Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

May 2026

Latest issue variants

Dork, May 2026 (Ruel cover)

Ruel

Dork, May 2026 (Eric Cantona cover)

Eric Cantona

Dork, May 2026 (Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE cover)

Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE

Advertise|Support|About Dork|Privacy Policy|Genres|Sitemap|RSS

© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hype- THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST

Upset- DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD

Mixtape- DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS

Play- DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT

Dork Radio

Live

Live 24/7

Dork Radio

The Decemberists – When the War Came (2006) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
The Decemberists
The Crane Wife
When the War Came

TRACK

The Decemberists

When the War Came

Release date: 2nd October 2006

From The Crane WifeTrack 65:08

Spotify Apple Music More on The Decemberists

Lyrics

When the War Came

With all the grain of Babylon
To cultivate, to make us strong
And hidden here behind the walls
Are shoulders wide and timber on

'Till the war came
'Till the war came

A terrible autonomy
Has grafted onto you and me
Our trust put in the government
They told their lies as heaven-sent

'Till the war came
'Till the war came

And the war came with a curse and a caterwaul
And the war came with all the poise of a cannonball
And they're picking out our eyes by coal and candlelight
When the war came, the war came hard

We made our oath to Vavilov
We'd not betray the solanum
The acres of asteraceae
To our own pangs of starvation

When the war came
When the war came

And the war came with a curse and a caterwaul
And the war came with all the poise of a cannonball
And they're picking out our eyes by coal and candlelight
When the war came, the war came hard

With all the grain of Babylon
With all the grain of Babylon

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

Track details

From The Crane Wife

5:082006

Listen

Album

The Decemberists

3rd October 2006

Track number

6

Release year

2006

1The Crane Wife 3
4:20
2The Island, Come and See, the Landlords Daughter (You'll Not Feel the Drowning)
12:43
3Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)
4:20
4

More from The Decemberists

Albums & EPs

As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Joan in the Garden - EP

Joan in the Garden - EP

Traveling On

I’ll Be Your Girl

I’ll Be Your Girl

florasongs

What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

The King Is Dead

The King Is Dead

The Perfect Crime #2

The Perfect Crime #2

Picaresqueties

Explore

More tracks by The Decemberists

Never SatisfiedAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Don't Go to the WoodsAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Oh No!As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

The ReapersAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Joan in the GardenAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

The Black MariaAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

America Made MeAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

William FitzwilliamAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Tell Me What's on Your MindAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Born to the MorningAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Burial GroundAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

All I Want Is YouAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Long White VeilAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

Joan in the GardenJoan in the Garden - EP

Midlist AuthorTraveling On

Tripping Along (Full Band Version)Traveling On

I Will Not Say Your NameTraveling On

Traveling OnTraveling On

Down on the KnuckleTraveling On

We All Die YoungI’ll Be Your Girl

I'll Be Your GirlI’ll Be Your Girl

Cutting StoneI’ll Be Your Girl

SeveredI’ll Be Your Girl

StarwatcherI’ll Be Your Girl

Sucker's PrayerI’ll Be Your Girl

Your GhostI’ll Be Your Girl

Tripping AlongI’ll Be Your Girl

Rusalka, Rusalka / The Wild RushesI’ll Be Your Girl

Everything Is AwfulI’ll Be Your Girl

Once in My LifeI’ll Be Your Girl

Ben Franklin's Song

Ben Franklin's Song

Wonderful Christmastime / Jesus Christ

Riverswimflorasongs

Statesideflorasongs

Fits & Startsflorasongs

Why Would I Now?florasongs

The Harrow and the Hauntedflorasongs

Better Not Wake the BabyWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

The Wrong YearWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Lake SongWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Till the Water's All Long GoneWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Easy Come, Easy GoWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

12/17/12What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Make You BetterWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

The Singer Addresses His AudienceWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Carolina LowWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Cavalry CaptainWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

A Beginning SongWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Anti-SummersongWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

MistralWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

PhilomenaWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Rise to Me (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Calamity Song (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

All Arise! (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

The Mariner's Revenge Song (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Rox In the Box (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Dracula's Daughter / O Valencia! (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

June Hymn (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Down By the Water (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Billy Liar (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

The Rake's Song (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

The Crane Wife 1, 2 and 3 (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Leslie Ann Devine (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Grace Cathedral (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

The Bagman's Gambit (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

I Was Meant for the Stage (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

We Both Go Down Together (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

The Soldiering Life (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

This Is Why We Fight (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

The Infanta (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Oceanside (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)

Rise to MeThe King Is Dead

Don't Carry It AllThe King Is Dead

January HymnThe King Is Dead

This Is Why We FightThe King Is Dead

Calamity SongThe King Is Dead

Dear AveryThe King Is Dead

June HymnThe King Is Dead

All Arise!The King Is Dead

Rox In the BoxThe King Is Dead

Down By the WaterThe King Is Dead

The Rake's Song

Always the Bridesmaid, Volume III: Record Year for Rainfall

Always the Bridesmaid, Volume II: Days of Elaine

Always the Bridesmaid, Volume I: Valerie Plame

The Perfect Crime #2.5.1The Perfect Crime #2

The Perfect Crime #2 (A Touch of Class Robs the Bank Remix)The Perfect Crime #2

The Perfect Crime #2 (Diplo’s Doing Time Remix)The Perfect Crime #2

The Perfect Crime #2 (Junior Boys Remix)The Perfect Crime #2

The Perfect Crime #2 (album demo)

Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)The Crane Wife

The Crane Wife 3The Crane Wife

Shankil ButchersThe Crane Wife

Sons & DaughtersThe Crane Wife

The Crane Wife 1 & 2The Crane Wife

SummersongThe Crane Wife

The Perfect Crime 2The Crane Wife

The Island, Come and See, the Landlords Daughter (You'll Not Feel the Drowning)The Crane Wife

