This song appears to describe climate anxiety and personal guilt toward the unavoidable nature of contributing to climate change as a member of human society, with the song warning that we have every opportunity to change, but we charge headlong toward extinction with our shortsightedness.
[Verse 1]
Take a close look at our actions
You know they roam free (They roam free)
Buy solutions now
Who will pay the price?
All the wrongful crimes
They are suffocating me
The extinction
[Verse 2]
Who are to blame when the earth burns?
We are all the same (We are the same)
Beg your fellow man:
Help to take a stand
Watch the sickness spread
It comes close to bring the end
[Pre-Chorus]
I feel too lost to see the answer
This I say to you:
[Chorus]
We don't know why we go too far
We don't know when it shows
We don't know why we go too far
We don't know
[Verse 3]
We don't know why, such a disgrace
Your gods keep on laughing (Laughing)
Start the flame, ignite
People die tonight
Nowhere left to run
When the darkness comes to you
[Chorus]
We don't know why we go too far
We don't know when it shows
We don't know why we go too far
We don't know
[Bridge]
No, we won't know till the end
Reap what you sow
[Chorus]
We don't know why we go too far
We don't know when it shows
We don't know why we go too far
We don't know, we'll never know
[Outro]
The extinction
When the Earth Burns was written by Niclas Engelin & Mikael Sehlin.
When the Earth Burns was produced by Marcus Sunesson & Niclas Engelin.
Engel released When the Earth Burns on Wed Nov 26 2014.