Shiroyama

The Battle of Shiroyama took place on 24 September 1877, in Kagoshima, Japan It was the final battle of the Satsuma Rebellion, where the heavily outnumbered samurai under Saigō Takamori made their last stand against Imperial Japanese Army troops under the command of Generals Yamagata Aritomo and Kawamura Sumiyoshi. The battle culminated in the annihilation of Saigō's army as well as his death, marking the end of the Satsuma Rebellion. The final scenes of the 2003 movie The Last Samurai were inspired by the Battle of Shiroyama.

[Verse 1] It's the nature of time That the old ways must give in It's the nature of time That the new ways comes in sin When the new meets the old It always ends the ancient ways And as history told The old ways go out in a blaze [Pre-Chorus 1] Encircled by a vulture The end of ancient culture The dawn of destiny draws near [Chorus] Imperial force defied, facing 500 samurai Surrounded and outnumbered 60 to 1, the sword face the gun Bushido dignified It's the last stand of the samurai Surrounded and outnumbered [Verse 2] As a new age begins The way of the warrior comes to an end As a new age begins The ways of the old must apprehend It's the nature of time That the old ways must give in It's the nature of time That the new ways comes in sin [Pre-Chorus 2] An offer of surrender Saigo ignore contender The dawn of destiny is here [Chorus] Imperial force defied, facing 500 samurai Surrounded and outnumbered 60 to 1, the sword face the gun Bushido dignified It's the last stand of the samurai Surrounded and outnumbered [Guitar Solo] [Bridge] Till the dawn they hold on Only 40 are left at the end None alive, none survive Shiroyama [Chorus] Imperial force defied, facing 500 samurai Surrounded and outnumbered 60 to 1, the sword face the gun Bushido dignified It's the last stand of the samurai Surrounded and outnumbered [Outro] 60 to 1, facing the gun 60 to 1, culture undone