Spiritual Lyrics In Mainstream Songs

[Guest afireinside]

Ben Harper "Ground On Down"

 

I believe in a few things

God the devil and love

Cause I've looked up from the bottom

And I've stared down from above

 

I have faith in a few things

Divinity and grace

But even when I'm on my knees

I know the devil prays

 

And you're working your way

From the ground on down

 

I hate to say I love you

Because it means that I

Will be with you forever

Or will sadly say goodbye

 

I love to say I hate you

Because it means that I

Will live my life happily without you

Or will sadly live a lie

 

And you're working your way

From the ground on down

 

Life is short

And if your lookin' for extension

With your time

You had best do well

 

Cause there's good deeds

And there is good intention

They're as far apart

As heaven and hell

 

And you're working your way

From the ground on down

 

 

Pretty self explanatory, trying to make sense of good and evil. Always liked this song. I don't know what his religious views are but you'd think he had some sort of "faith" judging by the lyrics

[xtify]

The song Bullet with Butterfly Wings by The Smashing Pumpkins seems like a bad reaction to Calvinism:

 

The world is a vampire, sent to drain

Secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames

And what do I get, for my pain?

Betrayed desires, and a piece of the game

 

Even though I know - I suppose I'll show

All my cool and cold - like old job

 

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Then someone will say what is lost can never be saved

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

 

Now I'm naked, nothing but an animal

But can you fake it, for just one more show?

And what do you want?

I want to change

And what have you got, when you feel the same?

 

Even though I know - I suppose I'll show

All my cool and cold - like old job

 

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Then someone will say what is lost can never be saved

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

 

Tell me I'm the only one

Tell me there's no other one

Jesus was the only son, yeah.

Tell me I'm the chosen one

Jesus was the only son for you

 

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

And someone will say what is lost can never be saved

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

 

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a-

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a-

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

 

Tell me I'm the only one

Tell me there's no other one

Jesus was the only son for you

 

[4x]

And I still believe that I cannot be saved

[Guest afireinside]

I never knew that line said "like old Job" and I've heard that song hundreds of times.

 

Reading those lyrics I think you're right about it's meaning, "I CANNOT be saved" is pretty Calvinistic

[TheRedneckProfessor]

"Hey there Delilah

You be good and don't you miss me

Two more years and you'll be done with school

And I'll be making history

Like I do

And by the way I cut my hair for you"

 

I know, the hair cut part isn't really in the song.

[seven77]

A few selections from a very old playlist I found recently.

 

009 Sound System - Trinity

 

"I...
Yeah, I'm coming home again
To you
'Cuz you're my only friend
I'll lean into the spirit's hands
Believe
In trinity again
Like it'll never end

Black stars
Big night
You were runnin' fast
All of your life
I know that feelin'
I know it ain't easy

(No matter if you try)
Livin' for just one day
Or savin' up the holy grace
Never be ashamed
To call his name
Trinity's a friend"

 

Pretty sure this is about faith, the struggle with it. I heard it at a party some years ago, right before I quit the scene for Jesus. For some reason, I saved the lyrics and looked it up...downloaded it. Still a good song after all of these years, if you're into techno dance sort of thing.

 

---------

 

Moby - Life Me Up

 

"Plain talking (plain talking)
Take us so far (take us so far)
Broken down cars (broken down cars)
Like strung-out old stars (like strung-out old stars)

Plain talking (plain talking)
Served us so well (served us so well)
Travelled through hell (travelled trough hell)
We know how it felt (we know how it felt)

Lift me up, lift me up
Higher now ama
Lift me up, lift me up
Higher now ama

Plain talking (plain talking)
Making us bold (making us bold)
So strong out and cold (so strong out and cold)
Feeling so old (feeling so old)

Plain talking (plain talking)
Has ruined us now (has ruined us now)
You never know how (you never know how)
Sweeter than thou (sweeter than thou)

Lift me up, lift me up
Higher now ama
Lift me up, lift me up
Higher now ama
[4x]

Lift me up, lift me up
Ohla la la la
Lift me up, lift me up
Ohla la la la
[4x]"

 

Not as overt as "Trinity" but this is one my favorite Moby songs. Moby was a pretty big deal amongst the younger people at my old church, most of them at least knew who he was. I like this song a lot.

