Jesus!?

[Nothingtosay]

Why the refrences to Jesus in this song? What does it mean?

[The Outlaw]

i think the references to jesus and mother mary are references to religion.

"jesus won't you fucking whistle"
and "mother mary won't you whisper"

i see as maynard asking strong religous figures to say something. so i see those lines as meaning "religion come save me". that's my opinion.

[Cylith]

The following is not what I think the song is about, necessarily, but rather, it’s more of an interesting idea.

I sometimes see this song as Maynard’s (or whoever’s) wish that there is no after life, that Christianity is what he believes but does not want it to be correct.

“There's a shadow just behind me,
shrouding every breath I take,
making every promise empty,
pointing every finger at me.
Waiting like a stalking butler
who upon the finger rests.
Murder now the path called "must we"
just before the son has come.”

The shadow could be religion…

“I am just a worthless liar.
I am just an imbecile.
I will only complicate you.
Trust in me and fall as well.
I will find a center in you.
I will chew it up and leave,
I will work to elevate you
just enough to bring you down.”

This could be sung from the perspective of religion itself.

“I just want to start this over.
Why can't we sleep forever.
I just want to start things over.”

This could be Maynard’s desire for the afterlife to be non-existent.

[Stalkz]

He's saying "Jesus christ, say something new". Jesus christ acting like an expletive, instead of a name. like "God damnit".


I think that's also how it's explained in the FAQ.

[Stalkz]

.......No.

That only works if you ignore "Something but the past and done". The past and done refers to something old, used, ya know... Something but the past and done, something that isn't just repeating yourself or someone else.

[third(o)eye]

Personally, I think that this song is portraying the how the masses depend on religion in everyday life. The quote "religion is the opiate of the masses" is the base for the symbolism.


Why can't we not be sober?
I just want to start this over
And why can't we drink forever?
I just want to start this over

When he says "why can we not be sober" He is basically asking "why can we not be without religion" THis is my take of the song, and I hope you like it.

[AllforUnity]

Well if Mother Mary speaks words of wisdom, she's teaching you what went wrong in your past, in a way. So it's plausible.

[Suso22]

People dont post shit in this Undertow forum, unless the name 'Jesus' appears in the thread marker....Interesting.

[Suso22]

Personally, I think that this song is portraying the how the masses depend on religion in everyday life. The quote "religion is the opiate of the masses" is the base for the symbolism.


Why can't we not be sober?
I just want to start this over
And why can't we drink forever?
I just want to start this over

When he says "why can we not be sober" He is basically asking "why can we not be without religion" THis is my take of the song, and I hope you like it.


Good point, third(o), there is an ominously haunting vibe of protestantism that permeates the way we live nowadays...which can be bad, because we are all too busy being good and we've forgotten how to have fun.....too many rules, too little sipping (wine). You like?

[AllforUnity]

l usually post on here whether it talks about Jesus or not.

[Suso22]

Yes, I know you do and appreciate that...It would be cool if more heads hit up the album forums...but I can understand that it has been awhile since an album release...I just feel most compelled to discuss the music is all.

[Luna Galapogos]

I think that possibly the Jesus reference to blowing a whistle could be that Jesus is a loud, commanding, in control sort of figure while Mother Mary can be considered as whispering words in your ear. It is sort of like, Jesus is the word and the word is Jesus while Mother Mary, in this context, could be taken as your conscience. Yes, I think that is what is meant here. All through time we have had a firm answer in front of us, but our compromising makes us need the whispered words of our conscience to help us do what is right.

"If nothing else kills you, breathing will."
I'm a christian, I still have fun. Lots of fun. teehee

[AllforUnity]

lf it's referring to Jesus being the loud and commanding him...why in the song is Maynard giving the order to blow his whistle?

[Luna Galapogos]

lf it's referring to Jesus being the loud and commanding him...why in the song is Maynard giving the order to blow his whistle?

Possibly he realizes that Jesus is the I'm right here sort of figure, but he can't seem to see what he knows he is supposed to see. He wants Jesus to blow his whistle, just like those people that ask God to reveal his plans and all of that.

[AllforUnity]

Yes, but, if in the song Maynard knows Jesus is the commander, he would know he is in no possition to ask for anything. Could he just be mocking Jesus? Perhaps "Jesus won 't you fucking whistle" is just saying l'm sick of your shit, so go do something else because l'm not going to listen anymore.

[Suso22]

Thats an interesting perspective ive never explored in my own interpretation of that line--nice Unity.

I always thought that 'Jesus won't you fucking whistle,' meant something like, Jesus please say something, anything--but make it loud, so everyone hears. 'Something bout the past and done'>>I always thought this was a plead for Jesus to preach like he once did in his time without the mass filtration of fixtures in history such as the church.

Mother Mary's whisper is to provide a soothing contrast to the loud, penetrating voice of the lord.>>Tell them all that sipping wine is NOT a sin...

[ThreeDeviations]

"Jesus won't you fucking whistle, something BUT the past and done...."


Maynard is saying...

"Jesus Christ, you were here 2000 years ago.... we've heard all the stories..... we've read all of the books... we've heard about the miracles.
But Jesus Christ, that was 2000 years ago! What about now? There's talk of the 2nd Coming? Well, where the fuck is it? I'm tired of waiting. Why don't you show up NOW and whistle some new stories and miracles and give us material for some new books..... I want to know that you're real. I want proof that this guilt I'm feeling is meaningful and justified."

[AllforUnity]

Hey that's a pretty good thought...l like it.


Where have you been, anyways? l missed you.

[ThreeDeviations]

Cylith-

"This could be sung from the perspective of religion itself."

That's a very good thought.

I don't agree with the afterlife part of your post....
but the religion being the shadow... the song from a religious perspective...

Very good thought.

Enjoyed it.

Thanks

[...Id..]

“I just want to start this over.
Why can't we sleep forever.
I just want to start things over.”

This could be Maynard’s desire for the afterlife to be non-existent.

Interesting...I don't think there is enough information to draw full conclusions about what Maynard thinks about/desires from the afterlife (hence you say "This could be..."), but it is still an interesting idea.

It makes a lot of sense too, from a certain perspective. Many people fear the afterlife (fear of the unknown), but if there were no afterlife, then what's to fear? Once you don't exist anymore, you're not going to care about anything...even the fact that you don't exist anymore.

[AllforUnity]

lf anything l would think it's more or less his fear of the afterlife...rather than his longing for it.

[Cylith]

lf anything l would think it's more or less his fear of the afterlife...rather than his longing for it.

Are you speaking (err...typing) to me? Because I said:
This could be Maynard’s desire for the afterlife to be non-existent....which is along the same lines as fearing the afterlife.