Lady Gaga: Judas Meaning
Song Released: 2011
Judas Lyrics
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as
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...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:I think these lyrics can be taken a few ways depending on your stance.
"When he comes 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"
This could be taken as she elevates Judas to Jesus level, as it was originally Jesus that had his feet washed by a woman, with her hair. Or it could be taken as Lady Gaga is talking about herself as if she is Jesus, as Jesus also washed others feet, he forgives people even when they sin, and Jesus was betrayed three times by his disciples.
You could consider this extremely blasphemous and inflammatory or as a metaphor for a relationship. She is the good one who gives "Judas" everything, despite how he treats her and she always ends up forgiving him.
"I'll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown"
This could refer to how her lover acts towards her, he acts controlling, regal etc, like a king. But he has no right to as he has "no crown". Or if you want to look at it in a darker way she could be talking about Jesus himself. Even though is is "King of Kings", he doesn't have a crown or anything in the way we would expect Kings to have as he is a King in a completely different way to earthly kings.
"I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby
I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby"
This could be referring to a relationship of hers, despite her partners cruelty she is still in love with him. Even though she knows that she's stupid for feeling this way about him. Or it could be in a more religious sense. Even though Judas is supposed to be a person that was abhorred, she can't help but be a fool in the eyes of religion ("Holy fool") and chose to love Judas instead. This is despite her realising that, that isn't the way it should be. "I'm STILL in love with Judas, baby"...still in love with him despite knowing otherwise.
Like I said you could take that verse literally or as a metaphor for her relationship.
"I couldn't love a man so purely
Even darkness forgave his crooked 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"
This verse is ironic as "pure" is something often associated with Jesus and someones relationship with him. But here she talks about how she loves Judas so "purely". She could be describing how perfect her love is for her person.
She then says how even the "bad side" forgave Judas's ways.
She is saying that love can go two ways. It can either be a good thing "build a house" or it can be a bad thing "sink a dead body"
"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 offensed,
Or wear ear condom next time"
I was a bit unsure about this verse but I think I've got it. She is saying in the biblical sense she can't be helped. She is a "hooker" for fame. She sells herself in return for fame, she prostitutes herself in this way and says whatever is on her mind, sometimes in a violent way that she hasn't properly thought through. In a biblical sense she is not a "good" person. But in a cultural sense she is just modern day and with the times. Not old like the Bible. Either that or she is speaking of what will come in the future. She doesn't fit in with the Bible because of what she says and the way she is, but this is the future. She then is saying to either kiss her if offensed or to protect yourself from her words next time. She could be saying this to people in general or to her lover.
"I wanna love you,
But something's pulling me away from you
Jesus is my virtue,
Judas is the demon I cling to
I cling to"
Jesus is her example of moral excellence that's tries to pull her away from Judas and stop her loving him, but she can't help but cling to Judas and love Judas. This again could be her referring to her relationship or if you want to take more from it, it could be that she knows Jesus is good but she can't help turning to what is bad. -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:Last night at her concert, Gaga said this song was about forgiving those who betray you, and more importantly, forgiving yourself for betraying yourself
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3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:I think there is more than one person who is speaking.
Judging from lady gaga's voice in the recording, it's clear that her voices changes throughout. The question is who is saying what at what point of time?
1) Mary Magdalene - the one who washed Jesus' feet
2) Judas himself.
3) Herself - or representation of all believers
When we hear
"I'll bring him down, down, a king with no crown"
It's clear this is Judas speaking.
"I'm just a holy fool"
This is clearly Mary Magdalene.
I'm a Christian and I tried my hardest to find some problem with the song. But the more I read it, I realised that it may be possible that lady gaga was trying to say that Judas wasn't as bad as he is portrayed by the church.
I think Judas may be representative of a few things
1) Human Sinful nature
2) Judas himself.
I think lady gaga expected a massive uproar from the song. Clearly, she got it. Hence, there's a line that says 'I just speak in future tense/Judas kiss me if offensed,/Or wear ear condom next time". Who is Judas here?! It seems to be talking about the people who are offenced by this song! She's talking to us Christians. She even predicted that everyone would be offended by this song. It may be seen as blasphemous but when we think about it, weren't we the reasons why Jesus died? Jesus died so that we may live. We're no better than Judas himself. She also realised that people would not take the song well and reject this idea hence she tells these people to "wear [an] ear condom next time"
Furthermore, Lady gaga says "Jesus is my virtue, Judas is the demon I cling to". It might be here that she discusses her life as a Catholic. There is truth to this statement. It's true that Jesus is our virtue as Christians, he saved us. But at the same time, we all have our sinful nature. In fact, when I look at Judas' life, I feel empathetic. How many times as Christians have we sort of betrayed Jesus through out own silly actions and acts. Who are we to judge Judas when we ourselves aren't all that great - and we still "CLING" to sinful things. The truth of the matter is that Christians aren't always a good representation of Christianity itself. Also since it's holy week, we ought to focus on ourselves and improve ourselves to be better people and better Christians.
