suffering from nightmares and post traumatic stress disorder. We all need to whisper a prayer for the dying.