Oh Valencia!The Crane Wife

Bridges & BalloonsPicaresqueties

ConstantinoplePicaresqueties

Bandit QueenPicaresqueties

The Bandit Queen (with dialogue and tap dancing)Picaresqueties

Kingdom of SpainPicaresqueties

Sixteen Military Wives

The Tain, Pt. IThe Tain

The Tain, Pt. VThe Tain

The Tain, Pt. IVThe Tain

The Tain, Pt. IIIThe Tain

The Tain, Pt. IIThe Tain

OceansideFive Songs

ShinyFive Songs

My Mother Was a Chinese Trapese ArtistFive Songs

Angel, Won't You Call Me?Five Songs

I Don't MindFive Songs

Apology SongFive Songs

The Decemberists — Never Satisfied (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [4:01]
The Decemberists — Don't Go to the Woods (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [3:58]
The Decemberists — Oh No! (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [5:05]
The Decemberists — The Reapers (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [4:41]
The Decemberists — Joan in the Garden (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [19:21]
The Decemberists — The Black Maria (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [3:51]
The Decemberists — America Made Me (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [5:20]
The Decemberists — William Fitzwilliam (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [3:36]
The Decemberists — Tell Me What's on Your Mind (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [3:58]
The Decemberists — Born to the Morning (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [3:24]
The Decemberists — Burial Ground (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [4:05]
The Decemberists — All I Want Is You (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [2:38]
The Decemberists — Long White Veil (from As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again) [3:49]
The Decemberists — Joan in the Garden (from Joan in the Garden - EP) [19:21]
The Decemberists — Burial Ground [4:05]
The Decemberists — Midlist Author (from Traveling On) [3:57]
The Decemberists — Tripping Along (Full Band Version) (from Traveling On) [3:43]
The Decemberists — I Will Not Say Your Name (from Traveling On) [6:43]
The Decemberists — Traveling On (from Traveling On) [4:29]
The Decemberists — Down on the Knuckle (from Traveling On) [3:58]
The Decemberists — We All Die Young (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [4:01]
The Decemberists — I'll Be Your Girl (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [2:34]
The Decemberists — Cutting Stone (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [3:21]
The Decemberists — Severed (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [4:04]
The Decemberists — Starwatcher (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [2:39]
The Decemberists — Sucker's Prayer (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [3:29]
The Decemberists — Your Ghost (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [2:41]
The Decemberists — Tripping Along (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [3:35]
The Decemberists — Rusalka, Rusalka / The Wild Rushes (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [8:16]
The Decemberists — Everything Is Awful (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [3:23]
The Decemberists — Once in My Life (from I’ll Be Your Girl) [5:09]
The Decemberists — Ben Franklin's Song
The Decemberists — Ben Franklin's Song [3:43]
The Decemberists — Wonderful Christmastime / Jesus Christ
The Decemberists — Riverswim (from florasongs) [4:54]
The Decemberists — Stateside (from florasongs) [3:26]
The Decemberists — Fits & Starts (from florasongs) [2:41]
The Decemberists — Why Would I Now? (from florasongs) [3:42]
The Decemberists — The Harrow and the Haunted (from florasongs) [4:07]
The Decemberists — Better Not Wake the Baby (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [1:45]
The Decemberists — The Wrong Year (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [3:53]
The Decemberists — Lake Song (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [5:52]
The Decemberists — Till the Water's All Long Gone (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [5:01]
The Decemberists — Easy Come, Easy Go (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [2:22]
The Decemberists — 12/17/12 (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [3:03]
The Decemberists — Make You Better (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [5:08]
The Decemberists — The Singer Addresses His Audience (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [4:43]
The Decemberists — Carolina Low (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [3:25]
The Decemberists — Cavalry Captain (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [3:18]
The Decemberists — A Beginning Song (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [5:22]
The Decemberists — Anti-Summersong (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [2:12]
The Decemberists — Mistral (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [3:54]
The Decemberists — Philomena (from What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World) [3:05]
The Decemberists — Rise to Me (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:49]
The Decemberists — Calamity Song (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [3:52]
The Decemberists — All Arise! (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:23]
The Decemberists — The Mariner's Revenge Song (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [12:15]
The Decemberists — Rox In the Box (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [3:07]
The Decemberists — Dracula's Daughter / O Valencia! (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [5:26]
