Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Every army needs a battle hymn

I've found the perfect battle hymn for this fight: Metallica's "Don't Tread on Me." Here's an excerpt from the lyrics:
Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail once you provoke her, rattling of her tail never begins it, never, but once engaged... never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage don't tread on me so be it threaten no more to secure peace is to prepare for war so be it settle the score touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore... don't tread on me love it or leave it, she with the deadly bite quick is the blue tongue, forked as a lightning strike shining with brightness, always on surveillance the eyes, they never close, emblem of vigilance don't tread on me
The lyrics borrow heavily from a 1775 essay by Benjamin Frankin, as well as Patrick Henry's famous declaration, "Give me liberty or give me death." The song comes from Metallica's 1991 self-titled album, which also features a coiled snake on the cover.

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