i hear the sound of distant thunder echo all around i see the tragedy of young ones lying on the ground i see the fathers sons and daughters i hear the mothers crying nothing left for me to do whisper a prayer for the dying oh oh a prayer for the dying the suffocating heat of jungles burning desert sands where everything reminds you you re a stranger in a strange land the soothing words of politicians those bodyguards of lies while guardian angels waste their time and every mother cries oh oh a prayer for the dying dying dying oh oh machine gun battle cry you pray to god when the bullets fly the bombs fall like black rain and all your dreams take you home again nothing but bad dreams you can t read you can t write you re so scared you can t sleep at night you try to carry the heavy load walking down armageddon road oh armageddon road i hear the sound of distant thunder echo all around i see the tragedy of young ones lying on the ground i see the fathers sons and daughters i hear the mothers crying nothing left for me to do but whisper a prayer for the dying oh a prayer for the dying dying oh a prayer for the dying baby baby oh a prayer for the dying dying whisper a prayer for the dying oh you can t run you can t hide you can t show what you feel inside you re going crazy going insane you know you ll never be the same again no no whisper a prayer for the dying dying dying dying dying no no armageddon road armageddon road i m walking down armageddon road