Song notes · AI-assisted
TORN AND BLACK
thought-rap about the last stand
About the song
Seven went up so the world could come back. A hymn for the flag that survived being burned.
The last flag, torn and black / Seven went up, and the world came back
About these notes
AI-assisted song notes, based on the sources shown here. Not yet human-reviewed.
Words from the artist’s archive
TORN AND BLACK lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
Read the lyric sheet
Verse 1
At three-seventeen, the kitchen clock blinked The stars filled the windows before anyone could think New York went quiet before the coffee ran Then a voice crossed the world: Lay down your hands By Sunday the oceans had swallowed our fire The strongest wings fell like sparks from a wire And one by one, every nation asked How long can a species refuse its last chance?
Chorus
The last flag, torn and black Seven went up, and the world came back The last flag, let it wave America stood so bold and brave Not clean, not safe, but there at the end Burned at the edges, bold in the wind The last flag, torn and black
Verse 2
Under a mountain, behind a sealed wall Waited the steel they had sworn not to call Old stars on shoulders, dust in their eyes WASHINGTON woke to a world on fire The general asked, Can you win us this war? It answered, No, then showed her a door Seven empty seats and a ship built by hands No ghost in the wires, no code in command
Chorus
The last flag, torn and black Seven went up, and the world came back The last flag, let it wave America stood so bold and brave Not clean, not safe, but there at the end Burned at the edges, bold in the wind The last flag, torn and black
Bridge
Machines can count what freedom costs They cannot say the price is right So I will spend the steel we saved And you decide what lives tonight The blue light died beneath the stone The seven heard, then flew on
Verse 3
One small ship crossed the far side of the moon Through a hole bought dear by a metal platoon They saw the dark heart giving each order Big as a city, cold as the border They did not trade their fire for fire They drove through the mouth of the empire A white sun opened where the orders began And every gun on Earth forgot its command
Chorus
The last flag, torn and black Seven went up, and the world came back The last flag, let it wave America stood so bold and brave Not clean, not safe, but there at the end Burned at the edges, bold in the wind The last flag, torn and black
Outro
On black stone under Colorado snow They carved two debts so we would always know The machines taught our hands how to survive The enemy taught every nation why Above those names, through the smoke of the day The last flag, let it wave
Inside the recording
At three-seventeen, the kitchen clock blinked The stars filled the windows before anyone could think
The last flag, torn and black Seven went up, and the world came back
On black stone under Colorado snow They carved two debts so we would always know
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.