Art Of War – We The Kings (Song Reviews)

Andrew Wendowski

Posted on December 13, 2015

“Art of War” is the fourth single off the upcoming release from Florida natives We the Kings’ fourth full length album “Somewhere Somehow”. The album is set for release December 16th, and We the Kings seem to be self releasing it, as they apparently used the popular website indiegogo to fund the project. “Art of War” is a drastic change from the days of ‘Check Yes Juliet’ and ‘Skyway Avenue’. It’s one of those songs that seem to be unintentionally sad, of course that depends on your interpretation of the lyrics. ‘Follow me into the dark and I will lead you to the light. Fearless hearts keep holding on all through the night. I’m a soldier till it’s over; you and I fighting for the art of war. I’m a soldier up against the war.’ On one side, it could be taken as being a metaphor for love, a relationship, which can often be a battlefield. Sometimes two people just dive in head first and have no idea how difficult it can be. However if you look at it on the other hand; it’s literally about war. The story of a soldier and his (or her) friend or even sibling thrown into the fight ‘we were just two kids thrown into the flames’, perhaps not wanting to leave their family behind. The chorus holds true to this, as well as the very last lines of the song, ‘from the soundless, fearless hearts; keep holding on all through the night.’
The lyric that sticks out the most ‘follow me into the dark and I will lead you to the light’, sounds almost as if one of them has died, and the other is leading them towards the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. This could be relationship wise, a major accident or terminal illness, or if you go with scenario two; one of them died in battle and was waiting for the other. Or even with both interpretations, one is staying the night with the other to make sure they see the morning.
Instrumentally it’s not extremely slow or solemn despite the lyrics and their potential meaning; it’s wonderfully composed and shows a side of the band that’s nothing short of amazing.

Rating 4.5/5 – I cried like a baby, I’m not even ashamed. As someone who was formerly in a military relationship, and knowing many who are, when a song comes out like this it’s the first thing that comes to your mind. If they ever made a music video for this, it has so much potential to be a 4 minute 41 second movie of tears. Not many songs can cause me to have any sort of emotional response like this; I can list them on one hand. ‘Art of War’ is almost a song that I’m developing a love/hate relationship with. I love it, it’s an amazing song and the lyrics are tragic but beautiful, but I hate it because it makes me cry! If you haven’t given it a listen, you should.

Listen to “Art Of War” Now! & Buy it on iTunes! https://itun.es/i6Fr8Tz
Also be sure to check out the other singles released off of ‘Somewhere Somehow’! ‘Just Keep Breathing’, ‘Find You There’, and “Any Other Way’.