Hozier: Take Me to Church

[Midwest88]

youtu.be/MYSVMgRr6pw

*My lover’s got humour
She’s the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody’s disapproval

I should’ve worshiped her sooner
If the heavens ever did speak
She’s the last true mouthpiece

Every Sunday’s getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
‘We were born sick,’ you heard them say it

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—

I was born sick,
But I love it
Command me to be well
Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[Chorus 2x:]
Take me to church
I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
I’ll post a verse by verse interpretation of in my next post.

 

[Lion_IRC]

Okay, Hozier. I’ll Take You to Church
By Tom Hoopes

Via : Creative Minority Report reader.creativeminorityreport.com/2015/02/hoziers-ridiculously-anti-catholic-take.html

We who kneel in Church are compared to dogs in your song, which the whole world is listening to. You suggest the Church is “sharpening our knives,” making us wicked attackers, as well.

From your privileged Irish life, you may think that characterizing Christians as wicked dogs is harmless, but do you know what is happening to many of my Christian sisters and brothers worldwide?

Christian children are being crucified and buried alive by people who compare us to dogs, like you do. You say “Take Me to Church” but I wouldn’t want you to take you to their churches, because people really are sharpening their knives there, with my people as their targets.

You make church sound like a terrible, awful place. In China, the government’s leaders agree with you, wholeheartedly. But I wouldn’t take you to church there, either, because we could both get arrested…

[Cont].

An excellent smack-down of Mr Hozier.

When the full effect of a secular godless society really kicks in, people will be BEGGING to have their church back.
…and Father McKenzie will be wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.

 

[Midwest88]

ADD to original post: It’s important to watch the music video first, then look over the lyrics.

Okay, Hozier. I’ll Take You to Church
By Tom Hoopes

Via : Creative Minority Report reader.creativeminorityreport.com/2015/02/hoziers-ridiculously-anti-catholic-take.html

An excellent smack-down of Mr Hozier.

When the full effect of a secular godless society really kicks in, people will be BEGGING to have their church back.
…and Father McKenzie will be wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.

Decent rebuttal, to be honest. Did he watch the video, though?

From the article:

“There’s no excuse for ignorance,” he told the Irish Times. “You have to recognize in yourself, and challenge yourself, that if you see racism or homophobia or misogyny in a secular society, as a member of that society, you should challenge it. You owe it to the betterment of society.”

Rather amusing that people who are “sick” of ‘hatred’ always use the word “ignorant.” It’s like a memo was emailed to every social justice warrior to use the word like it’s a wooden stake.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Also, he touches on the Three Pillars of social justice warriors: race, sexuality, and women. The betterment of society? Give me a more efficient and accountable federal banking system.

 

[Lion_IRC]

I havent seen the video in full.
Whats with;

• The burning wooden pallets?
• Burying the chained up chest box?
• Gang of molotov cocktail dudes with newspaper scarves over their faces?

 

[Midwest88]

motherjones.com/mixed-media/2014/03/interview-hozier-take-me-church-homophobia-video

Still he hopes the song that helped him get here and the popularity of the video causes viewers to take homophobic discrimination seriously. “Just to think about the fact that there is latent homophobia or hatred, however small or however tolerated is something that should be recognized,” he says. "Even if nothing else, sometimes it is as simple as someone watching something that makes them uncomfortable and having to face that fact–I hope they challenge themselves to think about that."

Re-read that bold twice. Three times. Four times. The challenge is to get rid of the disapproval and to think “Aw, what a cute ‘couple’!” Love!"

 

[Midwest88]

I havent seen the video in full.
Whats with;

• The burning wooden pallets?
• Burying the chained up chest box?
• Gang of molotov cocktail dudes with newspaper scarves over their faces?

Really?

