This track is about Tony Blair’s confession about the war on Iraq.
In the first part, he talks about how he regrets what he did to Iraq and with the support of the British.
He confesses to the priest that he betrayed his own people and “destroyed one who nation”, namely Iraq.
Blair admits they might have had some sinister plans to stay in Iraq forever “Maybe we talked in whispers, scheming perpetual reign.”
In the second part after the solo, Blair becomes worried. He doesn’t want to take the whole blame for a historical disaster and blames everything on George W. Bush. Blair wants to know why Bush should not be held responsible for the war and confess at the altar, “Shouldn’t he also taste your Wine?”
The neocons are known as Vulkans because of their inclination to war. In ancient Roman religion and myth, Vulcan is the god of fire. Blair uses this term to justify his deed by saying “the Vulkan called for slaughter. He promised me glory and pride.”
A very interesting incident happened when I was writing the lyrics for this song in 2007. Halfway through writing the lyrics, I realized that Protestants do not confess to a priest in the fashion depicted in my song. I wasn’t sure what to do with this inconsistency as Blair was a Protestant.
As I was considering all kinds of solutions, the news came that Tony Blair had joined the Catholic Church. Thanks Tony, you definitely made my day.
lyrics
Lyrics:
Blair’s Confessions:
Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It’s the moment of truth and I won’t pretend.
Committing a just crime, I went down, and I know that you know who has been the clown.
With their sympathy and trust, and for my own temptations, I used the votes of the just and destroyed one whole nation.
Tell me Father, may I be excused from God’s court of justice and truth?
Maybe we talked in whispers, scheming perpetual reign.
Maybe this project sinister, will bring me eternal pain.
Tell me, this is not a crime, or I’ll never be the same.
How will history remember my name?
Oh sad are my words, but sadder the world, after my quest for fame.
“Will I ever be the same? God’s forgotten angle blame?
Blair on Bush:
Child of fire, baptized in stone. His father no stranger, his mission well-known.
We drifted across the heat of the south, “a quest for peace”. He was all just mouth.
Where prejudice is taking over, genocide’s out of control.
Am I evil or divine?
Shouldn’t he also taste your wine, take bread from your altar? The Vulkan called for slaughter. He promised me glory and pride.
Is this what his prophet had foreseen? “Salvation” aired on BBC screen.
My prize to eternalize my grisly pang.
Oh sad are my words, but sadder the world, after the battle hymn we sang.
credits
from Suicide In B Minor,
released June 26, 2014
Amirali Nourbakhsh electric and acoustic guitars
Hadi Kiani Keyboards
Herbie Langhans Vocals
Arash Moghaddam Drums
Kasra Saboktakin Bass
Daf: Arash Eslami
Tar: Baghai
The tracks on Whispers in Crimson’s first album, Suicide in B Minor, reflect the political mindset of the band’s founder,
Amirali Nourbakhsh.
He was 13 when the Islamic Revolution took place in Iran overthrowing the Shah. As a son of an American-Iranian trained naval officer under the Shah’s regime, he witnessed how the 1979 revolution changed his life overnight....more
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