Friendly Fire” was created by the Israeli-American musician and artist Yoav. It is written in both Hebrew and English and explores the effects of war on life, including on people who have nothing to do with it. As Israel continues to expand its settlements in the West Bank, the Israeli government claims that these regions have no real meaning, meaning that their inhabitants are not human. (Image: Flickr/mikki gks Credit: )
“There are all types of reasons why wars happen. None of them are good,” Yoav wrote in an email. “War is terrible and it’s terrible for everybody—all civilians, no matter where they are from, are victims of it.”
Yoav’s project is unique in that it reflects the artist’s own life. When he decided to write the song, he visited Israel and went on a tour of the West Bank with a Palestinian friend. It was on that tour that he “realized for the first time how complex the situation is.”
I want to take care of the other … The last thing I want is war. Peace, what a concept. Peace be with you, bro. Peace, peace be with you. -Yoav
“In a way, [the song] grew from my own trip to the West Bank and the Palestinian people, and from the conversation we had about the current situation in Israel,” Yoav wrote. “It goes with the spirit of what they’re doing, their struggle, their efforts to try and find a way to live. Even the Arabic part in the song represents that struggle. I really tried to reach deep into that conflict and touch something very much in there—especially when I write in the other language of the song, Hebrew, and when I tried to go into the meaning of words I haven’t used in a long time, to their essence.”
When the song was officially released, Yoav wrote that he was “struck” with the reactions to it, with some loving it and others hating it.
“It touched people and it touched them in a deep way,” he wrote, “because it shows that for me, and for a lot of people that I know, we really care about human beings.”
Yoav has performed “Friendly Fire” at his shows for nearly five years now and says that each time he sings it, it touches people in a deeper way.
“And I hope that through this song, it will show you what is going on out there in the world, the world that we live in, and how we can do better.”
He added that he writes many of his songs about injustice and wants people to be conscious of this “war with ourselves” that is going on, and to “try to find our better part.”
Yoav hopes that people will consider his efforts to show the reality of the conflict. As the Israeli military claims that the settlements in the West Bank have no real meaning, Yoav is hoping to create music that is meaningful and relevant to both sides.
Yoav’s lyrics to “Friendly Fire” follow:
There’s nothing more intimate than to be with your friend,
Your friend whose family you’ve known for many years.
If there’s war, you’ll try to reach a friend,
No matter what they’re calling him, the word is always the same.
He’s your buddy, he was the one to stand up for you,
But now it’s time for you to make some room,
for him and his family,
for him and his family.
There’s no way of knowing the damage you might cause,
If your aim isn’t accurate,
then it’s not even worth talking about.
And so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids,
you will fire.
When he hears, he won’t be able to make the distinction between them,
between the ones he thinks are his family and the ones he can’t,
he will think they’re attacking him.
Because you told him, I wouldn’t shoot, and I’ll tell them the same.
And so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you,
he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other,
you are the one who’s causing all of this damage,
and so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you,
he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other, you are the one who’s causing all of this damage,
and so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other, you are the one who’s causing all of this damage,
and so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other, you are the one who’s causing all of this damage,
and so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other, you are the one who’s causing all of this damage,
and so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other, you are the one who’s causing all of this damage,
and so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other, you are the one who’s causing all of this damage,
and so for him you will fire, for him, for him and the kids, you will fire.
And now the moment has come when you have to make the first move.
And there, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you, he is shooting at you.
And there is no way of knowing the damage you might cause.
It’s sad, because for him you are that other, you are the one who’s causing all of this damage
