Sting - Children's Crusade Lyrics






Young men, soldiers, Nineteen Fourteen
Marching through countries they'd never seen
Virgins with rifles, a game of charades
All for a Children's Crusade

Pawns in the game are not victims of chance
Strewn on the fields of Belgium and France
Poppies for young men, death's bitter trade
All of those young lives betrayed

The children of England would never be slaves
They're trapped on the wire and dying in waves
The flower of England face down in the mud
And stained in the blood of a whole generation

Corpulent generals safe behind lines
History's lessons drowned in red wine
Poppies for young men, death's bitter trade
All of those young lives betrayed
All for a Children's Crusade

The children of England would never be slaves
They're trapped on the wire and dying in waves
The flower of England face down in the mud
And stained in the blood of a whole generation

Midnight in Soho, Nineteen Eighty-four
Fixing in doorways, opium slaves
Poppies for young men, such bitter trade
All of those young lives betrayed
All for a Children's Crusade





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Sting Children's Crusade Comments
  1. �.... ....

    息子が紛争地で死んだ
    この曲を弔いに使わせてもらう

  2. D.... R....

    This sounds like Cardi B stole the intro for Bodak Yellow

  3. t.... ....

    Crise des migrants . Et.vous anglais arrogants, méditez sur la connerie du Brexit....

  4. c.... w....

    This was back when songwriters wrote about what they saw OUTSIDE IN THE WORLD, not the pretend characters they create for themselves today. Sting is the Shakespeare of modern music. I was never a huge fan of the Police (although I loved some of their stuff), I didn't get into his music until he left the band, or broke it up or whatever.

  5. D.... G....

    “Pawns in the game are not victims of chance!”

  6. D.... G....

    I love when this goes instrumental!
    The intensification....!!!!!

  7. D.... G....

    History lessons drowned in red wine!!!!!

  8. D.... G....

    Bradford Marsalis On that horn

  9. D.... G....

    History repeats itself!!!!

  10. D.... G....

    DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES
    NOTHING LIKE THE SUN
    PURE GENIUS!!!!!
    They never get old!!!!!

  11. D.... G....

    “Pawns in the game are not victims of chance”!!!!!!

  12. W.... G....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ_OZfaiUlc

  13. P.... E....

    AMAZING song! Marsalis VIRTUOSO! The entire album is terrific.

  14. I.... E....

    Remember them.

  15. R.... G....

    this whole album is a masterpiece ! really!!

  16. H.... H....

    https://youtu.be/R6pQ8qKg-Ag This is a great documentary if you've never seen it. Wonderful to watch them working out this song. <3

  17. t.... ....

    With your poor Brexit, arent u ashamed with this donc ? France has no lesson To receive from u british...

  18. D.... D....

    Forse il migliore brano di STING ( probably the best STING' s song )

  19. H.... ....

    Definitively a cold war record.

  20. A.... J....

    If Peter Jackson's WW1 documentary They Shall Not Grow Old had a soundtrack, this song should head the list. RIP to the glorious dead.

  21. t.... ....

    l fell in love with this piece in my punk days.  l didn't know what it was about, but was a jazz musician, and loved the beautiful chords, n melody.  Later when l listened to the story, l realised the song was about me!  What a way to _TELL_ it!!!!

  22. A.... V....

    An incredibly beautiful song that was featured in a sting documentary released in 1987....saw this movie with an artist friend who got me into sting.

  23. j.... m....

    the F.UK.US Coalition,--- NWO shit or bust crusade, Continues to plod along, slouching to who knows what ???!!!!

  24. e.... m....

    Angers me this has not been played at this time in our history. 100 years on from the end of the slaughter. Every year at the Albert Hall we hear "Britons will never be slaves" yet he writes "They're trapped on the wire and dying in waves" Brilliant. We rule no waves. The story of the Childrens crusade is also worth a read. Let,s get real and remember when a nation slaughtered a generation .

  25. p.... j....

    Was about war and heroin

  26. S.... R....

    sting sings about homeless children is touching indeed

  27. V.... M....

    es un virtuoso el y los músicos congregados en esta obra maestra

  28. D.... P....

    Piękne... Greetings from CHRISTIAN Poland.

  29. M.... L....

    One of the great musicians of the 20th century.

  30. L.... A....

    always been captured by the mesmerizing music of this song, but today discovered how beautiful the lyrics are.. Sting is a poet

  31. r.... b....

    Genio total.

  32. E.... R....

    No words to say about something too strong! Amazing!

  33. M.... V....

    BEAUTIFUL SONG! LINDA CANÇÃO!

  34. T.... M....

    Belgium and France... the center of Socialist liberal (nihilism) ideology today.  So sad!  I guess they'll never learn.  So sad and despicable for our children!!!!!!!!!!

