The Conjuring
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
Devil's Island
Good Mourning/Black Friday
Bad Omen
I Ain't Superstitious
My Last Words
More info on this time period
Wake Up Dead
Over the years, there have been several Megadeth songs about having an
affair. This is one of them. The main character goes out at night,
tells his wife that he is 'out with the boys,' while he is really out
with some other woman. He knows that his wife wouldn't want to know
that he was having an affair. In fact, he is pretty sure that if
his wife were to find out about his nightly pursuits, she would
most likely kill him one night when he came back. He always tries
to be as quiet as he can when he comes back to his house, in order
to avoid waking her up, since he thinks that if he wakes her, he
might 'wake up dead.'
I've had too much to drink, said I was out with the boys.
I creep in my bedroom, I slip into bed;
I know if I wake her, I'll wake up dead.
I wonder; will she find out about the other,
other lover, Diana.
Wake up dead, you die, wake up dead.
Dave, at a time, was very much into the occult. When he wrote this
song, he was most likely out of it. The beginning of this song
describes some sort of ritual for summoning an un-named spirit.
There are many referances to special runes and items which would
be necessary for this summoning. After this, it appears that the
character of the song has summoned some sort of demon who his
father, unbeknownst to him, had also conjured. It turns out that
his own father had sold his son's soul to the demon. When the son
conjures that same demon, the demon takes what is his by the
covenant with the father.
Feel at home in our black conventicle
as we anathmatise those who oppose us.
Don't summon the devil, don't call the priest.
If you need the strength, the conjuring... OBEY!
Behold, the flames rise from the compass' cardinal points;
burn the sacred oil, and with ashes you'll annoint.
Arange the symbols of the wizard and magician.
Light the candles, place the parchment paper in postion;
between the leaves place the lash from a black cat's eye,
a straw of a broom; fold and burn and centralize.
Don't summon the devil, don't call the priest;
if you need the strength, the conjuring.
I am the devil's advocate, a salesman if you will.
You know my name.
I met your father years ago, gave him what he'd please.
He called my name; you'll do the same.
I'm claiming what is mine by right;
it's time to close the deal.
You're bought and sold, bought and sold.
Come join me in my eternal depths,
Mephisto's hall of fame.
I've got your soul; I've got your soul.
The conjuring... OBEY!
It seems that in the world today, if the world leaders really wanted
it, there could easily be a great world peace. It really wouldn't be
very difficult. The idea of peace selling, as far as I can see, is
not that peace actually sells in that it would cost the leaders
something to achieve it, but in the sense that it is availible, but
is not taken advantage of. The lyrics themselves, however, seem to
be much more aimed at peace at a personal level, like peace of mind.
But after watching the video, world peace seems much more likely.
I talk to him every day.
What do you mean I don't support your system?
I go to cout when I have to.
What do you mean I can't get to work on time?
Got nothing better to do.
What do you mean I don't pay my bills?
What, do you think I'm broke, huh?
If there's a new way, I'll be the first in line...
But it better work this time.
What do you mean I hurt your feelings?
Didn't know you had any feelings.
What do you mean I'm not kind?
Just not your kind.
What do you mean I couldn't be the president
of the United States of America? tell me something,
it's still 'We, the people,' right?
If there's a new way, I'll be the first in line...
But it better work this time.
Can you put a price on peace?
Peace, peace sells.
Peace, peace sells...
Peace sells... But who's buying?
Though some think that it is, this song is not about hell. It is about
the now-defunct French prison on Devil's Island in the South Atlantic
where some of France's worst were kept. The character of the song is
one of these people. He evidently killed some man in order to make the
man's wife availible. But after the murder he is arrested and sent to
Devil's Island, where he is to live out his final days before he is
burnt at the stake. Right before his execution, his final wish is to
have to woman burn as well. But then just as he is about to be killed,
a great rain storm starts and is taken as a sign that he should not be
executed. However, he is still sentenced to life on the island, even
though he thinks that he has seen the right, decent way to live and
has cleaned up his act.
that locks the door to this hell, the place they wanted me.
Time's racig like the wind; execution's near.
Oh, lord, I wait for death and yes, I have no fear.
I recall that night, my every breath and step along the way.
Closed my eyes; walking, as danger paved the way.
the devil and the darkness let her evil wander free.
And here on Devil's Island, the final stop for me.
Devil's Island!
Oh, there's no escape; the sea's full of sharks,
the tides take you away and smash you on the rocks.
he sun is shining, but I feel it not today;
its marmth, it's dying and fading away.
Devil's Island!
Oh, hear the call from the grave beyond;
oh so perilous her soul it creates song.
As there is no man that is here upon the earth
able to terminate our noisome since birth.
The preist that reads the sermans is walking next to me
to the stake my last request; to have her burn with me.
But so it did, the heavens opened; rain began to fall.
The final judgement came and was spread before you all.
Final judgement.
Old, weak and feeble, but the lesson taught to me;
to stay away from evil, she doesn't care for me.
She haunts me in my sleep;
thought I tore that page away,
but here on Devil's Island I'll always have to stay.
Devil's Island!
Here I am.
Devil's Island!
This song is apparently about some French guy, but I think it could
be just about anyone. He is a murderer who kills to try to make
himself pure, sort of like Jack the Ripper, if you know the full
story of his escapades. On Black Friday, the religious holiday
of those who worship Satan, he goes out and kills people for
no particular reason and enjoys it. If you think this is an
exaggeration, you are wrong; New York and New Orleans both
experience a high number of murders every year on Black Friday.
