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"would" here

English translation: would

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10:22 Feb 1, 2012

English to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / usage of "would"

English term or phrase: "would" here

In this text for a song:

"We died half-way down
Where freedom would be found
The heart would be crowned
To live to rule here down on earth"

Is "would" used properly or should it be replaced with "should"? The aimed meaning here is sth. like "We've died half way down, where freedom would (or should) have been found all the way down". A Canadian native whom I asked wants to change it to "should" while a British native says "would" is alright... So I ask here hoping for a professional clarification. Thank you.

Izabela Czartoryska KudoZ activity Questions: 19 (none open) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 68 Netherlands
Local time: 03:19

English translation:would

Explanation:
I like would better than should here. I take it this is not a translation from another language that needs to convey a particular meaning. Of course, you have great poetic license for a song anyway.
The differences between would and should are really too complicated to get into here and both can be used for the past tense or conditional, so it's really a matter of personal preference, and mine (US native speaker) is for would.

"We died have way down where freedom *would* be found" means something like we died half way, before getting to freedom, whereas with *should* it sounds to me something like we died half way before getting to where freedom was supposed to be.