    T.... M....

    You are one of powerfull citizen of EU. Greetings fron Poland - still CHRISTIAN ☺

    T.... M....

    You are an uninformed lunatic I'm sorry to say

  35. H.... O....

    I've been puzzled by the lyrics since hearing them the first time. In 1914, it was the Germans who threw away their young men ("Kindermorten"). The British waited till 1916 and the Somme offensive to butcher their young men.

  36. M.... R....

    Cardi B bodak yellow sampled , Sting call your lawyer

    M.... R....

    Wow, and I heard 'The Shape of my Heart' on at least 2 rap songs and a pop song.

  37. N.... M....

    Bodak yellow

  38. L.... B....

    Daryl Jones on this... perfection

  39. W.... A....

    Que sonzeira do Caralho!!!Puta que o pariu!!!!!

  40. c.... 7....

    Lil bitch you can’t fuck wit me, if you wanted toooooo, these expensive, these is red bottoms, these is bloody shoos
    —Cardi B

  41. S.... N....

    Corpulent Generals = insane psychopaths

  42. N.... D....

    Cardi b

  43. G.... A....

    Sting is loviothan gay

  44. G.... A....

    Youre mom's all big gay

  45. L.... M....

    LOVE Sting.

  46. D.... !....

    U CANT FUCK WIT ME IF YOU WANTED TOO

  47. l.... ....

    "Poppies for young men, death's bitter trade - All of those young lives betrayed", sadly still so true!

    l.... ....

    The black market of war is quite an expensive endeavor ...all concocted in evil hearts.

  48. T.... 1....

    Bodak yellow

  49. F.... �....

    Bodak Yellow sample

  50. A.... F....

    Classic

  51. s.... f....

    Sting gets my vote, having served my country and knowing my Father and GrandFather did , like so many other people around the world, you listen to this song and it brings out certain emotions. Sad but true!

  52. H.... B....

    The words has a chilling effect on what is happening today with the Opiod crisis. This song was written in 1984.

  53. T.... M....

    East vs. West in the end of all things that we know.  History does repeat itself.

  54. a.... ....

    The chord progression for the verse is kind of like Message in a Bottle.

  55. M.... L....

    That solo by Branford is incredible

    M.... L....

    And great how he weaves in and out of the vocal!

  56. M.... G....

    There's a drummer !! Omar Hakim !!

    M.... G....

    I agree not so much in the forefront, but his back catalogue speaks for itself, brilliant and such amazing instinctively

  57. p.... ....

    again im listening on this Remembrance Sunday. Thank you, all who served then.. and now...and the years between.

  58. i.... ....

    Lest We Forget

    i.... ....

    illinilass yes

  59. Y.... J....

    Twenty one years later...I still love Sting. His entire album was mellow and put me in a state of mind. Great to listen to through my college years as I painted and drew in my sketch books. Even through motherhood

  60. S.... B....

    The thing that's interesting is that in all of the comments I read below, everyone focuses only on 1914, on World War I, on the reference to generals. There is the last verse to deal with too. There was another kind of destruction of youth in 1984-85. The people safe beyond lines were different, the method by which death was delivered was different, but again "the flower of England [was] face down in the mud / and stained in the blood of a whole generation." To me, that's what elevates the song.

    S.... B....

    Simon Boccanegra yes. i was living there as a grad student then. the poppies came first. then the disease. a sad time. this sing does an excellent job of talking about it all

  61. D.... D....

    One of my favorites of all time.

  62. M.... ....

    Such a wonderful album... brings back memories of 1985, my first year in college....listened to this song in particular over and over. Great musicians and the great Gordon Sumner who brought it all together

  63. M.... S....

    conchesumadre, el tema hijo de puta para hermoso...lo amo

  64. D.... M....

    They'r trapped on the wire and dying in waves... That was World War One western front.

    D.... M....

    Young men and soldiers 1914...

    D.... M....

    The song compares the waste of lives in world war 1 to the waste of life by drug users.

    D.... M....

    the opium trade

  65. L.... T....

    As\we comemmorate the 100th Anniversary of the Some today in the Uk, which begun at 7:30 am, and by the end of the same day 01/07/1916, which would see 50,000 men die on both sides, in the worst bloodbath in history (continuing in the 'summer of blood', this song remains beautifully poigniant and relevant, rip. to all those young men cut down so young

    L.... T....

    agree. I'm in the us and watching the live re enactors walk through the streets of the UK reduced me to tears. lest we forget.

    L.... T....

    So much bloodsucking in your world...quite remarkable

    L.... T....

