Contractor

Lamb of God's song 'Contractor' delves into the grim and often hidden aspects of modern warfare, particularly focusing on the role of private military contractors. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the chaos and moral ambiguity that these contractors face, often driven by profit rather than patriotism or duty. The opening lines, 'Chopping lines in international sand / Feeding blood junky habits of the elephant man,' suggest a world where the lines between right and wrong are blurred, and the motivations are far from noble. The 'elephant man' could be a metaphor for the powerful entities that profit from war, while 'Black Water rising' refers to the infamous private military company, Blackwater, known for its controversial actions in conflict zones.

The song's chorus, 'Yeah motherfucker, let's take a ride / We're rolling route Irish, someone's got to die,' highlights the perilous nature of their missions. Route Irish was a notoriously dangerous road in Iraq, symbolizing the constant threat of death that these contractors face. The use of 'IEDs' (improvised explosive devices) and 'rolling the dice' further emphasizes the randomness and unpredictability of their survival. The lyrics also critique the privatization of war, 'Privatize to conceal all the lies / And big business is boomin' like its the 4th of July,' pointing out how war has become a lucrative business, often at the expense of truth and human lives.

The final verses, 'Ours is not to reason why / Ours is but to do if the pay rate's right,' echo the famous line from Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem 'The Charge of the Light Brigade,' but with a cynical twist. Here, the motivation is not duty or honor but money. The 'Black liquid assets' and 'American dream' are stark reminders of how oil and profit drive much of the conflict. The song ends on a bleak note, 'A glass parking lot in the American dream,' suggesting a world left in ruins, both morally and physically, by the relentless pursuit of profit. Lamb of God uses 'Contractor' to offer a scathing critique of the intersection between war, capitalism, and morality, urging listeners to question the true cost of conflict.