The love she says could be indicative of two things
("I'm still in love with Judas baby")
1) That the character Judas ought to be forgiven as a character. Who are we to judge him?
2) That we love our sinful nature. She's basically pointing out the fact that we as Christians tend to look at other's faults but we fail to see our own. That in fact we were the ones who forced Jesus to die.
If we take that perspective, this song only serves to make us think. I don't see how it's blasphemous. -
I don't think this song is about religion. What Lady Gaga is saying is that she loves bad guys. She will always pick the bad guy over the good guy even though she knows the good guy is better for her. She would pick Judas over Jesus.
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Judas lived his life like we live ours. He made his decisions like we make ours. He made 2 decisions which were written in the Scriptures. He was responsible for his decisions like we are responsible for ours. Who are we to condemn him? Judas was free to decide like we are. And the freedom to decide was not given to him by us. So who are we to codemn or not codemn him? We have not created Judas. So why to pretend that we know what was going on in his soul during his 2 decisions? And specialy what was going on in his soul in the last seconds before he died. That was obviously not recorded in the Scriptures. So if he asked for help during his last seconds of course God would help him. But we simply do not know what has happened during those last few moments of his life! Is it not smart to believe that he realised what he has done and that he asked for help from God in the last seconds after making the second decision?
I remember a colleague of mine who told me once about one situation in his life. He was driving a car and the situation on the road was such dangerous that he realised he was going to die. Then suddenly he noticed that his experience of time duration has changed. Every second looked to him like a minute. So he had enough time to think about what will kill him and to make such motions with his car and body to avoid his death. And he just did all this motions very relaxed and avoided his own death.
We are not living a cartoon but a real life. Every one of our decision will give us a fruit of that decision. When we press the button "A" on the keyboard which letter do we expect to see on the monitor? The same is in the life. If we press the wrong button and we WANT to correct the letter on the monitor what we do? We first realize that our action was wrong. And then we just FIX IT! The same is in the spiritual life. If we see that we made a mistake, what to do? Just FIX IT! Tell the truth to ourselves and to Our Creator. God has given us the ultimate power to do that. And no one can take that power from us. Only if we give it away. Again, our free choise and free decision! We have just to use it.
It is very interesting to see in these forums that the basic understanding about the Church is not present. In the Scriptures is said that Jesus decided to build a Church on Peter. And now comes the main point with Peter. He betrayed Jesus three times. But what he has done? He realised his mistake. He realised that he has pressed the "wrong button" and asked for help. So it is very clear that Jesus helps anyone who asks for a help. And if Peter has not asked for a help will we have the Scripture today and know what has happened with Judas?
Another funny thing in these interpretations is about which atributes people give to other people. It looks like if someone write few dusty letters on the online page that it becomes that what has been written. In the cartoons that can happen but not in the real life! Dust is dust, God is God!
If we want the real interpretation of this song why not to ask Lady gaga? Who has the courage to do that? -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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A Great song agree with Anon. Lady Gaga is truly inspirational in this song Judas.
Never before has anyone captivated such a large segment of society by actually coming forth with the words that so many people have asked for centuries why could Not the church or any religion or any god forgive Judas. Only now in todays world can someone step forward and rally for people to forgive. Lady Gaga truly teaches us when so many of our youth are confused and dying of opioids what is REAL forgiveness. I have never heard any religious leader in the world ever even come close to what Lady Gaga is doing offering forgiveness.