    It's spelled Somme

  66. p.... ....

    remembering those who fell at the Somme 100 years ago....and all who paid the ultimate price. as timely a song now as when I first heard it.

  67. N.... H....

    safe behind lines.... genius...

  68. R.... B....

    I love this song!!!! I have a copy of Dream Of The Blue Turtles on Cd. Whenever it goes in the player it stays in for days i can listen to it over and over. The whole damn album is great but this and Fortress Around Your Heart are my two favs.

    R.... B....

    You're right --- phenomenal album it is.

    R.... B....

    Damn Right and love the Jazzy Elements on it. Sting nailed it with this one

    R.... B....

    True!!! But when i listen to "Shadows in the rain" i jump in joy. It´s astounding...

  69. j.... m....

    midnight oil the forgotten years is great too !!!!!!!! july 2, 2016 centenary of the Battle of the Somme !!!!

    j.... m....

    and big country's where the rose is sown. remembering today. a whole generation lost. what might have been?

  70. D.... T....

    i absolutely love sting... he helped me develop my love for jazz. beautiful...

    D.... T....

    I think that was all the guys together, Kenny Kirland, Brandford, Darryll Jones, Omar Hakim and definitely Sting himself

    D.... T....

    Dana Terrell Reading Slaughterhouse Five In My Honors English Class And My Teacher Told Us About This Song .. I Love It Now

    D.... T....

    Brendon Cariah he was simply a wheel in the spoke...An awesome player but he did not do all of it..Especially this tune,which was commanded beautifully by Hakims drumming and Jones bass playing...All others are as good on their respective instruments as Marsalis' is on his...Sting knew what he was doing when he ordered this legendary line-up..Kenny Kirkland RIP my man....

    D.... T....

    Who cares!!!!!!!!!!

    D.... T....

    @superslonic Stellar musicians all around

  71. T.... G....

    how is it that beyonce and rihanna have hundred of million views but this has 85k? that's whacked.

    T.... G....

    Another reason that might be is because when this came in 1985 there was no internet. If this song and what ever song by Beyonce and Rhianna came out at the same time i wonder if it would be more even. Plus i wonder if more teeny boppers go on youtube than us older people.

    T.... G....

    Tim Gainnes People Dont Know Real Music

    T.... G....

    Everyone is asking the question, but great music can be forgotten, like they said.

    T.... G....

    Indeed... Guess an umbrella is more intresting then real events, and good music

    T.... G....

    Baby boomers don’t do the youtube thing like children and millennials. They have more time.

  72. R.... A....

    Cool and the magic of Branford Marsalis

  73. H.... S....

    Masterpiece music, and saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis

    H.... S....

    +stephen dwyer a rag who? What bouncer let you in here, pendejo?

    H.... S....

    Branford is amazing!

  74. C.... C....

    has anyone noticed that this song is just a forum for conspiracy theorists??

    C.... C....

    +Catherine C Conspiracy theorists are usually proven right decades later.

    C.... C....

    Well there are theories.. some are a substantiated and some are not..but if you think powerful and mega rich people don't criminally conspire to further their own ends throughout history and into our present age, well, you are naive and out of touch with reality.Pity you.

  75. H.... G....

    Slaughterhouse Five, anyone? I'm going to incorporate this into my English project, one of the most exciting things ever is when different mediums parallel (literature, movies, music, art, etc.)

  76. J.... i....

    Ouch England ouch, and you really were our ally.

  77. e.... i....

    At this moment, a little life is dying before educated.

    Equally the education for children so that human being study the meaningless of the war, the conflict.

  78. J.... R....

    Corpulent generals safe behind lines.

    J.... R....

    ...history's lessons drowned in red wine!

  79. J.... ....

    the Musical construction of this song is simply Genius

    J.... ....

    best track on the album

    J.... ....

    @anofi berry And that's saying a lot... one of the best albums ever recorded

    J.... ....

    Sting borrowed the refrain and intro from a Russian composer; Sting conveys that reference in liner notes of Dream of the Blue Turtles.

  80. S.... R....

    Dream of the Blue Turtles - Tintin influenced (How. and why..This is France not Belguim but cloe enough.)

  81. D.... L....

    Still a sensational tune by sting, timeless and even more true to life now than it ever was then, be lucky people, life is just too short

    D.... L....