I take it’s the persecution of their “love” and their sexuality by bigots. It’s an emotional appeal, really. The two portrayed in the movie are just 'two guys who found each other, fell in love, and want to be left alone until bigots discover their relationship - kidnaps one of the partners and beats him senseless as the other frantically searches for him - only finding it’s too late!" OH THE HUMANITY! (as Hozier puts it).

Read the Mother Jones’ article. It explains the music video a bit more. Hozier wants to call attention to the laws against homosexuality in Russia, and the MJ article also listed the acts against homosexuals in parts of Africa.

 

[Midwest88]

A comment from the MJ article - “I applaud anyone who loses their bogus supernatural faith regardless if its Catholicism or Islam or Hinduism or Wiccan. It’s all nonsense.”

 

[JackieO123]

Another secularist bigot.

 

[Robyn_p]

I admit, I actually liked this song the first time or two I heard it. Until I realized what he was talking about.

 

[jesus4ever]

TAKE ME TO CHURCH really means take me to bed.

 

[Mr_Clean]

Hmmmm…and there it is. He really just wants to speak against things that are against humanity. Man over God - sound familiar. Cue the serpent.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Take Me to Church Lyrics and Meaning – A Christian Analysis and Critique

What’s amazing about his song is that it’s about as offensive as anything produced by Marilyn Manson, Judas Priest, or Slayer - yet hardly anyone recognizes it!

It takes rich Catholic sacramental language but re-signifies the imagery as a sexual encounter. And that’s the so-called “genius” of this song.

In an interview with New York Magazine in March 2014, the artist Hozier stated:

‘Take Me to Church’ is essentially about sex, but it’s a tongue-in-cheek attack at organizations that would… undermine humanity by successfully teaching shame about sexual orientation — that it is sinful, or that it offends God…

But it’s not an attack on faith… it’s an assertion of self, reclaiming humanity back for something that is the most natural and worthwhile.

So there you have it from Hozier himself.

 

[StSentry83]

_Abyssinia:

Take Me to Church Lyrics and Meaning – A Christian Analysis and Critique

What’s amazing about his song is that it’s about as offensive as anything produced by Marilyn Manson, Judas Priest, or Slayer - yet hardly anyone recognizes it

What is offensive about Judas Priest? Just the name of the band? Or just the fact that Rob Halford is gay? Can’t think of anything else.

 

[Lion_IRC]

Take Me to Church Lyrics and Meaning – A Christian Analysis and Critique

‘Take Me to Church’ is essentially about sex,

Yep. Sex. Not love. Not biblical marriage.

…it’s a tongue-in-cheek attack at organizations that would… undermine humanity by successfully teaching shame about sexual orientation — that it is sinful, or that it offends God…

Nope. It’s not tongue-in-cheek. It’s in your face.

…it’s not an attack on faith… it’s an assertion of self, reclaiming humanity back for something that is the most natural and worthwhile.

Comparing catholic worshippers to dogs and using imagery of knives and hate as if these somehow reflect Christianity most certainly IS an attack on ‘faith’.

Homosexual sex and fake marriage and destruction of the gender-balanced, nuclear family is neither “natural” nor “worthwhile” for humanity.

 

[redbetta]

I saw this thread yesterday and did not know which song it was referring to. On my way home, a song that I liked came on the radio and I turned it up because it sounds so soothing. Then, I recognized the lyrics and turned it back down. Needless to say, that was disappointing. I feel so bad about music these days.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

**
Yep. Sex. Not love. Not biblical marriage.

**

Nope. It’s not tongue-in-cheek. It’s in your face.

**

Comparing catholic worshippers to dogs and using imagery of knives and hate as if these somehow reflect Christianity most certainly IS an attack on ‘faith’.

Homosexual sex and fake marriage and destruction of the gender-balanced, nuclear family is neither “natural” nor “worthwhile” for humanity.

I don’t think he’s comparing Catholic worshipers to dogs here. The singer admits he’s taking a shot at the Church but that doesn’t mean it’s the only imagery he’s using. He comparing himself to a dog; dogs with take mistreatment and return for more and that’s what he did in the relationship. She lies to him and he knows but goes back to her anyway.

