The Art of War

Album: Dark Is The Way: Light Is A Place (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track about relationships was inspired by The Art of War, the warrior creed of the ancient Chinese military commander and author Sun Tzu. Frontman Stephen Christian explained to Billboard magazine how the song reflects the philosophies of the book. "I was reading the correlation between those who strategize relationships and those who put actual emotions behind it. Sun Tzu was so calculated. Every move that he would make or that he wrote was basically how to approach your enemy, befriend him and strategize out a friendship. It kind of felt like how cold and calculated relationships can be sometimes; like, who has the upper hand. Isn't that kind of defeating the whole point of a relationship, whether it's a friendship or a girlfriend or a boyfriend or a marriage? If you're trying to strategize and plan it out and read self-help books and figure out the other person, it seems like it takes out the whole allure of what a relationship really is."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Rick Springfield

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

They Might Be Giants

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.