The lyrics to the song are extremely explicite in explaining,
from the view of the killer, exactly what he does to people.
Something's not right;
something's coming over me.
What the fuck is this?
[ Black Friday ] Killer, intruder, homicidal man;
you see me coming, run fast as you can.
A blood-thirsty demon who's stalking the street,
I hack up my victime like pieces of meat.
Blood-thirsty demon/Sinister fiend.
Bludgenous slaughters; my evil deeds.
My hammer's a cold piece of blood lethal steel;
I grin while you writhe with the pain that I deal.
Swinging the hammer, I hack through their heads;
defiant defilers, you're next to be dead!
I unleash my hammer with sadistic intent.
Pounding, surrounding, slamming through your head -- yeah!
Their bodies convulse in agony and pain;
I mangle their faces til no features remain.
A blade for butchering, I cut them to shreads;
first take out the organs, then cut off the head.
The remains of their flesh now sop at my feet;
one more bloody massacre, the murder's complete.
I seek to dismember a sadist fiend,
and bloodbaths are my of getting clean.
I lurk in the alleys, wait for the kill.
I have no remorse for the blood that I spill.
A merciless butcher who lives underground;
I'm out to destroy and I will cut you down.
I see you, and I'm waiting for Black Friday.
Turn me loose!
Killer, intruder, homicidal man;
you see me coming, run fast as you can.
A blood-thirsty demon who's stalking the street,
I hack up my victime like pieces of meat.
I lurk in the alleys, wait for the kill.
I have no remorse for the blood that I spill.
A merciless butcher who lives underground;
I'm out to destroy and I will cut you down.
It's Black Friday;
Paint the devil on the wall
I'm sure there are a lot of kids out there who worship occult gods
because they really don't believe in what they are worshipping in;
they just do it because they think that it is cool. Dave used to be
one of them, until he thought that he saw some strange things happen
that he associated with occult things that he had done. Soon after, he
was completely out of that scene. This song is about a bunch of kids
who just think that it would be cool to conjure a few demons; they
don't really believe that aything is going to happen. So the conjure
them up and the demons kill and rape them all.
'Mi Nomine Baphomet;' come dance with me.
Sacrifice the virgins, spiritual rites.
Their master's time has come; the moon is full tonight.
Drinking, dancing; they worship and toast,
the devil, who's watching, with demons remote.
Fire, rising, racing in your blood;
possessed, naive, his service is done.
Bloody blasphemy.
Sinister's the word as the demons take their fill;
an orgy's taking place, human blood will spill.
An act of worship, as they conceive their ghouls;
Satan has their souls, they sing pagan tunes.
The ceremony is sure to be cursed.
They wait for his blessings, but down comes the worst.
Their bodies, soulless; a corpse from the grave.
Their minds are helpless and no one can save,
no one can save them, no.
I personally do not have any idea why this song was put onto the album.
It is a cover of a song by blues preformer Willy Dixon. Since I have
never heard the origonal, I can not say what the differences are
between the two versions. This song seems pretty straightforeward
in its meaning; this guy is definately not superstitious, and that's
just about all there is to it.
and I ain't superstitious as I break the looking glass.
Ain't afraid of no demons; don't make me laugh!
I ain't superstitious; under the ladder I go.
I ain't superstitious; it's all bullshit, you know.
Ain't afraid of the shadows... I like the dark anyway,
and that's a fact!
Superstitious.
I ain't superstitious; no such thing as bad luck.
I ain't superstitious; I couldn't really give a fuck.
Take your stupid, superstitions
and find some other paranoidal, chickenshit, sissy worm and tell it to him.
Superstitious.
Russian Roulette; now there's a soothing passtime. This song is about
a place where gambling with your life seems to be a regular thing to
do. The song is sung from the view of the dealer, who doesn't seem
to be required to play, as he would if the game was blackjack or
something. By the time it gets to three bullets ( a one in two chance
of death ), it seems apparent that nobody wants to play ( I wonder
why ) and the dealer calls out to everyone to try to find someone who
will take the risk. It sounds like he may have found someone at the
end, but it is difficult to say for sure.
Feel a might unsteady, but still I have to play;
six to one's the odds, and we have the highest stakes.
And once again, I gamble with my very life today.
Highly polished metal -- the oil makes it gleam --
fill the terror chamber, your mind begins to scream.
Your life is like a trigger; never trouble til you're squeezed.
Now you crack a smile as you give the gun a squeeze.
Place the pistol down, now give the gun a spin;
soon as the spining stops, oh no, the game begins.
A hateful way of vengeance; a bit of playful sin.
Load another bullet, now the second round begins.
A couple grains of powder; a couple grams of lead;
a touch against the trigger; a touch inside the head.
Take another drink and raise the last bets.
Think about my last words; they might be what I just said.
A click comes from the hammer that couldn't drive a nail.
Sense the numbing cold blue, or the red of hades grill.
A fraction of a second; do you lose, or maybe still
pass it to the left and collect your mighty kill.
Add another bullet, the third round begins;
soon as the spinning stops, oh no, the game starts in.
Please no I.O.U.'s; no markers for death.
Does anybody play?
Anybody?
Somebody?
Anybody?
Play!
You! Next victim;
you, next to die.
You -- Come on! -- Next victim;
you, your turn to die
... But Who's Buying?
beadil@trend1.com jsimmons@compassnet.com
