<P> On August 22, "Walk on Water" made its radio debut and became commercially available for downloading . A lyric video for the song was released on YouTube the same day . Music website Genius premiered the lyrics of the song on August 21, 2017, a day prior the single's official release . "Walk on Water" was used by ESPN as the promotional theme for the network's coverage of the 2017 College Football season . </P> <P> "Walk on Water" is an electronic rock song with influences and elements from gospel music and arena rock . It opens with a vocal chanted part followed by the sounds of digital drums and guitars, with a heavy bassline . During the first verse, Leto voices the lines "Can you even see what you're fighting for? / Bloodlust and a holy war / Listen up, hear the patriots shout: / Times are changing". The full - throated chorus then follows, which features heavy use of drums, synthesizers and guitars . The song's bridge is characterized by call - and - response verses performed by a gospel ensemble . </P> <P> Leto called "Walk on Water" an "ever so subtle and minimalist ode". He described it as "a song for everybody due to its universal message ." The track's lyrics deal "with such topics as freedom, persistence, change and fighting for what one believes in ." In an interview with Loudwire, Leto depicted the song as a "call to arms but also full of all the optimism and hope that is such an integral part of the American Dream". Jon Blistein from Rolling Stone acknowledged a slight political edge in the song's lyrics . Nick Reilly of NME noted that "Walk on Water" dissects the general condition of the United States and calls for unity in the nation . In her review for Fuse, Bianca Gracie felt that the song serves as a call to arms to fight collectively for change . </P> <P> After several weeks of editing, the band premiered the official music video for "Walk on Water" on November 8, 2017 . It was directed by Jared Leto and features user - submitted footage from July 4, 2017, depicting Independence Day in the United States . Thirty Seconds to Mars also utilized their own crews to compile additional footage, all of which will be part of a documentary film titled A Day in the Life of America, scheduled for release in 2018 . </P>

Walk on water (thirty seconds to mars song)