And using church as a metaphor for sex is kind of on target. TotB, The Lamb’s Supper anyone? It conveys passion among other things.

 

[Midwest88]

I don’t think he’s comparing Catholic worshipers to dogs here. The singer admits he’s taking a shot at the Church but that doesn’t mean it’s the only imagery he’s using. He comparing himself to a dog; dogs with take mistreatment and return for more and that’s what he did in the relationship. She lies to him and he knows but goes back to her anyway.

And using church as a metaphor for sex is kind of on target. TotB, The Lamb’s Supper anyone? It conveys passion among other things.

The lyrics are:
*Take me to church
I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies *

That, to me, says faithful church goers are dogs – and the priest and/or God is the master, and that we are obedient ‘like a dog.’ That what the Church teaches about sexuality - the supposed lies - is all BS. It’s like how secularists or anti-theists use “God spelled backwards is dog” as mockery. Hozier is indirectly saying that churchgoers are non-thinking, not so bright, followers (not individuals, not ‘free thinkers,’ not ‘rebels’) saying “Yes, master! Yes, master! Anything you say!” Dog is used in a derogatory way.

I think the ‘she’, at least in the first verse, is about a ‘bad girl’ who the parents don’t like - or the type of girl that causes trouble - and that she’s “forbidden fruit” that should be enjoyed cause eff the prudes, #YOLO.

The lyrics by themselves is about not being ashamed of sex acts committed in the bedroom with this “bad girl” – she is the only ‘true thing’ to him than the pews in the Church; then the music video echoes the same thing, just with two homosexuals.

I also don’t think Hozier meant the Church to be a metaphor for sex. He’s saying, in the quoted interviews, that the song - not the Church - is about sexuality which the Church is strict on. He doesn’t like how the Church treats ones sexuality - whether you’re straight, bisexual, homosexual or [enter some tumblr made-up sexuality]. Hozier specifically admits that, in his mind, sexuality is the basis of humanity which the Church and others [Russia’s laws against homosexuals] strip away, therefore stripping away ones humanity.

 

[Midwest88]

I admit, I actually liked this song the first time or two I heard it. Until I realized what he was talking about.

Same here - I still kind of do since I think the melody and rhythm is rather well-done. The lyrics are rather clever, too, but once one actually listens to it it’s just straight up d-baggery. And this isn’t the “good art is meant to be provocative!” It’s ignorant (ironic because Hozier is dislikes so-called ‘ignorance’). Not matter how well-made a song is, if it tells lies it tells lies.

 

[CatholicWhovian]

The song is disgusting. I hate it. It’s now officially my least favorite song ever.

Hozier seems to be comparing sex with church liturgy in the song, and he says in his interviews that he thinks the Church is “suppressing sexuality” or whatever. Essentially he’s worshiping sex as an idol. Like modern Western society.

This song leads me to a conclusion about society in general:

Since this song has gone so mainstream that people would recognize it, I think this is a reflection of the society we live in. This song has made secular liberalism officially the current societal status quo. And yet people like Hozier say they’re against the status quo. The irony is that once you become the status quo at first you wouldn’t admit to being the status quo.

 

[Midwest88]

Since this song has gone so mainstream that people would recognize it, I think this is a reflection of the society we live in. This song has made secular liberalism officially the current societal status quo. And yet people like Hozier say they’re against the status quo. The irony is that once you become the status quo at first you wouldn’t admit to being the status quo.

This is what I find ironic about people like Hozier and all the “I’m an independent” types. I remember in my first sociology class someone brought up sub-cultures and anti-establishment types. Within these sub-cultures there are rules (though they’ll deny such rules), norms and “do’s and don’ts” – they become the status quo and when someone within that sub-culture, or from outside, questions the norms what then? Change for the sake of change? It’s all immature, very childish and half-baked.