While at first glance the title of this week’s Lab Track might suggest that our readership is the wrong audience for this song, trust me when I say that we’re exactly right. “Take Me To Church” is a soulful, moving track by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier about sex, religion, and defying the confines the latter places on the former. Mother Jones interviewed Hozier about the song back in March:
“There is no greater celebration of life, and nothing more human than a sexual act.” Intended as a swipe at the Catholic indoctrination so intrinsic to Irish culture, Byrne uses the song to speak against any construct that condemns sexuality, which he believes “undermines humanity at its most natural.” …”It’s about electing some new form of worship—something worthwhile,” [Hozier] says. “Something that is worth loving. Something that is tangible and real.”
The official music video screams this message in the direction of the hate crimes being perpetrated against the LGBT community in Russia. It’s a brutual, plaintiff call for love in the face of horror:
I was hooked on the song before I knew the full story behind it, and I was inspired to break out my guitar (which has been literally and proverbially collecting dust for awhile now) and record my own cover. In the spirit of showing off our ugly things, I’m excited to make my Mad Art Lab musical premiere with such a great piece:
Thanks for listening.
Take Me To Church
My lover’s got humor
She’s the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody’s disapproval
I should’ve worshiped her sooner
If the Heavens ever did speak
She is 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 absolution
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
[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
If I’m a pagan of the good times
My lover’s the sunlight
To keep the Goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
To drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
That’s a fine looking high horse
What you got in the stable?
We’ve a lot of starving faithful
That looks tasty
That looks plenty
This is hungry work
[Chorus 2x:]
Take me to church
I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I’ll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
No masters or kings
When the ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am human
Only then I am clean
Amen. Amen. Amen
[Chorus 2x]
Featured image is a screen shot from the official music video.
