For Whom The Bell Tolls - Live In Mexico City

The lyrics are based on the 1940 Ernest Hemingway novel of the same name. The book is about an American who is given the job of taking out a bridge held by the Fascist army in the Spanish Civil War - the precursor to World War II. He fell in love and then found out very disturbing things about life and death.

The phrase "For Whom The Bell Tolls" originated in a 1623 poem by the Englishman John Donne, who wrote: Send not to know For whom the bell tolls It tolls for thee Hemingway's book used the title.

This song is a commentary on the futility of war. The last few lines of the song diverge from the book to make this point.