Part III

Song details

Bad Religion original
Yes
First released
1982
First release
How Could Hell Be Any Worse? (album)
Songwriter
Jay Bentley

Lyrics

Part III

The final page is written in the books of history, As man unleashed his deadly bombs and sent troops overseas To fight a war which can't be won and kills the human race, A show of greed and ignorance, man's quest for dominance. They say when a mistake is made, a lesson has been learned. But this time, there's no turning back, the hate engulfs the world. A million lives are lost each day, a city slowly burns, A mother holds her dying child, but no one is concerned!

Versions & recordings

Grouped by recording

7

First released on We're Not The Damned · 1990

Appears on

924 Gilman St FM BroadcastBootleg · 2020View 2 versions →No Substance Radio ConcertBootleg · 1999View 1 version →21st Century Live In ConsertBootleg · 1995View 2 versions →Last Exit For The LostBootleg · 1993View 2 versions →

Song statistics

Archive coverage at a glance

100release versions
#27

27th most featured song

90documented shows
#80

80th most played song

Live through the years

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Song Interpretations

What do you think this song is about? Share your interpretation and explain your reasoning.

10

vna000Mar 16, 2010
It's the "Part III" of the world's end. The humanity have only watched two world wars, but never a World War III. So this song is describing (ironically or not) the "part III of the end of the world"
WarstubMar 28, 2009
[quote=JoLtCoLaRaMpAgE]...and wondered if there was, or ever is going to be, a Part I? I've always wanted to ask them if they just never got around to writing part 1 or if they wanted us to think that right now IS part 1. Who knows?[/quote]
I've always thought of 'Generator' as Part 1.
I also find it odd that Part 3 was the 1st song to be written - before part 2.
JoLtCoLaRaMpAgEDec 21, 2008 · edited Date unknown
...and wondered if there was, or ever is going to be, a Part I?

I've always wanted to ask them if they just never got around to writing part 1 or if they wanted us to think that right now IS part 1. Who knows?
legacy memberApr 24, 2007 · edited Date unknown
This song is about cold war (check the date of release) in case if turned "warm". part 2 and part 4 are connected to this song, only this song is critical to both contemporary superpowers (USA and Soviet Union) not only US.
legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown

This has been on my mind for some time now, after I noticed the non-sequential numbering of the tracks (as in, Part III came out in 1982, Part II and IV in 1989...) and wondered if there was, or ever is going to be, a Part I? I had always thought that the three songs were all related in away, in that they (to me) were about the US, esp. II and IV. Then I read Andrew's post where he said that they Part III is about wh…

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This has been on my mind for some time now, after I noticed the non-sequential numbering of the tracks (as in, Part III came out in 1982, Part II and IV in 1989...) and wondered if there was, or ever is going to be, a Part I? I had always thought that the three songs were all related in away, in that they (to me) were about the US, esp. II and IV. Then I read Andrew's post where he said that they Part III is about what comes after Part II, and the thought was completed: They were, in essence, one big story telling of the end of the world, from start to finish. The words to the song are pretty self explanatory; its about the final war that kills the human race. But, there's more to it than that. The line that goes 'the final war, it can't be won' suggests that this war will be fought with nuclear bombs, yet previously it states that troops are sent overseas, which my thought
legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown

This is an absolutely AMAZING song. With regard to music first: although the bass line is simple to play, I think it's a masterpiece and it definitely gets me pumped up every time I listen to it. In fact, this is probably THE song that inspired me to start playing bass guitar. Now, with regard to the lyrics: INCREDIBLE!!! In a sense, I take the same stance. Who knows what the human race will become one day? This gues…

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This is an absolutely AMAZING song. With regard to music first: although the bass line is simple to play, I think it's a masterpiece and it definitely gets me pumped up every time I listen to it. In fact, this is probably THE song that inspired me to start playing bass guitar. Now, with regard to the lyrics: INCREDIBLE!!! In a sense, I take the same stance. Who knows what the human race will become one day? This guess is as good as any. If I ever tell someone that I'm into BR not just because of the music, but because of the deeper meaning behind every song, I sing/tell them these lyrics. The usual response is something along the lines of 'wow.' Intelligent lyrics, vivid imagery (a mother holds her dyin' child...), and crazy energy. This is definitely my all-time favorite Bad Religion song. Way to go JAY!!!!
legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown

So, about a week or so ago, someone asked me what the hell my AOL/IM screen name meant (FINALPAGE), and it occurred to me that there wasn't a better time than now to explain, after the terrorist strikes on the US WTC and Pentagon. Now that US and British forces have attacked Afghanistan, it seems even more relevant. 'The FINAL PAGE is written in the books of history, as man unleashed his deadly bombs, and sent troops…

Read moreRead less
So, about a week or so ago, someone asked me what the hell my AOL/IM screen name meant (FINALPAGE), and it occurred to me that there wasn't a better time than now to explain, after the terrorist strikes on the US WTC and Pentagon. Now that US and British forces have attacked Afghanistan, it seems even more relevant. 'The FINAL PAGE is written in the books of history, as man unleashed his deadly bombs, and sent troops overseas, to fight a war that can't be won, and kills the human race.' You all know the song, so I don't need to reprint all the lyrics. This is what we're looking at, from every country in the world. We're sitting on what could possibly be the end of the world as we know it. The US alone has enough firepower to blow the earth in half, and the war we're fighting is against an opponent who would just as soon do that, in a quest for 'everlasting peace.' Scary, isn't it? Talk about a bad religion. The final page is being written, a new page every day, every hour, every minute. What's in the end? Don't you wish we could skip to the end of this story, and see how it turns out?
legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown
It is obviously about the end of man kind by acts of war this song really has new meaning to me after September 11, I could see it actually taking place.
legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown
I think this song is simply about World War III, the war that results from what is described in Part II. The war is so huge it simply 'can't be won' and 'kills the human race' so it is the end of human life and then leads onto the song Part IV.
legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown
Part III is clearly about the fact that if wars continue they will one day end the world. The 1st line of the song 'The final page is written in the books of history' shows that history will finish when people begin releasing bombs and starting wars.