    +Daniel Latchem dont know about timeless .will people still look up this song in twenty five years.. hope so.aussie out

  82. S.... R....

    the childern on england would never be slaves, they surely wouldnt and i wish i was the right age the timet this came out cuz i feel worse every time i discover a new cure/sting/dylan/springsteen/you name it album 'cuz it's just not as good today with all the shit coming out than it was back then

  83. M.... B....

    here's a rare video montage of the song  http://www.mediafire.com/watch/blf93n4x9bqh1ww/4_-_Children's_Crusade.mp4

    Fragile    http://www.mediafire.com/watch/b7qvuij21yzsw8q/5_-_Fragile.mp4

    "Russians"  http://www.mediafire.com/watch/i87qyzvi755o0qw/13_-_Russians.mp4

    http://www.mediafire.com/watch/61v1iuuho043sec/12_-_We_Work_The_Black_Seam.mp4

    http://www.mediafire.com/watch/ilq5v88csya9vua/9_-_Murder_By_Numbers.mp4

    http://www.mediafire.com/watch/26r1l95797m65ir/25_-_When_All_the_Laughter_Dies_%26_A_Thousand_Years_%26_Praise_You_in_This_Storm.mp4

  84. T.... ....

    I think this song is marvelous. It's a sweet and soft song with a powerful message and homage to those lost in WWI. So many powerful lyrics in just this song alone, and yet the sax in the chorus gives me the feeling to celebrate the lives lost, not mourn them. 

  85. e.... c....

    PJ Bowman, how are you aware of this type of music? you look like you are my age (14) when this album came out. No  Beyonce-ape, Jzee, Beat your wife and kill people "ebonics rap", Some sort of a lady gaga noise? You parents must have exposed you to 1980's music.  

    e.... c....

    It's great to see the younger crowd have an appreciation for legends. I was born in 1988, three years after the release, but my Uncle used to play Sting solo and his Police work all the time. That is also how I knew about the Beatles, U2 and Metallica at such a young age. I don't think age matters when it comes to music. Everyone from 2-99 can enjoy Sting, but some choose not to. I avoid those folks.

  86. A.... N....

    Face down in the mud... great!

  87. i.... ....

    one of this planet's best songwriters :)

    i.... ....

    a "talent" which he passed on to his children (e.g. Joe & Elliott Sumner).

  88. C.... I....

    Too bad The Modern Brits and Americans are allowing themselves to be slaves to oligarchs....all of those young lives betrayed by Opulent sociopaths in power today..all those lives sacrificed for the idea of liberty and freedom and the British american way of life slowly eroding away those gains to be nothing but economic slaves to bankers and fraudsters and rich Children crusaders sick with power... Poppy's being harvested in record numbers and controlled and managed by CIA and military personnel..
    All of the young lives STILL BETRAYED 

    C.... I....

    @***** Oh are you my long lost brother?
    And what are you like 5 now?

    C.... I....

    @***** also delusional.. narrow minded fools always think they "win" just because they pronounce it a win to themselves..Again typical of the delusional..
    And again we have a perfect example of part of their brain washing is they see only in terms of winning and loosing and contest because to them its all about stepping on others to climb the little ladder as they have been trained by a system they have come to worship. because being useful idiots they think makes them strong in numbers. But its really just garden variety cowardice..They can never stand on their own so they use gangs and cults and groups of thugs to force their will on everyone else. Its so typical of the type to think they win by tripping up others because they know they could never actually win anything on their own merits.
    SO its the abusive mindset of small minded human beings that if you dug down deep you would find existential cowards shivering in the corner of their own little mind.

    C.... I....

    Very true Chuck...

  89. T.... S....

    Sting´s Best

    T.... S....

    Agreed, Tato, This is truly his best album. hands down.

    T.... S....

    No doubt ! I've been in love with this song since the first time i came across it!

  90. f.... ....

    Love this song. Thank you.

  91. D.... R....

    "Trapped on the wire and dying in waves"
    I have listened to this song since 1985 and that phrase always makes my spine tingle.

    D.... R....

    It almost brings tears to your eyes.

    D.... R....

    Especially in the last chorus when they double up the vocals.

    D.... R....

    😢😢😢😢😭😭😭😭

    D.... R....

    It's also tragically accurate. They sent wave after wave of men into German machine gun fire. At one battle (Ypres I think) the Germans just stopped shooting because they couldn't stand seeing so many men die.

  92. b.... ....

    http://themetapicture.com/888246-poppies-pour-like-blood-from-the-tower-of-london/

  93. N.... c....

    Maravilhoso!

  94. F.... W....

    ingenious song

  95. M.... G....

    Lest we forget the slaughter of WWI

  96. L.... T....

    What a great song...
    ...for some reason, this song makes me want to cry...

    L.... T....

    Because of the genius of the lyrics and power of the music.

    L.... T....

    @Laura Tang, made me cry in 1986 & 2019

  97. a.... ....

    Happy Remembrance Day

  98. b.... ....

    Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.  Important song.

  99. M.... M....

    well done ;) PJ Bowman = great job he

  100. e.... G....

    Such A haunting composition, his music has almost always been adult