The Wars, Part Eleven

Start with Part One. ~

Another lovely rock song! ~ "The hits just keep on coming!" ~

Though it shouldn't be a surprise any longer, I do not know this band either. ~ (Really. Although I do pride myself on having a varied taste in music, rock has always been one of my "fringe" likes; that is, I capture random songs into my musical net and play them exclusively for awhile before moving on.) ~ "Going Down in Flames" immediately caught my attention as I was song-hunting, because the title itself evokes the imagery of burning and descending into despair - perfect for describing the wars. ~ Take hope, however, knowing that this is the last "depressing" song on my list. ~ La pluie après le beau temps, indeed. ~

Furthermore, the inexorable pull of violence and war will begin to manifest itself in individuals.

Going Down in Flames, by Three Doors Down:

Don't tell me what to think, 'cause I don't care this time
Don't tell me what to believe, 'cause you won't be there
Catch me when I fall
But you'll need me when I'm not here at all
Miss me when I'm gone again

I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again

Don't tell me how life is, 'cause I don't really wanna know
Don't tell me how this game ends, 'cause we'll just see how it goes.
Catch me when I fall
Or you'll need me when I'm not here at all
Miss me when I'm gone again.

I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
Now all the way down here I'm falling all the way
All the way down here I'm falling again now.
I'm falling down, I'm falling down, I'm falling down

I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again
I'm goin' down in flames
I'm fallin' into this again

Now all the way down here I'm falling all the way
All the way down here I'm falling again now.
I'm falling down

Literary Content

In “Going Down in Flames,” the individual describes how despite his many attempts, even in loneliness, to adapt once more to civilian life, he feels the pull of violence and of war, which opposes him to the feelings he has for his lover. The flames in the song represent the all-consuming need to kill and to succumb to the pressures of his memories of war. His repetition of “goin’ down in flames” and “fallin’ into this again” conveys this terror of war, which he fears he can never escape.
Furthermore, he knows that his lover “won't be there [to] / Catch [him] when [he] fall[s],” which highlights his sense of independence, a result of having learnt to rely on no one but himself during the war. He expresses resentment as a result, asserting that if he ever goes off to war again, she’ll miss him and need him, yet she can offer no comfort and refuge for him in return.

Auditory Elements

Because this is a rock song, the accompaniment is composed of a constant beat along with a heavy electric guitar and bass. These set up a desperate and dread-filled tone which matches the lyrics. The steady beat also sets up a driving rhythm that pushes the song forward and contributes to the inevitability of the individual’s succumbing to “the flames.” Finally, in the last three stanzas, the words begin to overlap and interject randomly, repeating the same lyrics over and over again. This creates a confusing and uncertain mood which parallels the emotions felt by the individual during the war and which he is suffering through once more.