Civil War

Guns N' Roses · Greatest Hits [2004]

What we've got here is failure to communicate.

Some men you just can't reach...

So, you get what we had here last week,

Which is the way he wants it !

Well, he gets it !

N' I don't like it any more than you men.

Look at your young men fighting

Look at your women crying

Look at your young men dying

The way they've always done before



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



My hands are tied

The billions shift from side to side

And the wars go on with brainwashed pride

For the love of God and our human rights

And all these things are swept aside

By bloody hands time can't deny

And are washed away by your genocide

And history hides the lies of our civil wars



D'you wear a black armband

When they shot the man

Who said "Peace could last forever"

And in my first memories

They shot Kennedy

I went numb when I learned to see

So I never fell for Vietnam

We got the wall of D.C. to remind us all

That you can't trust freedom

When it's not in your hands

When everybody's fightin'

For their promised land



And

I don't need your civil war

It feeds the rich while it buries the poor

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

I don't need your civil war



Look at the shoes your 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



My hands are tied

For all I've seen has changed my mind

But still the wars go on as the years go by

With no love of God or human rights

'Cause all these dreams are swept aside

By bloody hands of the hypnotized

Who carry the cross of homicide

And history bears the scars of our civil wars



We practice selective annihilation

Of mayors and government officials

For example to create a vacuum

Then we fill that vacuum

As popular war advances

Peace is closer



I don't need your civil war

It feeds the rich while it buries the poor

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

And I don't need your civil war

I don't need your civil war

I don't need your civil war

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

I don't need your civil war

I don't need one more war



I don't need one more war

Whaz so civil 'bout war anyway

About Civil War

"Civil War" stands as a defining track from Guns N' Roses' 2004 compilation, *Greatest Hits*, showcasing the band's signature blend of hard rock and blues-infused aggression. Recorded during the height of their commercial resurgence, the song captures the raw energy and melodic sophistication that characterized their work in the early 1990s. Featuring iconic vocals from Axl Rose and a driving rhythm section, the recording exemplifies the band's ability to craft anthems that resonate across generations. The track serves as a testament to the group's enduring influence on the hard rock genre, bridging the gap between their grunge-era popularity and their classic hard rock roots. Its inclusion on the greatest hits collection highlights its status as a staple in their discography, often performed live to electrify crowds. The song remains a powerful representation of the band's musical identity, combining gritty guitar work with soaring choruses that have cemented their legacy in rock history.