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The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Sarajevo" by the artist "Watsky"

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In "Sarajevo," Watsky employs the metaphor of interfaith love set against the backdrop of the Siege of Sarajevo to explore themes of prejudice, violence, and the resilience of love in the face of tragedy.

The speaker defends his love against societal disapproval ("They wanna know what our parents say..."). He sees no evil in his beloved, perceiving only her love and support ("All I see are the arms that embrace me..."). Her death becomes symbolic of the conflict's senseless brutality, compared to the precision of a sniper.

Dia Frampton's chorus transforms Sarajevo into an "altar," emphasizing the sanctity of love and faith, juxtaposing them against the destructive power of war.

Verse two delves into the theme of division caused by conflict. The dream of escape is shattered, symbolizing destroyed hopes and aspirations. Watsky highlights the absurdity of violence, noting the shared humanity of opposing sides ("Same souls, both sides of the river..."). Their love is contrasted with the "fear and politics" fueling the conflict.

Verse three expresses hope for healing and understanding. The speaker acknowledges the world's complexities ("What I don’t know could fill up an ocean"), yet cherishes the authenticity of his love. He finds solace in faith and love, seeing his beloved as a divine presence ("You are my revival...").

The recurring refrain reinforces the song's central message: love as a transcendent force capable of overcoming hatred and violence. Sarajevo, while a symbol of suffering, also becomes an emblem of hope for peace and love.

[Verse 1: Watsky]

And they wonder what our parents say,

And they wonder how we'll raise our children,

And they tell me that I'm living with a monster,

And they whisper that she took up with a villain,

But I don't see dragon's scales,

And I don't see claws and fangs,

All I'm looking at is arms that hold me,

Brown eyes that understand.

And when she closed those eyes one final time, no pipers came,

But I know I got a love that's truer than a military sniper's aim,

But we won't die in vain,

Tie that chain around my waist

And pull me from the bottom of the pit of hell up to your final resting place.

[Chorus: Dia Frampton]

Sarajevo, Sarajevo,

You're the altar that I pray to.

God is love and love is all we have.

[Verse 2: Watsky]

We were tryna run from the city,

Had the hope and the pride of the kids,

People wanna put up walls to divide us,

Kinda fitting that we died on a bridge.

Same souls, both sides of the banks,

They say we're different, and they're filling in the facts,

But they put the same metal in the bullets,

And they put the same bullets in our backs.

Kinda love that we got is one in a mil',

Ain't no God that I pray to would wanna kill,

It's not God but it's fear and it's politics,

And a Molotov that was lit with a dollar bill.

Don't say all is lost,

Escape this holocaust,

My God, Allah, my darling, star and crescent and my cross.

[Chorus: Dia Frampton]

Sarajevo, Sarajevo,

You're the altar that I pray to.

God is love and love is all we have.

Sarajevo, Sarajevo,

I will honor and be faithful.

God is love and love is all we have.

[Verse 3: Watsky]

Where do we come from? Where do we go?

You could fill up the sea with the things I don't know,

But I know what I feel, and I know when it's real,

And I hope that we heal.

We're two drops of the blood the and tears

Over thousands of years of the clash of the steel.

I'm not blind to the cycle,

We're pressed in the spine of a Bible,

They define the divine by the title.

But what did Christ say? To be kind to my rival.

You're my kind of revival,

It's true ya, my favorite Hallelujah,

You my, you my favorite Hallelujah!

[Chorus: Dia Frampton]

Sarajevo, Sarajevo,

You're the altar that I pray to.

God is love and love is all we have.

Sarajevo, Sarajevo,

I will honor and be faithful.

God is love and love is all we have. [×5]

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