Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
There was once a special book
It got changed by fascist crooks
(Save me please for I am weak)
There were once some great ideas
Now they're watered down too thin
(Save me please for I am weak)
(Save me please for I'm a sheep)
Well I suppose it's human nature
But when he said
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
The Roman Empire never died
(Save me I am not a goat)
Just changed it to the Catholic Church
(Dionysus has?)
The Roman Empire never died
(Have a?)
(Save me I am not a goat)
(laughing)
But when he said
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
Plastic idols of me
Plaster idols of me
"Don't make an idol of me"
Well when I walk the shores of Galilee
Where only the spirit can talk to me
Well I walk the shores of Galilee
Desert, sand, no one can touch me
Don't touch me!
No!
Oh no!
Oh no!
Oh no!
Oh no!
Oh no!
What's this?
What's this?
All these crimes
committed in my name?
Oh well
It got changed by fascist crooks
(Save me please for I am weak)
There were once some great ideas
Now they're watered down too thin
(Save me please for I am weak)
(Save me please for I'm a sheep)
Well I suppose it's human nature
But when he said
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
The Roman Empire never died
(Save me I am not a goat)
Just changed it to the Catholic Church
(Dionysus has?)
The Roman Empire never died
(Have a?)
(Save me I am not a goat)
(laughing)
But when he said
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
"Don't make an idol of me"
Plastic idols of me
Plaster idols of me
"Don't make an idol of me"
Well when I walk the shores of Galilee
Where only the spirit can talk to me
Well I walk the shores of Galilee
Desert, sand, no one can touch me
Don't touch me!
No!
Oh no!
Oh no!
Oh no!
Oh no!
Oh no!
What's this?
What's this?
All these crimes
committed in my name?
Oh well
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The title says it all. If Christ appeared today, he'd be crucified all over again...but we could expect a cleaner, more modern method of killing...no nails required. As for precisely what sorts of people would be so offended by his blasphemy--Son of God, indeed!--I'll refrain from naming names.
I doubt the song is a critique of Catholicism specifically; it's an accident of history which faction transformed the faith of a persecuted minority into a power structure to rival that of the Pharoah. In more-recent history, many Protestants have hated "papists" as much as Jews...maybe more so, for perversely believing in the same savior but in the "wrong" way. Another irony: in many parts of the "Christian nation" of America you risk physical assault if you dare mention the obvious fact Jesus Christ was Jewish.
The barely-audible line "Dionysus has cloven hooves" is brimming with allusive meaning. In Leviticus, the endless, dull recitation of Mosaic Law includes endless ruminations on which animals are OK to eat and which are "unclean," cloven hooves being one of many variables to be considered in combination. ("Ruminants"...perhaps I could have chosen another word?)
Let's not forget Dionysus was part human & part divine; he dies and is resurrected. Attributes he shares with Mithras, Osiris and other mythological figures whose stories preceded, yet closely parallel the life of Christ (in some cases, with as much detail as a 40-day retreat to the wilderness followed by a triumphant return to the city riding on a donkey).
How do Christians respond to the obvious fact that the life of Christ is at least partly a work of plagiarism? Well, obviously Lucifer foresaw the birth of Christ and was terribly frustrated by the thought of humanity's impending salvation. Therefore his careful, sneaky plan was to spread rumors: which would become legends of those pagan gods with precisely these striking similarities. The result? Potential converts to Christianity would be (mis)led to doubt the Gospel.
I know, I know...it sounds like a joke I made up on the spot. But it's true. "Diabolical prophecy" is the official explanation.
@foreverdrone ahhh it's "cloven hooves" thanks for that-now it makes sense, especially in conjunction with "save me I am not a goat". I'm not sure about your first statement about if he was crucified over again it would just be a "cleaner" method of killing (although it certainly would be), I thought of the "new nails" title being more a reference to how Christ is constantly being crucified over and over again by fascists and others corrupting his words for they're own gain. I'm not a believer myself mind you but I am fascinated and very interested in religious history and theology.<br /> Also it is rather bonkers that some Christians will become so enraged at saying Jesus was a Jew. We don't really have the same amount or fervour of Christians in Scotland but not doubt there are still a few here who would be offended at that factual remark<br /> Anyway it's an awesome song!
This song is obviously a condemnation of the Catholic church, and a hilariously brutal one at that. The interesting thing about it to me, though, is that it seems to convey a respect for Christianity before institutionalization; Roger Miller seems to almost be channeling the frustration of Christ.
For me this song seems inspired by Philip K Dick's novel VALIS, which contains long passages of the main character Horselover Fat's self-written gnostic-inspired philosophy after he either goes mad/overdoses/is visited by God/all three. A key phrase in the book is 'The Empire Never Ended', referenced in this song by 'The Roman empire never died'. Also present in the book is the theme of Christianity being twisted from its original liberatory meaning into a tool of oppression, and references to Dionysus.
To add, the song's title 'New Nails' poses this corruption of the original Christian message over time as yet more nails to the ones already used to mount Jesus to the cross in the Bible, an ironic twist on the saying 'another nail in the coffin.