Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition by Serj Tankian Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Complex Tapestry of Modern Existentialism

Lyrics

Come lay it down, (won’t you)
Come burn it down (can’t you)
Lay it down, (the guns) above the ground (won’t you)

Lay it down (won’t you)
Burn it down (can’t you)
Lay it down, (the guns) above the ground (won’t you)

Nlelith is a prophet
From the prophet came the king
From the king came the pauper
From the pauper came the swing
From the swing came creation
From creation came love
You don’t know what this love is all about

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Life-affirming and our spiritual trust

Lay it down (won’t you)
Burn it down (can’t you)
Lay it down, (the guns) above the ground (won’t you)

Nlelith is a prophet
From the prophet came the king
From the king came the pauper
From the pauper came the swing
From the swing came creation
From creation came love
You don’t know what this love is all about

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

Buddha, Mohammad and the Hindu
Lost 100

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
People still ask, “when will armageddon begin?”

Dragging my feet any longer through the pussy litter
Dragging my feet any longer through the pussy litter
Dragging my feet any longer through the pussy litter

Nlelith is a prophet
From the prophet came the king
From the king came the pauper
From the pauper came the swing
From the swing came creation
From creation came love
You don’t know what this love is all about

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise, praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

Do we ever have enough?
When we see that blue dove
Do we ever have enough?
When we see that blue dove
We want to go where no one’s been
No one’s been

Come lay it down, (won’t you)
Come burn it down (can’t you)
Lay it down, (the guns) above the ground

(Yeah)

In a landscape brimming with lyrical content, there emerges a song both gripping and mysterious in its composition. Serj Tankian, known for his potent lyrical craft and roles in revolutionary music movements, presents ‘Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition’, a title that incites both curiosity and contemplation. The song is a parade of paradoxes, tying together solemnity and criticism, a call to action blending with a call to spiritual reverence.

At the heart of Tankian’s articulate scream into the void lies a profound dissection of our contemporary human condition—a condition riddled with conflict, spirituality, and a perpetual quest for meaning in the chaotic ballet of existence. Through the intricate layering of metaphor and an unmistakable plea for disarmament, Tankian challenges listeners to decode his verses while confronting the stark truths they unravel.

The Prophet’s Cycle: Decoding Nlelith and Historical Echoes

Centric to the song is the figure ‘Nlelith’, a cryptic prophet set at the foundation of a cyclical tale. From prophet to king, pauper to swing, Serj spins a narrative web that mirrors the grand cycles of history and social hierarchy. Tankian asks us to consider the equilibrium of creation, destruction, and the inevitable swing back to new beginnings, all while acknowledging an undercurrent—love.

This complex narrative suggests the cyclical recurrence in human history—power, oppression, revolution, and rebirth. It’s a well-known pattern, yet the invocation of a prophet and subsequent lineage challenges the listener to trace the lineage of ideas, belief systems, and how they shape the socio-political scaffolding of our lives.

Spiritual Ammunition: The Dichotomy of Faith and Warfare

Tankian’s battle cry ‘Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition’ brilliantly fuses the spiritual with the militant. Originating from a World War II quip, this phrase has transcended time to explore the conflict between peace-promoting faiths and the concurrent history of religiously justified violence. By pairing praise with ammunition, Tankian forces a stark look at the hypocrisy embedded within certain institutional doctrines.

It is more than just a criticism of the military-industrial complex. His lyric juxtaposes life-affirmation and spiritual trust against the backdrop of existential strife, war, and destruction—a powerful reminder that while faith can preach love, human actions often reveal a contradictory narrative. The phrase resonates as an ironic slogan, capturing the disillusionment with conventional moral guidance.

Syncretic Apocalypse: Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Armageddon

By listing major world religions followed by a line focused on Armageddon, Tankian dives into a syncretic exploration. He melds these faiths into a singular narrative about the end times, alluding to the universality of human curiosity about the end—whether it be personal, societal, or cosmological. It’s a juxtaposition that showcases how, despite diverse teachings, all paths contemplate a final reckoning.

The question ‘when will Armageddon begin?’ serves as both an existential cry and a critique. Tankian provokes thought about the human obsession with the apocalypse—be it spiritual or nuclear—and the cultural, political, and environmental implications tied to such existential speculation. In doing so, the songwriter unites listeners under a banner of universal concern.

Trudging Through ‘Pussy Litter’: Tankian’s Metaphorical Mire

Arguably one of the song’s obscure phrases, ‘dragging my feet through the pussy litter’ is a poetic expression of discontent and stasis. It’s a raw representation of stagnation, where progress is hindered by the detritus of society’s excesses and failures. Tankian critiques not just the physical realities of waste and ruin, but also the metaphorical clutter that bogs down the human spirit.

This evocative imagery reinforces the album’s theme of deconstructing society’s mess, and it resonates with the persistence of overcoming the obstacles presented by modern life. Tankian manages to blend environmental degradation, moral decay, and existential weariness into a cohesive, if cynical, worldview.

The Quest for an Unseen Dove: Exploring the Song’s Hidden Meaning

Tucked into the whirlwind of philosophy and reflection is the ‘blue dove’, an elusively peaceful symbol amid the chaos. The dove, a globally recognized emblem of peace, surfaces as a speck of hope in a tapestry woven with nihilism. Tankian introduces it almost as the Holy Grail of humanity’s collective conscience, a harbinger of harmony within an attainable yet distant utopia.

The repeated question, ‘do we ever have enough?’ followed by the yearning for the blue dove, opens a profound dialogue about contentment, aspiration, and the seemingly insatiable human nature. Tankian taps into the eternal chase for what is ‘enough’, urging listeners to confront their inner desires and the thresholds at which they find peace.