Disturbed

On my way to lunch today, I heard the heavy metal band Disturbed do a cover of Genesis' Land of Confusion... Originally released on the latter band's Invisible Touch album, and had been a hit in 1986. This new cover song has a rawness and a power to it that I think does the song justice... it was not only fun to hear, but there's something haunting about hearing this in a new context.

Phil Collins and Genesis originally wrote this in the context of the Cold War, during the years of Ronald Reagan. The video used puppets from Spitting Image, a hysterically funny British Comedy show that was essentially a live-action Political Cartoon. It lamented the madness of the Cold War... which oddly enough ended a few short years later.

But 20 years later, the same words address similar anxiety, but a different context, and a different generation. It's interesting to hear it in a new context, and as much as it raises the alarm, it also signals a word of hope. Lighting a candle in the darkness...

Land of Confusion
Lyrics: Mike Rutherford
Music: Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks
Copyright (c) 2006

I must have dreamed a thousand dreams
Been haunted by a million screams
But I can hear the marching feet
They're moving into the street

Now, did you read the news today?
They say the danger has gone away
But I can see the fire's still alight
They're burning into the night

There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go around
Can't you see this is the land of confusion?

Chorus
This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in

Oh, superman, where are you now?
When everything's gone wrong somehow?
The men of steel, the men of power
Are losing control by the hour

This is the time, this is the place
So we look for the future
But there's not much love to go around
Tell me why this is the land of confusion

Chorus
This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth living in

Bridge
I remember long ago
When the sun was shining
And all the stars were bright all
through the night
In the wake of this madness, as I held you tight
So long ago

I won't be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We're not just making promises
That we know we'll never keep
There's too many men, too many people

Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go round
Can't you see this is the
land of confusion?

Now, this is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth fighting for

This is the world we live in
And these are the names we're given
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to