XXth
StringStorm Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴One two, one two, one two, one two!
One two, one two, one two, one two!

Keep up the pace
Don't let yourselves lose the count for a second
Remember which end the bullets come out of
And the other, less important, lessons

I said I'd follow you through anything
Hell or highwater
Which is convenient now
That most days spent beside you are just hell

Others call it survival skills
But I know now it's just up to luck
Our squad's somewhere bеtween a
Pending cluster bomb, and a clusterfuck

"For еvery one that falls
Another ten rise up to take their place"
That's a beautiful sentiment
As long as you aren't the corpse they replace

Who am I to stand in the way of morale?
Observe, my smiling face!
I'm told that through my faith, I won't die
I'll leave a testament, just in case!
Don't lie
We'll be dead and gone before you know it
So when I die
Shift the numbers up once more; replace me
Just smile
What are we without humour in horror?
It's worth it
Failure, glory, life, and living

All of your guns, all of your calls
The bad ones most of all
They define you
They're the lowest standard we can strive to!

Your faults, your tact
Inordinate amounts of flak
In all the carnage
There's no one I'd rather stand beside!

Every day lived
Another semi-successful run-and-gun
But with friends like these
Maybe dying's not the worst of outcomes?

If given the choice again
I'd gladly partake of these death games
The only true mistake is not to play!
Also friendly fire!

Keep up the pace, think on your feet
Work around the flaws in plans and
While we're breathing, count our blessings
Savour calm, this shit gets messy

Though their stupidity makes me want to cry
I guess there's some who have it worse than I
It's not insubordination and it's not having your back
But trusting your calls is like waiting for a heart attack

You were wrong
When "it can't be that bad!" was what you said
Don't stop, if life catches up
We'll surely meet our deaths!

No rhyme or reason
Are you sure we aren't Chaos?
Our laughter
Keeps the dread from out of earshot!

(One two, one two, one two, one two)
Keep the count of the soldier's song
(One two, one two, one two, one two)
As everything that can, goes wrong
(One two, one two, one two, one two)
Though our path isn't always right

(One two, one two, one two, one two)
There's not a thing we can't overcome with spite

Overall Meaning

The song "XXth" by StringStorm is a reflection on the struggles of war and the bonds formed between soldiers in the face of adversity. The repeated phrase "one two, one two" could be interpreted as a military marching cadence to keep the soldiers in step and united in their journey. The singer speaks about the importance of keeping the pace and not losing count, both visually with the bullets and metaphorically in their mission.

The lyrics underscore the harsh reality of war, where soldiers must rely on each other for survival, and where camaraderie and dark humor may be what keep them going. The singer reflects on the dangerous and chaotic nature of combat, where one mistake can be fatal, and where the value of life is often weighed against the mission's success. The singer acknowledges the horror of the situation but also recognizes the unbreakable bonds between soldiers who fight together, come hell or high water.

Overall, "XXth" is a poignant song that honors the bravery and sacrifices of soldiers while lamenting the futility and senselessness of war.

Line by Line Meaning

One two, one two, one two, one two!
Maintain the rhythm and keep counting while we face the challenges ahead.

Keep up the pace
Don't let yourself falter, keep up with the challenges and remain focused.

Don't let yourselves lose the count for a second
Don't lose track of the goal and stay focused every moment.

Remember which end the bullets come out of
Stay alert and cautious about the risks involved in the mission.

And the other, less important, lessons
Apart from the significant lessons, there are other details to be mindful of.

I said I'd follow you through anything
I pledged my unwavering support to you through thick and thin.

Hell or highwater
I will stay true to my word, even in the face of the toughest situations

Which is convenient now
It is fortunate that I have the chance to follow through with my words now.

That most days spent beside you are just hell
Despite my commitment, things are not going well with us most days, and it is unbearable.

Others call it survival skills
Many regard our mission as skillful survival techniques to keep us alive.

But I know now it's just up to luck
Even though we apply techniques, ultimately, it comes down to our luck on how much damage we face.

Our squad's somewhere between a
We are somewhere in the middle of

Pending cluster bomb, and a clusterfuck
An imminent bomb and complete chaos.

