Lyrics of Pictures of War by HistoryMusicNerd
The Vietnam War was clear to see
for everyone at home on the TV.
No censored tales, no hidden lies,
Just blood and fire in their eyes.
Some called it duty, some called it fate,
But the pictures spoke of hell and hate.
Pictures of war in a war of pictures!
We fight for home but home convicts us.
The TV shows, feeds to consume
The truth of war, the looming doom.
A War fought in our living room.
The Napalm girl ran with no clothes,
crying, as the TV shows.
From buried sons to My Lai’s shame,
America won’t stay the same.
Some called it duty, some called it fate,
But the pictures spoke of hell and hate.
Pictures of war in a war of pictures!
We fight for home but home convicts us.
The TV shows, feeds to consume
The truth of war, the looming doom.
A War fought in our living room.
They watched the screen, and held their breath,
The Draft Lottery whispered death.
A single pull, a name was drawn,
By morning light, your son was gone.
They marched streets with signs held high,
“Stop this war!” they raised their cries.
From Draft Stop to the Pentagon,
„Make love, not war“ they chanted on.
Some called it duty, some called it fate,
But the pictures spoke of hell and hate.
Pictures of war in a war of pictures!
We fight for home but home convicts us.
The TV shows, feeds to consume
The truth of war, the looming doom.
A War fought in our living room.
Pictures of war in a war of pictures!
We fight for home but home convicts us!
Historical Background and Meaning
In short: The song is about the perception of the Vietnam War in the US and the anti-war protests.
Pictures of War – Vietnam Through the Lens
The Vietnam War was unlike any war before.
For the first time in history,
the battlefields were brought home—through the lens of a camera.
No censorship, no hidden lies—
Just blood, fire, and a nation divided.
The War That Came to Our Living Rooms
“The Vietnam War was clear to see, for everyone at home on the TV.”
Unlike World War II, where news was controlled,
Vietnam was broadcast nightly into American homes.
- Helicopters firing over jungles
- Napalm-stricken villages burning
- Soldiers crying for fallen brothers
“Some called it duty, some called it fate, but the pictures spoke of hell and hate.”
The Images That Changed Everything
“The Napalm girl ran with no clothes, crying, as the TV shows.”
Some images shocked the world:
- Kim Phuc, the “Napalm Girl” (1972) – a child, burned and screaming, running for her life.
- Eddie Adams’ execution photo – A Viet Cong prisoner, shot in the head, in broad daylight.
- The My Lai Massacre – U.S. troops executing innocent villagers.
The truth was undeniable.
For the first time, the American public saw war for what it really was.
“Pictures of war in a war of pictures! We fight for home, but home convicts us.”
The Draft & Protest Movements
“They watched the screen, and held their breath, the Draft Lottery whispered death.”
The draft lottery turned Vietnam into a personal nightmare for many families:
- Young men were pulled from home, often against their will.
- Protests erupted—college students, veterans, even politicians.
- “Make Love, Not War” became the anthem of resistance.
“They marched streets with signs held high, ‘Stop this war!’ they raised their cries.”
Want to Learn More?
- 📖 Opposition to the Vietnam War (Wikipedia)
- 🎥 The Media in the Vietnam War (YouTube)
- 🎥 The Vietnam War – Real Footage (YouTube)
- 📰 How the Media Shaped Public Opinion on Vietnam (History.com)
- 📸 Phan Thi Kim Phuc – The Napalm Girl (Wikipedia)
The War That Couldn’t Be Ignored
Vietnam wasn’t just fought in the jungles—
It was fought in every American home.
And once the truth was seen,
there was no turning back.
