Hozier- Take Me to Church
My church offers no absolutes
She tells me “worship in the bedroom”
The only heaven I’ll be sent to
Is when I’m alone with you…
Amen, Amen, Amen
Take me to church
I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies….
I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies….
If I’m a pagan of the good times
My lover’s the sunlight…
My lover’s the sunlight…
Analysis: Hozier is outspoken about religion in interviews. He defines himself as spiritual, but not religious. His most popular song (above) makes many allusions to church, but in a spiritual way, and not exactly referencing an establishment. Church, to him, is found in the love he feels for his significant other. He recognizes that this could be considered blasphemous and consequently labels himself a pagan in the song.
Death Cab for Cutie- I Will Follow You Into the Dark
If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied
And illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs
If there’s no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark
And illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs
If there’s no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I’ll follow you into the dark
In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me,
Son, fear is the heart of love, so I never went back
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me,
Son, fear is the heart of love, so I never went back
Analysis: It seems the narrator of the song had a bad experience with Catholic school and questions what exactly heaven or hell really is. He imagines it as some sort of hotel building or an endless abyss of darkness. He is content with this idea, however, as long as he has the person he loves by his side.
Kings of Leon- Reverend
Just like the reverend, like the reverend on the radio
Your heart will never say so
Your heart will never let it go
Just like the reverend, like the reverend on the radio
My heart will never say so
My heart will never let it go
Your heart will never say so
Your heart will never let it go
Just like the reverend, like the reverend on the radio
My heart will never say so
My heart will never let it go
Analysis: I watched a documentary on this band of brothers a while ago, and they grew up in a pretty strict, evangelical household and hometown. Many of their songs reflect their southern style upbringing. The above is the chorus in their song ‘Reverend’ which implies that a radio show personality reverend will yell at you with what is right and what you need to let go of.
Bob Dylan- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door
Analysis: This is a classic Dylan song that my dad and I loved to listen to. The repetitive chorus is catchy and easy to listen to, while making an obvious allusion to the pearly gates we so often attribute to the entryway into heaven.
The 1975- If I Believe You
I’ve got a God-shaped hole, that’s infected
And I’m petrified of being alone
It’s pathetic, I know
And I’m petrified of being alone
It’s pathetic, I know
And I toss and I turn in my bed
It’s just like I lost my head (lost my head)
It’s just like I lost my head (lost my head)
And if I believe you,
Would that make it stop if I told you I need you?
Is that what you want?
And I’m broken and bleeding, and begging for help.
And I’m asking you Jesus, show yourself.
Would that make it stop if I told you I need you?
Is that what you want?
And I’m broken and bleeding, and begging for help.
And I’m asking you Jesus, show yourself.
I thought I’d met you once or twice,
But that was just because the dabs were nice
And opening up my mind
Showing me consciousness is primary in the universe
And I had a revelation
But that was just because the dabs were nice
And opening up my mind
Showing me consciousness is primary in the universe
And I had a revelation
I’ll be your child if you insist
I mean, if it was you that made my body
You probably shouldn’t have made me atheist
I mean, if it was you that made my body
You probably shouldn’t have made me atheist
I’m a lesbian kiss
I’m an evangelist
And “If you don’t wanna go to hell then, Miss,
You better start selling this.”
I’m an evangelist
And “If you don’t wanna go to hell then, Miss,
You better start selling this.”
And if I believe you,
Would that make it stop if I told you I need you?
Is that what you want?
And I’m broken and bleeding, and begging for help.
And I’m asking you Jesus, show yourself.
Would that make it stop if I told you I need you?
Is that what you want?
And I’m broken and bleeding, and begging for help.
And I’m asking you Jesus, show yourself.
If I’m lost then how can I find myself?
Analysis: This entire song is about the lead singer of The 1975 questioning God and his atheism. He keeps asking “you” in the song. “If I believe you, would that make it stop? Is that what you want?” We can assume by listening to the rest of the text that he is alluding to Jesus and God. His struggle is not unique in today’s society.
Mumford and Sons- Babel
Like the city that nurtured my greed and my pride,
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down…
I stretched my arms into the sky
I cry Babel, Babel, look at me now
For the walls of my tower they come crumbling down…
You’ll build your walls, and I will play my bloody part
To tear, tear them down
Well I’m gonna tear, tear them down
To tear, tear them down
Well I’m gonna tear, tear them down
Analysis: This song is an allusion to a specific Bible story, the Tower of Babel, which is used to explain how humans ended up with different languages. The story ends with the tower being too tall, built out of greed and prideful people, so it comes tumbling down by the power of God. The song makes multiple references to the specific actions of the walls being brought down.
Coldplay- Hymn for the Weekend
Oh, angel sent from up above
You know you make my world light up
When I was down, when I was hurt
You came to lift me up
Life is a drink and love’s a drug
Oh now I think I must be miles up
When I was a river dried up
You came to rain a flood
You know you make my world light up
When I was down, when I was hurt
You came to lift me up
Life is a drink and love’s a drug
Oh now I think I must be miles up
When I was a river dried up
You came to rain a flood
And said drink from me, drink from me
Analysis: One would not think of this popular pop song featuring Beyonce to hold any religious weight, but it does make several references to angels and something soaring in the sky. We never know who the ‘You’ is that helps people when they are down and hurt, but in the context of the title and other references it seems like a guardian angel of sorts. Also the notion of drinking from someone, floods, and light, are several key themes in the Bible as well as this song.
Maren Morris- My Church
I’ve cussed on a Sunday
I’ve cheated and I’ve lied
I’ve fallen down from grace
A few too many times
But I find holy redemption
When I put this car in drive
Roll the windows down and turn up the dial
I’ve cheated and I’ve lied
I’ve fallen down from grace
A few too many times
But I find holy redemption
When I put this car in drive
Roll the windows down and turn up the dial
Can I get a hallelujah
Can I get an amen
Feels like the Holy Ghost running through ya
When I play the highway FM
I find my soul revival
Singing every single verse
Yeah I guess that’s my church
Can I get an amen
Feels like the Holy Ghost running through ya
When I play the highway FM
I find my soul revival
Singing every single verse
Yeah I guess that’s my church
Analysis: This is a woman who knows that she is flawed and sins, but she still manages to find redemption through music, even if it is just cruising down the road listening to the radio. Her song is like a metaphor in which the essence of church is really singing and music.
Bon Iver- 33 God
We find God and religions to
Staying at the Ace Hotel
If the calm would allow
I would just be floating now
It would make me pass to let it pass on
I’m climbing the dash, that skin
Staying at the Ace Hotel
If the calm would allow
I would just be floating now
It would make me pass to let it pass on
I’m climbing the dash, that skin
Analysis: In typical Bon Iver fashion, the lyrics are not comprehensible and seem like a jumble of sentences thrown together. I cannot give you the exact interpretation of this song, but there are definitely obvious religious connotations here.
1 response so far ↓
Anonymous // Apr 6th 2017 at 1:36 pm
I thought that this was done amazingly. I love how in detail you got with your scavenger hunt. I think that these are perfect examples that represent the allusions found in music. Did you find it hard to find examples? What was your favorite part about this project?
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