"For every one that falls
For each personnel who falls in action.

Another ten rise up to take their place"
Ten more will come up to join and complete the job.

That's a beautiful sentiment
The thought may seem noble.

As long as you aren't the corpse they replace
But it is idealistic, and the idea of being replaced with a corpse is unacceptable.

Who am I to stand in the way of morale?
I cannot oppose maintaining the team's high spirits.

Observe, my smiling face!
So, I mask my emotions and maintain a happy disposition.

I'm told that through my faith, I won't die
I am assured that trusting my faith will ensure my survival.

I'll leave a testament, just in case!
I will write a will just to keep safe.

Don't lie
Do not deceive yourself.

We'll be dead and gone before you know it
We will die soon and unnoticeably.

So when I die
Therefore, when I die,

Shift the numbers up once more; replace me
Replace me and add one more to the count.

Just smile
Keep smiling, anyway.

What are we without humour in horror?
Laughter is vital, even during the most terrible times.

It's worth it
All the trials - all the successes and the failures - are worth the effort and sacrifice made.

Failure, glory, life, and living
These four things are what life is all about.

All of your guns, all of your calls
The use of weapons, the plans, the decisions - all that we do on this mission

The bad ones most of all
The risky decisions are the hardest to deal with

They define you
These decisions reveal your character.

They're the lowest standard we can strive to!
The lowest level of judgment, but still one that we must aim to exceed.

Your faults, your tact
Your flaws and your critical judgment.

Inordinate amounts of flak
Yet, you've had a great deal of criticism leveled against you

In all the carnage
Despite all the chaos and destruction around us.

There's no one I'd rather stand beside!
I wouldn't want anyone else by my side in this situation.

Every day lived
Each day goes by but is still fraught with danger.

Another semi-successful run-and-gun
Another bout of shooting with a moderate triumph.

But with friends like these
But since I have such friends,

Maybe dying's not the worst of outcomes?
Death is one of the better outcomes compared to the other terrible situations.

If given the choice again
If I ever had the same chance again,

I'd gladly partake of these death games
I would be willing to join in these dangerous tasks even now.

The only true mistake is not to play!
The only actual blunder is not to lay down your life.

Also friendly fire!
We are also at risk from our own fire.

Keep up the pace, think on your feet
Keep the momentum going, and be quick to adjust as needed

Work around the flaws in plans and
Try to make the best of what we have and overcome any faults in the plans we laid out.

While we're breathing, count our blessings
As long as we are still alive, reflect on our good fortunes and be grateful.

Savour calm, this shit gets messy
Enjoy and appreciate the moments of peace, given how messy things get in times of trouble.

Though their stupidity makes me want to cry
There are times when the senseless actions of others can be frustrating.

I guess there's some who have it worse than I
However, some people indeed have it much more severe than I do.

It's not insubordination and it's not having your back
It's neither not following orders nor failing to support one another.

But trusting your calls is like waiting for a heart attack
But trusting the leader's decisions can be risky and stressful.

You were wrong
You were mistaken.

When "it can't be that bad!" was what you said
When you thought the situation couldn't get worse.

Don't stop, if life catches up
Don't give up, even if life becomes challenging.

We'll surely meet our deaths!
Death is inevitable, but let's face it.

No rhyme or reason
There's no explanation or logic.

Are you sure we aren't Chaos?
It makes me think: are we the embodiment of chaos?

Our laughter
However, we are still capable of finding humor.

Keeps the dread from out of earshot!
And that helps keep our fears at bay.

(One two, one two, one two, one two)
We keep counting as we continue our mission.

Keep the count of the soldier's song
As we go on our way, the soldier's beat keeps going.

(One two, one two, one two, one two)
We keep counting.

As everything that can, goes wrong
As things begin to fall apart in every aspect.

(One two, one two, one two, one two)
We keep counting.

Though our path isn't always right
Even though our paths may not be the correct one always,

(One two, one two, one two, one two)
We keep counting.

There's not a thing we can't overcome with spite
We can face anything with hatred, resentment or anger.

Contributed by Layla R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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