Hozier: Take Me To Church Meaning
Song Released: 2014
Covered By: Matt McAndrew (2014)
Take Me To Church Lyrics
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...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:This song is not specifically about homosexuality even if that's what the music video is about. It's about being human and how the church/religion condemns you for being just that. Lying, lust, pride, jealousy etc. are all "sins" but they are part of being human.
"My church offers no absolutes", basically saying that church/religion will not love me unconditionally, I must meet expectations, and ask for forgiveness when I do not.
"I was born sick, but I love it", the "born sick" means born with sin (just like we told when we were young), but "I love it" follows because we born unique yet flawed, and that's something worth loving because we were born human.
"Command me to be well", force me to confession, pray for my sins, force me to apologize for being human.
The Chorus
"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"
"Take me to church, I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies" means that religion is one rigged game because you can pour your soul out to it but you'll never be worth anything to it because you were born "sick"
"I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife" basically picture a godfather and your begging for forgiveness for a "wrong" you've committed but he's just sitting there not giving a damn because he'll kill/condemn you anyways ("you can sharpen your knife").
"Offer me that deathless death, Good God, let me give you my life". Deathless death means the eternal life mentioned in the bible, and because of this you will give the church your life because you will not sin or at least to your best not to in order to obtain your eternal life, hence “Good God, let me give you my life”.
"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"
high horse is basically pride which is considered a sin, these lines shift to a different point of view, to god/religion/church, and how it's "eating" or taking people on to its side "church" because people need something to believe in for their sins "starving faithful".
"No masters or kings when the ritual begins. There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin" this basically means there is no God "masters or kings", when you die "when the ritual begins". And how being human is pure and beautiful and "sin" is part of that beauty "sweeter innocence than our gentle sin".
"Only then I am human
Only then I am clean", means only when I'm dead will I be 100% human free from religion/church.
The lines when a lover is mentioned I believe it’s a mockery towards religion like, “ooh look what I'm doing”, basically being a renegade towards the whole concept of church.
This song basically ridicules the idea of church/religion because religion it is constantly attacking human nature, it makes us feel horrible for being human, this is where the topic of homosexuality comes into play. Sex or love is a very natural act but suddenly when is a man w/ man (or woman and woman) it is not. And sex in general is also viewed as something to be ashamed of. We are human, we feel pride, lust, we feel hate and anger, we lie, we steal but we are human beings and we should not apologize and ask for forgiveness for being just that. -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:The meaning is actually quite simple. The song speaks on the wrongs of calling something so human, such as love, a sin. Hozier uses the church as an analogy, but he is really speaking against anyone who condemns basic humanity
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3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:This is from an interview Hozier did with NY Magazine. Straight from the horses mouth:
"'Take Me to Church' is essentially about sex, but it's a tongue-in-cheek attack at organizations that would … well, it's about sex and it's about humanity, and obviously sex and humanity are incredibly tied. Sexuality, and sexual orientation — regardless of orientation — is just natural. An act of sex is one of the most human things. But an organization like the church, say, through its doctrine, would undermine humanity by successfully teaching shame about sexual orientation — that it is sinful, or that it offends God. The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love. Turning your back on the theoretical thing, something that's not tangible, and choosing to worship or love something that is tangible and real — something that can be experienced.
But it's not an attack on faith. Coming from Ireland, obviously, there's a bit of a cultural hangover from the influence of the church. You've got a lot of people walking around with a heavy weight in their hearts and a disappointment, and that shit carries from generation to generation. So the song is just about that — it's an assertion of self, reclaiming humanity back for something that is the most natural and worthwhile. Electing, in this case a female, to choose a love who is worth loving." -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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The verses of this song are interesting, because he keeps repeating she. I think what hozier is trying to get across with this is how he sees the church. "she's the giggle at a funeral, knows everybody's disapproval, I should've worshipped her sooner."i think here he tries to stress how he sees the church as light in the darkness, and how he should've worshipped god sooner.but when the chorus comes he says "i'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies, ill tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife." this shows how he realized the lies that the church feeds him, he may still believe the religion, but how what it stands for is manipulated for the preachers twisted views.how he is willing to confess to what he's done, and die with it happy even though he's told by everyone what he's doing is wrong. Spoiler alert, he's gay and all the priests are trying to manipulate him to be as they want in the name of god, when all god supposedly wants is for you to be as happy and good as possible. Keep in mind im an atheist and a lesbian, so this might be a bit off.
