This song is based on a story told by a Jewish girl about her cousin who was in the Israeli military. He was caught with alcohol while on duty, and his punishment was to work guard duty at the wall in East Jerusalem. This is generally considered to be one of the worst places to be, since it is near Palestinian encampments nearby and the children would often throw rocks over the fences at the guards as they patrolled.
While on his shift, the soldier took out his guitar and started playing. To his amazement, dozens of Palestinian kids were standing on the other side of the fence, not threatening him but simply listening in absolute silence. This goes on for a few minutes until the soldier's commanding officer spots him and orders him to put his guitar away. The officer says that the kids will break his guitar by throwing rocks, and despite the soldier's objections the office forces him to put his guitar away. The soldier said he watched the kids back silently away from the fence and disappear into the night.
lyrics
My mother told when I was a child
that God's heart lives in the heart of the mild
and when the loud noises came she held me and smiled
and sang “don't let your heart be defiled.”
Trapped in this hold, just for holding elixir
and I don't believe any more slogans on stickers
saying we are one nation here, chosen by God
we'd still pray to the devil if we'd never get caught
Some seek a better life, and some hide away
but all this praying without taking the name's led my mind astray
The Nile river turns to blood
but I just take it in like a drink from the pub
to get through the days I need love like a drug
but never can I get the dosage right
you can't know the children, you won't see their face
they slip in air once you start to give chase
I'm the shield for the stones of the homeless and naked
but what's there to guard in a place so God-forsaken?
It's night in the city, but I can't see the stars
and my only light is to play my guitar
I just need some relief, I'm not on a mission
but I see all the children come crowding to listen
Some try to find the light, and some hide away
but promise me after the noises stop, someday we'll find a way
He led us out of Babylon
but a thousand years since all that's been gone
and we live in a house we call it a home
but somehow we can never sleep at night
So stop shouting, boss man, don't call me off
I don't care if they break my guitar with the rocks
but you can't let it go, couldn't give it a chance
and I see all the kids back away from the fence
All words of warning, all caution is dead to me
why can't the people just listen and let it be
who's then to blame if we burn up in anger
cause you can't accept a drink from a singer
so stop with the lies and stop with the fighting
it's all gonna be wrong 'till we get to the writing
of songs about names that we wished that we knew
We learn from the birds who over the walls of East Jerusalem flew
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