Tribes

In the darkest depths of time we lived our lives in tribes
Groups who'd help us hunt, who'd fight on our side
Relatives and friends, a group we'd known from birth
A tribe whose mere existence was grounded in the earth
Tribes where we'd belong
Whose friendship made us strong

Our era more civilised, or so we'd like to think
Law and order, plenty of food and drink
But we're not so close to family and feel that we're alone
So we ache to be in a group that looks after its own
A tribe where we'd belong
Whose friendship might make us strong

We still live with a primitive urge to belong
Desperate for a tribe that shares the same song
Who'll pull us out if we start to drown
Keep us close when the world lets us down

A tribe with my religion, all other gods are wrong
A tribe based on my country, the place where I belong
A tribe that speaks my language, accent the same as mine
A tribe with my skin colour, whose views and values align

A tribe that loves the football team whose colours dress my walls
A tribe to stand beside me in all my fights and brawls
A tribe obsessed by bands I love, that dresses just the same
A tribe with all my prejudices, politics and aims

Tribes of belonging, tribes full of hate
Tribes that build you up, tribes that devastate
Tribes that feed your prejudices, tell you that they're true
Tribes with dark agendas that you're willing to pursue