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it is about that churches think jelousy , envy, anger,and lots of other feelings are "sins" , but that is actually just part of being a human
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Its an idea of the writers and they are just questioning why they should be victimized at all. When the answer is that they judge themselves. Its not that the church is to blame, just that they are questioning if they are being judged by the church. They have been wronged in a big way and robbed of all virtue and they have pride despite ridicule. They believe in truth and that is all they have and faith in God who knows all.
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Take Me To Church Video said EVERYTHING. Now I understand the real meaning of the song. No need to say sorry, I understand what you are trying to say. Peace to you.
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the song is about churches not acepting gay love check out the offical video it explains EVERYTHING there is no female in this love story just beautiful gay love and how a church hates that and wont let the guys go to church. THE OFFIACL VIDEO EXPLAINS IT ALL WATCH IT.sorry for caps just trying to make the importent stuff stand out.
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First, I must say Hozier is a good songwriter if his lyrics can generate such a passionate conversation. Secondly, I think this song is about his love
For the woman discussed at th beginning of the song. "Knows everybody's disapproval/should've worshiped her sooner" suggests that she is already aware of everybody's disapproves of her, but he is saying he should've been with her sooner. I think (just guessing) that this song is about a man who becomes involved with a woman of a different religion and the struggle to explain that love is a strong force. -
This song Is about the beauty of Sex and loving somebody but not being accepted by others and bieng hated by others because your being you and loving the person you choose to love.I have something to say to you Christians my intire life I was raised by Christians and I realized something in that time, they are backbiters, hypocrites, prideful, Lyers, Cheaters.But not all of them.I do believe in God. Churches are the entrance to HELL! Its were demons are dropped of every Sunday It's a daycare for demons church is where all the gossippers goes where all the snobs go when I was a teen all the church kids were mean to me but all my best friend where the ones who didn't go to church and guess what the church kids called my besties WICKED how dare they. I could go on.My point is God loves you for you :) <3
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LOL at some of these posts. This song has nothing to do with being gay you homophobes!
It is the artists interpretation of the Catholic church and how hypocritical their views can be. The video uses being gay as an example since the church bashes anyone gay yet countless priests sexually abuse young boys. LOVE this song and what it represents. -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This song is just plain wrong as a Christian who has struggled with being bi sexual before I was saved I know it is nothing but a sickness from the pit of hell if you are gay then I'm sorry to say you will go to hell Jesus is the only way and if the bible says it's wrong it's wrong I will pray for those who approve of sin I know
we are all human but God says put off the old man and live by the spirit not the flesh bur not all hope is lost JESUS STILL SAVES!!!!!
AMEN!!!!!!!! JESUS LOVES ALL YALL!!!!! -
This song is maybe about how a lot of Christians/Catholics hate homosexuality. I am a Christian myself, but I KNOW and believe that everyone is born with sin(I was born sick) and that homosexuality is a sin, but God sees all sin the same way, so if religious people say that all gays will go to hell, they should go to hell themselves because they have sinned a lot as well. Nobody is worthy to God. God loves and accepts everyone.
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(Lyrics: The only heaven i'll be sent to is when in with you)I would say his church does not support homosexuals so members and others say that if he is going to hell if he is homosexual.
(Lyrics: My lover's got humor. She's the giggle at a funeral. Knows everybody's disapproval. I should've worshiped her sooner) I am not 100% sure but I would say judging by the lyrics "I should have worshiped her sooner" I think his peers are saying that he should have dated girls and like worshiped and dated girls, IDK :p sorry...
(Lyrics:"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") That being in love with the same sex isn't a bad thing, and he rather die then not be with is love.
Thanks every one who read my post :D
I really love this song, and I feel god loves every one the way they are :) -
I think this song is criticizing the Christians as a hole because of one persons bad experience with a particular church or denomination. It seams to me like this song is speaking towards the catholic church. I am a Christian but I do not agree with denominations in the church. I agree with a church speaking and preaching the bible not what a particular denomination as a hole believes. So just because one person had a bad experience with one denomination Christians as a hole are to not blame.
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So I'm kinda upset bout how people think Christians are. Because I love God and I'm a Christian so yea I don't support gay people but that doesn't mean I'm going to "kill" you or judge you or even make you feel any less of a person. God can only judge us. Nobody's perfect not even me everybody's a sinner but I'm so tired of people thinking Christina's are against everybody when we're not. I thought I liked this song but guess not now.
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