 

--------

 

The Bravery - Believe

 

The faces all around me they don't smile they just crack
Waiting for our ship to come but our ships not coming back
We do our time like pennies in a jar
What are we saving for [x2]

There's a smell of stale fear that's reeking from our skins.
The drinking never stops because the drinks absolve our sins
We sit and grow our roots into the floor
But what are we waiting for? [x2]

[chorus:]
So give me something to believe
Cause I am living just to breathe
And I need something more
To keep on breathing for
So give me something to believe

Something's always coming you can hear it in the ground
It swells into the air
With the rising
Rising sound
And never comes but shakes the boards and rattles all the doors
What are we waiting for [x2]

[chorus]

I am hiding from some beast
But the beast was always here
Watching without eyes
Because the beast is just my fear
That I am just nothing
Now its just what I've become
What am I waiting for
Its already done

Oh

[chorus]

 

---------

 

The Faint - Battle Hymn For Children

 

Teacher
Bring me to heaven
Or leave me alone
Why make me work so hard
When you know I work slow
Don't make us watch you scrape
More powder on the walls
Show us a laser
Take us to space
Or let us go
We got violent games on pause at home

You've seen this angst take shape
Don't hide those guilty eyes
You gave us guns for toys
We trained with cross hair scopes
Then in the name of peace we make war

Sergeant
I don't remember how you said to deal with guilt
I'm haunted by families grieving
Even soldiers kids
Is it god against god
And the pawns are people?
If they're both the same god
Then the battle's over
Details

Preacher
Am I gonna make it?
Am I going up?
Am I forgiven for the humans I dropped
It's not like a game once the guilt piles up
If I knew what I know now
It's easy to say I wouldn't go
I had violent games on pause at home

You know how hate takes shape
Don't hide those guilty eyes
You gave us guns for toys
Imposed beliefs then pride
We were taught that god prefers the USA
Just like the billboard sign -"this is god's country"
If it's true that god roots for the USA
Is every bomb we drop in god's name?

 

Anti-war song. It turns out that I was never able to buy into what my church was selling in terms of the war. Who knew?

[midniterider]

 

 

I thought I would start this thread for the simple purpose of allowing people to air their spiritual and religious interpretations of mainstream or secular songs. Some secular songs have a deeper understanding of religious matters than explicitly Christian songs, sometimes there is a dual meaning and sometimes they are completely misinterpreted to speak of God/religion when they are using religious symbolism as metaphor for something else.

Deeper religious meanings in lyrics sell out concerts and sell records...well, mp3s. :-)

Do you think the symbolism of religious imagery or themes is attractive to non-religious people or just a bid to appeal to the religious minded fans?

 

Is it the fact a lot of the time the artist themselves comes from a religious upbringing that they find it easy to use religion as a way of making song content without actually believing it personally?

 

I'm thinking the likes of Lemmy from Motörhead who came from a strict religious background, his father was a minister yet he writes a lot of songs that are anti-religious but with strong Christian lyrical content.

 

There's plenty of others like him. Katy Perry slips in the odd angel/Heaven/believe reference in her lyrics which doesn't surprise me when she is an ex-fundamental Christian herself.

 

 

I'm not a good one to ask because I enjoy a song's melody more than the words. The words could be "I'm on a highway to hell..." or "May it be an evening star shines down upon you...." They evoke different but enjoyable emotions. Even non-religious people can enjoy religious or spiritual lyrics in a song, can sing along and feel good...then still be non-religious after the song is done. Religious lyrics can make you feel 'connected' to something bigger than yourself.

 

Non-religious lyrics can still bring a tear, bring love for a moment and connect you to something greater than yourself. Like to all humanity. They can make you want to Join Together In The Band....

 

 

Song writers who have grown up in church know the power of religion and may incorporate those kinds of lyrics for making a buck or sending a message or both. Anti-religious lyrics are good for making a buck too. :-)

 

Sometimes songwriters toss in the the word God, Jesus, whatever to grab more people's $$ and make people think about that entertainer. Are they a Christian? Or not? America is full of religious people. It is folly for a music producer to 'not' use religious themes. Gaga mentions "capital HIM" and Jesus. I believe Miley Cyrus mentions God in one of her songs. It's good for business.

[Guest afireinside]

Lady Gaga also sings this confusing piece.