The Catholic church is buried in sex abuse of children but yet cannot even mention the words forgiveness yet but tell their followers to go to Confession what a load of garbage. Lady Gaga has us look at ourselves and tells us no offense or sin is unforgivable. PRAISE BE TO LADY GAGA A GODDESS in a really messed up world. I bow to HER. -
Within this song, it looks like LADY GAGA wanted to have the cake and eat it too. It seems to me Lady Gaga was pandering to those people while at the same time forgiving them. Those Revolutionary ''Jews'' on the left that might have betrayed Her somehow. Who in reality actually lost their 'foundation' a long time ago that went against the reason of the Logos of God, But still wants it back in today's day that hold the power of money with Whom gave power to Lady Gaga, becoming this idolized goddess. So, Her song JUDAS is another way of saying thank you kindly to them by kissing and falling for Judas. Which is just another way of falling in love with sympathy for the Devil, by showing Her love for him, even though he denied her over three times. Which she forgave and is not necesarily a unchristian thing to forgive of what Judas did to her, though he should be cautiously loved with sympathy and pity. Especially if falling in love and liking the 'Jew' named Judas from the Bible that betrayed the son of God[Jesus] with a kiss. That Judas from the Bible who might have been a kind of Apostle of Jesus who believed the 'Jew' in the Jewish persona and his people were 'the only Human beings' worthy to act and become god to rule on this earth. And believed One shouldn't get involved to reveale their truth about god to the Gentile beasts of the fields, or the Goyim cattle as We were called, for knowing the natural law of the loving God within. Who was/is the Logos of JESUS CHRIST. As was/is Israel of old.
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I think Judas is simply about a boyfriend who is flawed and cheats on his date constantly, but he has captured the love of his date and gets forgiven. Gaga just compares him with Judas!!
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Such a wonderful song Judas. This is so inspirational to our youth of how to handle rejection defeat and suicide prevention.
I agree completely with Anon and Dmitrius.
Lady Gaga is GOD on earth for all to learn from.
Lady Gaga at this time of year as we celebrate Christmas we should really celebrate the Living God among us Lady Gaga.
She teaches us and our youth so much truth, love social justice how to be free of any binding issues such as Judas must have suffered so much that he took his own life SO TERRIBLE caused by the criminal jesus.
Lady Gaga GOD is a true leader of humanity. -
Such a beautiful song. Lady Gaga is GOD!!
Goddess Lady Gaga truly wants us to live a fulfilled life with out any of the burden of sin that we are ingrained to believe we may have committed.
Goddess Lady Gaga truly sets us free of any baggage by first forgiving ourselves.
A Goddess truly worthy of our worship and praise. -
Lady Gaga is such an inspiration in this song about Judas the person who turned jesus over to the authorities.
Lady Gaga personifies what and how God should act as a being of kindness and forgiveness.
I would say Lady Gaga is A GOD teaching us her followers what is the proper way to act live and especially forgive.
Lady Gaga as GOD shows us to forgive ourselves from all of the baggage that we carry as a sin. The Goddess Gaga in this song shows how easy it is to forgive and move on. Judas was condemned then and still today Goddess Gaga shows nothing is unforgivable. I think we should listen to HER she is the LIVING WORD a gift a GOD to us. -
In agreement with Anon.
Lady Gaga is teaching us a parable of her Holy Scripture.
Lady Gaga is unlike god Jehovah who forgives no one. Lady Gaga teaches us to forgive ourselves.
She shows that Judas had to kill himself because of an unforgiving god and his son.
She shows us in her sacred song that Judas would have been forgiven no sin is unforgiveable through the intersession of God Lady Gaga.
Todays Christians hold Judas as a betrayer of the son of god. All he really was doing what we would do today. SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING. Judas did not kill jesus he was tried convicted and executed by a court of law.
Lady Gaga in her parable Judas shows how a real God such as her would handle this situation forgiveness of oneself. -
I believe Lady Gaga is spot on with this song.
She instructs us that we are own God we do not need a Jesus to act as a God would act.
She shows us that we can even forgive Judas who the entire Christian world condemns.
Lady Gaga tells us no matter who or what you are or what you may have done you can forgive yourself. You do not need anyone else to ask for forgiveness from. -
I think you have a given a very kind interpretation of Gaga's song. I think the song is about an internal turmoil/struggle going on in her head. The Apostles represent different signposts in life or examples before her. Jesus refers to her guardian angel and Judas her base self. The scenes are chaotic and unorthodox depicting a troubled mind/soul that has come to see life as darkness. She ashes both the feet of Jesus and Judas in a tub. For a while, she serves both what is considered virtuous and what she considers attractive but only because she is constrained to do so at a point in her life (the tub). The dancers in the video are distractions, much like how some do get distracted from the things that matter. To sum it up, she clings not to Jesus (guardian angel) who seeks that she abandon her base self, but rather she clings to the earth, the world and all that Judas represented. Paradoxically she is stoned in "white", not because she turned to good but rather she expresses her self-justification by whatever choice she makes, and willingness to suffer matyrdom. She dies and returns to the earth (hell) to which she descends into.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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