The Decemberists — June Hymn (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:30]
The Decemberists — Down By the Water (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [3:48]
The Decemberists — Billy Liar (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [6:41]
The Decemberists — The Rake's Song (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:45]
The Decemberists — The Crane Wife 1, 2 and 3 (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [16:09]
The Decemberists — Leslie Ann Devine (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:08]
The Decemberists — Grace Cathedral (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:25]
The Decemberists — The Bagman's Gambit (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [8:27]
The Decemberists — I Was Meant for the Stage (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [10:13]
The Decemberists — We Both Go Down Together (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:30]
The Decemberists — The Soldiering Life (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [5:04]
The Decemberists — This Is Why We Fight (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [4:47]
The Decemberists — The Infanta (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [5:46]
The Decemberists — Oceanside (Live) (from We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)) [3:27]
The Decemberists — Rise to Me (from The King Is Dead) [4:59]
The Decemberists — Don't Carry It All (from The King Is Dead) [4:17]
The Decemberists — January Hymn (from The King Is Dead) [3:13]
The Decemberists — This Is Why We Fight (from The King Is Dead) [5:30]
The Decemberists — Calamity Song (from The King Is Dead) [3:50]
The Decemberists — Dear Avery (from The King Is Dead) [4:52]
The Decemberists — June Hymn (from The King Is Dead) [3:58]
The Decemberists — All Arise! (from The King Is Dead) [3:09]
The Decemberists — Rox In the Box (from The King Is Dead) [3:10]
The Decemberists — Down By the Water (from The King Is Dead) [3:42]
The Decemberists — The Rake's Song
The Decemberists — Always the Bridesmaid, Volume III: Record Year for Rainfall
The Decemberists — Always the Bridesmaid, Volume II: Days of Elaine
The Decemberists — Always the Bridesmaid, Volume I: Valerie Plame
The Decemberists — The Perfect Crime #2.5.1 (from The Perfect Crime #2) [4:13]
The Decemberists — The Perfect Crime #2 (A Touch of Class Robs the Bank Remix) (from The Perfect Crime #2) [6:17]
The Decemberists — The Perfect Crime #2 (Diplo’s Doing Time Remix) (from The Perfect Crime #2) [5:56]
The Decemberists — The Perfect Crime #2 (Junior Boys Remix) (from The Perfect Crime #2) [7:32]
The Decemberists — The Perfect Crime #2 (album demo)
The Decemberists — Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then) (from The Crane Wife) [4:20]
The Decemberists — The Crane Wife 3 (from The Crane Wife) [4:20]
The Decemberists — Shankil Butchers (from The Crane Wife) [4:42]
The Decemberists — Sons & Daughters (from The Crane Wife) [5:14]
The Decemberists — The Crane Wife 1 & 2 (from The Crane Wife) [11:26]
The Decemberists — Summersong (from The Crane Wife) [3:31]
The Decemberists — The Perfect Crime 2 (from The Crane Wife) [5:35]
The Decemberists — The Island, Come and See, the Landlords Daughter (You'll Not Feel the Drowning) (from The Crane Wife) [12:43]
The Decemberists — Oh Valencia! (from The Crane Wife) [3:50]
The Decemberists — Bridges & Balloons (from Picaresqueties) [3:20]
The Decemberists — Constantinople (from Picaresqueties) [3:42]
The Decemberists — Bandit Queen (from Picaresqueties) [4:34]
The Decemberists — The Bandit Queen (with dialogue and tap dancing) (from Picaresqueties) [4:27]
The Decemberists — Kingdom of Spain (from Picaresqueties) [3:50]
The Decemberists — O Valencia!
The Decemberists — Sixteen Military Wives
The Decemberists — Billy Liar
The Decemberists — The Tain, Pt. I (from The Tain) [2:12]
The Decemberists — The Tain, Pt. V (from The Tain) [4:11]
The Decemberists — The Tain, Pt. IV (from The Tain) [4:18]
The Decemberists — The Tain, Pt. III (from The Tain) [5:04]
The Decemberists — The Tain, Pt. II (from The Tain) [2:50]
The Decemberists — Oceanside (from Five Songs) [3:29]
The Decemberists — Shiny (from Five Songs) [5:12]
The Decemberists — My Mother Was a Chinese Trapese Artist (from Five Songs) [4:42]
The Decemberists — Angel, Won't You Call Me? (from Five Songs) [2:40]
The Decemberists — I Don't Mind (from Five Songs) [4:40]
The Decemberists — Apology Song (from Five Songs) [3:12]

Joan in the GardenAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
19:21
Joan in the GardenJoan in the Garden - EP
19:21
12/17/12What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World
3:03
A Beginning SongWhat A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World
5:22
All Arise!The King Is Dead
3:09
All Arise! (Live)We All Raise Our Voices To The Air (Live 04.11 - 08.11)
4:23
All I Want Is YouAs It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
2:38
Always the Bridesmaid, Volume I: Valerie Plame
Always the Bridesmaid, Volume II: Days of Elaine
Always the Bridesmaid, Volume III: Record Year for Rainfall

Showing 10 of 120

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

READ MORE ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS

The Decemberists: "Everything actually is awful, and it's not that funny"

Colin Meloy chats with Dork about getting out of old habits, branching out into literature and what’s next for The Decemberists.

Nov 7, 2018 • 3:30 PM

Oh Valencia!

3:50

5The Perfect Crime 2

6When the War Came

5:08

7Shankil Butchers

9The Crane Wife 1 & 2

10Sons & Daughters