Look at the hate we’re breeding

Look at the fear we’re feeding

Look at the lives we’re leading

The way we’ve always done before

…

Look at the shoes you’re filling

Look at the blood we’re spilling

Look at the world we’re killing

The way we’ve always done before

…

Look in the doubt we’ve wallowed

Look at the leaders we’ve followed

Look at the lies we’ve swallowed

And I don’t want to hear no more

…

And I don’t need your civil war

It feeds the rich, while it buries the poor

You’re power-hungry, sellin’ soldiers in a human grocery store

Excerpts from Civil War, “Use Your Illusion II”, Guns & Roses, 1991

I lacked the experience to understand an album I loved when it was released. Only much later in life did I pay attention to the lyrics and artists’ intent.