 

"Judas"

 

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

 

Judas, Juda-a-a, Judas, Juda-a-a

Judas Juda-a-a, Judas, Gaga

Judas Juda-a-a, Judas, Juda-a-a

Judas, Juda-a-a, Judas, Gaga

 

When he calls to me, I am ready

I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs

Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain

Even after three times, he betrays me

 

I'll bring him down, bring him down, down

A king with no crown, king with no crown

 

I'm just a holy fool, oh baby it's so cruel

But I'm still in love with Judas, baby

I'm just a holy fool, oh baby it's so cruel

But I'm still in love with Judas, baby

 

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

 

Judas, Juda-a-a, Judas, Juda-a-a

Judas, Juda-a-a, Judas, Gaga

 

I couldn't love a man so purely

Even prophets forgave his goofy way

I've learned love is like a brick you can

Build a house or sink a dead body

 

I'll bring him down, bring him down, down

A king with no crown, king with no crown

 

I'm just a holy fool, oh baby it's so cruel

But I'm still in love with Judas, baby

I'm just a holy fool, oh baby it's so cruel

But I'm still in love with Judas, baby

 

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

 

In the most biblical sense, I am beyond repentance

Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind

But in the cultural sense I just speak in future tense

Judas kiss me if offenced, or wear ear condom next time

 

I wanna love you

But something's pulling me away from you

Jesus is my virtue

And Judas is the demon I cling to, I cling to

 

Just a holy fool, oh baby it's so cruel

But I'm still in love with Judas, baby

I'm just a holy fool, oh baby it's so cruel

But I'm still in love with Judas, baby

 

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

Oh oh, oh oh

I'm in love with Judas, Judas

 

Judas, Juda-a-a, Judas, Juda-a-a

Judas, Juda-a-a, Judas, Gaga

[seven77]

The Lady Gaga Capital HIM song is "Born This Way". It's a gay pride anthem of sorts. Lyrics below.

 

"Born This Way"

[intro:]
It doesn't matter if you love him, or capital H-I-M (I think that H-I-M is referring to "His Infernal Majesty", not God. I could be wrong though.)
Just put your paws up
'cause you were born this way, baby

[Verse:]
My mama told me when I was young
We are all born superstars
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on
In the glass of her boudoir

"There's nothing wrong with loving who you are"
She said, "'Cause he made you perfect, babe"
"So hold your head up girl and you'll go far,
Listen to me when I say"

[Chorus:]
I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

[Post-chorus:]
Oh there ain't no other way
Baby I was born this way
Baby I was born this way
Oh there ain't no other way
Baby I was born this way
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Don't be a drag ‒ just be a queen [x3]
Don't be!

[Verse:]
Give yourself prudence
And love your friends
Subway kid, rejoice your truth
In the religion of the insecure
I must be myself, respect my youth  (Worship yourself, not God.)

A different lover is not a sin (Sleeping around is no big deal.)
Believe capital H-I-M (Hey hey hey) (Pretty sure this is referring to His Infernal Majesty again.)
I love my life I love this record and
Mi amore vole fe yah (Love needs faith) (Throw in to make the listener think that this song is about Bible-God)

[Repeat chorus + post-chorus]

 

 

*Note: There was a lot of hate towards this song at my old church and on the right wing "They're out to corrupt our youth!" talk radio stations. So I picked up the interpretations from them. Gotta say, they do make some sense here. This song is not about how God loves us all. Some parts omitted.
 

[ironhorse]

Back in the 90s a lot songs had spiritual content.

 

The Smashing Pumpkins and Moby were two of my favorites.

[Astreja]

"Benedictus" by The Strawbs:

 

 

The wanderer has far to go

Humble must he constant be

Where the paths of wisdom

Distant is the shadow of the setting sun.

 

Bless the daytime

Bless the night

Bless the sun which gives us light

Bless the thunder

Bless the rain

Bless all those who cause us pain.

 

Yellow stars may lead the way

All diversions lead astray

While his resolution holds

Fortune and good will will surely follow him.

 

Bless the free man

Bless the slave

Bless the hero in his grave

Bless the soldier

Bless the saint

Bless all those whose hearts grow faint.

[Deva]

Led Zepplin has already been mentioned, but since I learned about Theosophy and the "Masters", this song has always reminded me of it, particularly the first lines, and the reference to Shangri-la later:

 

"Kashmir"

Oh let the sun beat down upon my face, stars to fill my dream
I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been
To sit with elders of the gentle race, this world has seldom seen
They talk of days for which they sit and wait and all will be revealed...