Territory

Album: Chaos A.D. (1993)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about world leaders who use propaganda and hate to foment fear, leading to territorial conflict. Napoleon, Hitler and the Roman Empire are just a few examples of what inspired the lyric, which was written by Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser.
  • The video was shot in Israel. The song is not specifically about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, but that is one of many examples of the territorial struggle evoked in this song.

    Paul Rachman, who made the film American Hardcore, was the director. In a Songfacts interview, he explained: "Max [Cavalera], the singer just identified the song with what was going on in Israel, but you could apply it to a lot of places in the world.

    So we just chose that as the backdrop for this particular song, and I tried to be very fair visually in that video, because I realize I can't take sides here. MTV was global at that point, and it's playing on televisions in people's living rooms around the world. This isn't a news thing, so I tried to balance it - if you count the amount of footage of Palestinians and Arabs and Israelis, it's almost even. It was all about the coexistence of these two cultures at odds over land and territory. That was really the idea: to show how they could coexist.

    MTV played it, but I remember MuchMusic in Canada banned it at first. There was a news show on MuchMusic where the issue was brought up and I had to call in to participate. Max and the guys were on MuchMusic live, and I called in to talk about the video and what we tried to do. After that discussion, they started playing it."

Comments: 5

  • Facts from IsrealJust notice the amount of arguments from either side. Not taking a side, just pointing out facts.
  • MatePalestinians were crated in 1967. the Territory was called ISRAEL all through the history, even when it was under occupation by the byzintins, mongols, assyrians, persians, egyptians, romans, ottomans, british empires, even when its name was changed to philistina, pilistina, philistin, falestina, palestin, palestine by every empire to conquered the land just to mock the jews.

    Palestinians are not the philistins from the bible. philistins in the bible: bunch of "sea people" who came from crete, turkey, north africa who came to conquer / business reasons.

    "Palestinians" people who used to live in the region while it was under occupation by every other empire who changed the region name from Israel to Palestine, the land community didn't like when the press or visitors called them palestinians. they prefered we are jews, we are arabs, we are christians, most of the time jews would say they are israelis.
  • Free World from UsaFree Palestine and end the zionism regime
  • GuyWhatever u say salma
  • SalmaPalestine,not Israel
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New York

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."