Released: November 9, 1985
Songwriter: Mike Tramp Vito Bratta
Producer: Peter Hauke
[Verse 1]
He could barely remember
When the fighting began
It was early September
When he lost his old man
Soon the time came to leave there
And to start a new life
How it seems so unfair
When they gave him a gun and a knife
[Pre-Chorus]
So he fights with a gun in his hand
For a reason he can't understand
Fights with a gun in his hand
For the freedom of their land
[Chorus]
Can you hear the crying out
All the people in El Salvador
Can you hear a distant shout
From the people in El Salvador
Cross your heart and hope to die
For the people in El Salvador
Still they kill not knowing why
All the people in El Salvador
[Verse 2]
As he stares at the ceiling
He thinks back quite away
It was him that was feeling
Tellin' you those were the days
As he stares at a white dove
Tears fall down on his face
And they run through without
That only God himself can replace
[Pre-Chorus]
So he fights with a gun in his hand
For a reason he can't understand
Fights with a gun in his hand
For the freedom of their land
[Chorus]
Can you hear the crying out
All the people in El Salvador
Can you hear a distant shout
From the people in El Salvador (save them)
[Guitar Solo]
No!
[Bridge]
Can you hear them cry?
Can you see them die?
Can you tell me why? Oh no
See them die, hear them cry, tell me why
No!
[Chorus]
Can you hear the crying out
All the people in El Salvador (hear them cry)
Can you hear a distant shout
From the people in El Salvador (see them die)
Cross your heart and hope to die
For the people in El Salvador (tell me why)
Still they kill not knowing why
All the people in El Salvador
[Outro]
Hear them cry
See them die
All the people in El Salvador, yeah
He could barely remember
When the fighting began
It was early September
When he lost his old man
Soon the time came to leave there
And to start a new life
How it seems so unfair
When they gave him a gun and a knife
[Pre-Chorus]
So he fights with a gun in his hand
For a reason he can't understand
Fights with a gun in his hand
For the freedom of their land
[Chorus]
Can you hear the crying out
All the people in El Salvador
Can you hear a distant shout
From the people in El Salvador
Cross your heart and hope to die
For the people in El Salvador
Still they kill not knowing why
All the people in El Salvador
[Verse 2]
As he stares at the ceiling
He thinks back quite away
It was him that was feeling
Tellin' you those were the days
As he stares at a white dove
Tears fall down on his face
And they run through without
That only God himself can replace
[Pre-Chorus]
So he fights with a gun in his hand
For a reason he can't understand
Fights with a gun in his hand
For the freedom of their land
[Chorus]
Can you hear the crying out
All the people in El Salvador
Can you hear a distant shout
From the people in El Salvador (save them)
[Guitar Solo]
No!
[Bridge]
Can you hear them cry?
Can you see them die?
Can you tell me why? Oh no
See them die, hear them cry, tell me why
No!
[Chorus]
Can you hear the crying out
All the people in El Salvador (hear them cry)
Can you hear a distant shout
From the people in El Salvador (see them die)
Cross your heart and hope to die
For the people in El Salvador (tell me why)
Still they kill not knowing why
All the people in El Salvador
[Outro]
Hear them cry
See them die
All the people in El Salvador, yeah
more tracks from the album
From the albums
- Fight to Survive (1985)
- Remembering White Lion (1999)
White Lion popular songs
- When The Children Cry
- You’re All I Need
- Till Death Do Us Part
- Broken Heart
- Wait
- Where Do We Run
- Goin’ Home Tonight
- Love Don’t Come Easy
- Lonely Nights (live)
- Dream
- Lady of the Valley
- Dirty Woman
- El Salvador
- Lady of the Valley (live)
- All You Need Is Rock ‘n’ Roll
- All Burn in Hell
- Tell Me (Live)
- Cry for Freedom
- All the Fallen Men
- Fight to Survive (live)
- I Will
- Lonely Nights
- Hungry (Live)
- Cherokee