This Is War
by Bush

Album: Black And White Rainbows (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Frontman Gavin Rossdale was inspired to pen the politically charged song after seeing the violence that erupted during an August 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia:

    "Hatred and bigotry are the best friends of stupidity," Rossdale said. "The title isn't a call to arms, it's a call for humanity. It's actually an anti-war song - an observation of the times. The title is a reference to good versus evil. This is a time for inclusion, compassion and understanding. We need to stay strong."
  • This wasn't on the original release of Black And White Rainbows. When Bush re-formed in 2010 after their 2002 breakup, they signed with Zuma Rock Records, which issued the album in March 2017. In October, the band signed with BMG in a deal that included Rossdale's publishing. They released a remastered version of the album, with "This Is War" added to the tracklist.
  • Rossdale had a hard time expressing his thoughts in this song. "I found it really difficult as a songwriter because things that we can say in conversation that seem really logical and really insightful just don't sing well," he told Songfacts. "It doesn't sing well to hatred and bigotry. If I talk about that to you in regular speech, I can make perfect sense, and it sounds logical. So, that was a big challenge: how to turn it into something personal. And a plea - a call to arms and the call for peace. A call to not fight, and to say, 'Things have gotten so bad that it is a fight now. This is an untenable situation.'"

Comments: 1

  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, Michigan"This is strange fruit" is most likely referencing the Etta James song "Strange Fruit", which was about racism and the lynching of African Americans.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.