"Guns of Summer"

Art for the picture vinyl by David Siedman.

**"Guns of Summer"** is a song by the American rock band Coheed and Cambria. It is the third track on their 2010 album *Year of the Black Rainbow*.

## Lyrics

**[Verse 1]**

If this is my last chance, keep it

I don't need your jokes

I'm better off without the misunderstanding

If I am displeasing, then leave me

The reason to all our worth

Would I truly care if we truly mean nothing?

Oh, have we been fed crazy?

Will the curtain save me from my final pun?

**[Pre-Chorus]**

No one will save us

You think that somebody cares

While the water is rising up?

Let the cleansing begin

Mother, will they ever thank you?

Instead we hide behind these foolish lies

Ambition has told us otherwise

**[Chorus]**

Cold as winter, guns of summer

Point and watch them run

Summer's will and debris in their son

This is your last chance, will you give up?

**[Verse 2]**

But in our turning towards the new

And disregarding in these old ways

Will we gain some truth or suffer again?

Allow it as it breaks and showers our soul

Rain down fire and burn us all!

**[Pre-Chorus]**

No one will save us

You think that somebody cares

While the water is rising up?

Let the cleansing begin

Mother, will they ever thank you?

Instead we hide behind these foolish lies

Magicians have told us otherwise

**[Chorus]**

Cold as winter, guns of summer

Point and watch them run

Summer's will and debris in their son

If this is your last chance, will you give up?

**[Interlude]**

There is only one judge...

It is, it is, it is... yourself!

**[Chorus]**

Cold as winter, guns of summer

Point and watch them run

Summer's will and debris in their son

This is your last chance, will you give up?

Run

Summer's will and debris in their son

This is your last chance, will you?

This is your last chance

**[Outro]**

(Cold as winter's guns)

Oh, this is your last chance, will you give?

(Cold as winter's guns)

Oh, this is your last chance, will you?

(Cold, cold)

Oh, this is your last chance, will you give?

(As winter's guns)

Oh, this is your last chance, will you?

## Story Context

This is also the title of Chapter 3, and almost exclusively depicts it. Joseph Hohenberger, the only son of Leonard and Pearl, goes to protest the Mages Wars against his mother's wishes and with his reluctant father's permission. As Pearl feared, he is caught in crossfire between the two armies, and is ultimately shot and killed. He dies in Pearl's arms. The song largely depicts the hell that breaks loose and Joseph's thoughts as he dies.

The first lines ("If this is my last chance keep it / I don't need your jokes") is more or less what Joseph says to Leonard as he's trying to leave. "Dad, all those years you spent telling me the importance of standing up for what I think is right. Was it all bullshit?" And of course, it is followed up with the line, "I'm better off without the misunderstanding."

The line "have we been fed crazy" is a reference to what happens later in Chapter 5. Ryan, claiming victory, "cleanses" the people in some sort of liquid that drives them to happy delirium. The line "Cold as winter, Guns of Summer" refer to Joseph dying (and becoming cold) as a cause of the guns (the war, which takes place in Summer).

The lines "But in our turning towards the new / And disregarding these old ways / Will we gain some truth or suffer again?" is an intriguing question the *writer* is posing to us. The "turning towards the new" refers to the people of Heaven's Fence turning towards Ryan and his Black Rainbow, while "disregarding these old ways," the ways of the Ghansgraad and Prise. What will happen as a result of their choice?

## Trivia

* Sanchez played the Synthesizers & Keyboard with Wes Styles.
* The line "Magicians" is the title of Chapter 10.
	+ This is, in fact, the ONLY time the word "Magicians" is used on the entire album.
* The line, "Let the cleansing begin," is spoken by Ryan in Chapter 5, after Ryan claims victory.
* The line, "Rain down fire and burn us all!" is also spoken by Ryan but in Chapter 10 with regards to what God can do.
* This song was added to the video game *Rock Band* in the DLC pack titled "Coheed and Cambria Pack 01" on Apr 10, 2010, and re-released in the "Guitar Glory" pack on Nov 26, 2018.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Coheed-And-Cambria-Guns-Of-Summer-Pearl-Of-The-Stars/release/2338002
2. ↑ Coheed and Cambria. Booklet. *Year of the Black Rainbow*, Columbia Records, 2010.
3. ↑ https://genius.com/Coheed-and-cambria-guns-of-summer-lyrics
4. ↑ https://rbdb.online/songs/details/298