The Words That Maketh Murder
PJ Harvey · Let England Shake [2011]
I've seen and done things I want to forget
I've seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat,
Blown and shot out beyond belief.
Arms and legs were in the trees.
I've seen and done things I want to forget
Coming from an unearthly place,
Longing to see a woman's face,
Instead of the words that gather pace,
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
Murder...
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
I've seen and done things I want to forget
I've seen a corporal whose nerves were shot
Climbing behind the fierce, gone sun,
I've seen flies swarming everyone,
Soldiers fell like lumps of meat.
These are the words, the words are these.
Death lingering, stunk,
Flies swarming everyone,
Over the whole summit peak,
Flesh quivering in the heat.
This was something else again.
I fear it cannot be explained.
The words that make, the words that make
Murder.
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
I've seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat,
Blown and shot out beyond belief.
Arms and legs were in the trees.
I've seen and done things I want to forget
Coming from an unearthly place,
Longing to see a woman's face,
Instead of the words that gather pace,
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
Murder...
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
These, these, these are the words
The words that maketh murder.
I've seen and done things I want to forget
I've seen a corporal whose nerves were shot
Climbing behind the fierce, gone sun,
I've seen flies swarming everyone,
Soldiers fell like lumps of meat.
These are the words, the words are these.
Death lingering, stunk,
Flies swarming everyone,
Over the whole summit peak,
Flesh quivering in the heat.
This was something else again.
I fear it cannot be explained.
The words that make, the words that make
Murder.
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
What if I take my problem to the United Nations?
The Words That Maketh Murder
Released on the 2011 album Let England Shake, this track stands as a potent example of PJ Harvey's evolution into a more abrasive, industrial-tinged rock sound. The recording features a driving, distorted rhythm section that contrasts with her vocal delivery, which shifts from melodic vulnerability to a harsh, almost spoken-word intensity. Thematically, the song explores the mechanics of violence and the psychological weight of words that incite harm, fitting the album's broader examination of societal decay and political unrest. It represents a significant departure from her earlier folk and indie rock roots, embracing a darker, more confrontational aesthetic that defines her work in the 2010s.