Lyrics of Race to the Sea of Sabaton
We’re keeping the kingdom free
As an archduke falls and the battle horn calls
Our lives would never be the same
We were looking down the barrel of a gun
Now the war has come and the battle’s begun
We are desperate and overrun
To the war drum we’ll be marching ’til it’s done
Lead the way, we will follow into the fray
We will hold the line, we will not be led astray
For king and for country we are flooding the river
Our stand at Yser will be the end of the race to the sea
The last piece of Belgium’s free, we’re keeping a sliver
A cog in the war machine, October of 1914
As our foe draws forth we are moving on north
We will never let them have it all
There’s a price for freedom paid by Belgium’s sons
They may take our towns, they may conquer our grounds
We’ll defend the nation and the crown
We’ll uphold our independence with our guns
All the way, on to triumph or to judgement day
We will follow and we will not be led astray
For king and for country we are flooding the river
Our stand at Yser will be the end of the race to the sea
The last piece of Belgium’s free, we’re keeping a sliver
A cog in the war machine, October of 1914
See a king and a soldier, fighting shoulder to shoulder
See a king and a soldier, fighting shoulder to shoulder
He overruled his commanders, he made a last stand in Flanders
We see our king and a soldier, they’re fighting shoulder to shoulder
To keep the last piece of Belgium free
All the way, on to triumph or to judgement day
We will follow and we will not be led astray
For king and for country we are flooding the river
Our stand at Yser will be the end of the race to the sea
The last piece of Belgium’s free, we’re keeping a sliver
A cog in the war machine, October of 1914
For king and for country we are flooding the river
Our stand at Yser will be the end of the race to the sea
We’re free
For king and for country we are flooding the river
No more of our country lost, the line will be held at all cost
Historical Background
In short: The song is about King Albert I of Belgium and the flooding strategy in World War I.
Race to the Sea – The Battle That Saved Belgium
Some battles are fought for territory. Others decide the fate of an entire nation.
Race to the Sea by Sabaton tells the story of Belgium’s desperate last stand in World War I—the Battle of the Yser (1914).
This was the moment when King Albert I and his army refused to surrender, flooding their own land to stop the German advance and save the last free part of Belgium.
August 1914 – Germany Invades Belgium
“As an archduke falls and the battle horn calls, our lives would never be the same.”
World War I began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Germany launched the Schlieffen Plan, invading Belgium on August 4, 1914.
- The Belgian army was outnumbered but fought bravely.
- The fortress city of Liège held out longer than expected, delaying the German advance.
- However, by October 1914, most of Belgium was under German control.
Only a small strip of land along the Yser River remained free—and King Albert I was determined to defend it at all costs.
October 1914 – The Race to the Sea Begins
“We were looking down the barrel of a gun, now the war has come and the battle’s begun.”
As German and Allied forces fought across Belgium and northern France, both sides tried to outflank each other—a movement known as the Race to the Sea.
“For king and for country we are flooding the river, our stand at Yser will be the end of the race to the sea.”
At the Battle of the Yser, the Belgian army made its final stand.
- The Germans pushed towards the last Belgian stronghold.
- The outnumbered Belgian forces fought desperately to hold their ground.
- Then, King Albert I made a bold decision—he ordered the flooding of the Yser plain.
Belgium’s Last Stand – Flooding the Yser
“There’s a price for freedom paid by Belgium’s sons. They may take our towns, they may conquer our grounds, we’ll defend the nation and the crown.”
Belgian engineers opened the sluices near Nieuwpoort, flooding the land between the Belgian and German lines.
“See a king and a soldier, fighting shoulder to shoulder.”
King Albert I personally commanded his troops—the only European monarch to lead his army in battle during World War I.
The flooding halted the German advance and preserved the last free part of Belgium.
The Aftermath – Holding the Line Until the End
“No more of our country lost, the line will be held at all cost.”
The Battle of the Yser saved Belgium—but at a terrible cost.
- The Belgian army suffered massive casualties but refused to retreat.
- The flooded land became the front line for the next four years.
- The small stretch of Belgium that remained free became a symbol of resistance.
When World War I ended in 1918, King Albert I led his army into liberated Belgium, returning to Brussels as a hero.
Want to Learn More?
- 🎥 Sabaton history – Race to the Sea (Documentary) – Historical background to the song.
- 📖 Battle of the Yser (Wikipedia) – The Belgian army’s last stand.
- 📖 King Albert I of Belgium (Wikipedia) – The king who fought alongside his soldiers.
- 📖 Race to the Sea (Wikipedia) – The movement that shaped the Western Front.
- 🎥 The Flooding of the Yser (YouTube) – Original footage of the flooding.
- 📖 German Invasion of Belgium (Wikipedia) – How Belgium resisted in 1914.
The Lesson?
Some kings stay behind palace walls. Others lead their men into battle.
And in 1914, King Albert I refused to surrender—turning the flooded fields of Belgium into a symbol of defiance.