Shed a tear for the criminal, give him something to believe
Light a fire for the miserable, give the darkness some meaning
Closed wounds harbor pestilence, when you lick them from within
Charity has a redolence chastity cannot rescind

Spirit shine, it's a sign
Of a troubled mind (tortured mind)
Spirit shine all the time
Can render you blind

You can take it all to heart or throw it all away
You can give until you're dry and sucked of all your gleam
You can fake another cry and compromise your dream

Cling tight to the parable - let it dominate your life
Create a god who's infallible - give your leader some respite
Clouds wounds harbor pestilence - when you lick them from within
Rosy smiles lose their radience - when you take it on the chin


Lyrics submitted by gymclasshero

Spirit Shine Lyrics as written by Greg Graffin Brian Champtaloup Baker

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Spirit Shine song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    To me this song means something about how going through tough times or suffering great trials in life, in the end, makes you a better person. In a certain sense this song suggests that the ONLY way to have your "spirit shine" is to suffer first. However, I'm pretty sure the way BR meant it is as an attack on religion. I'm not sure where I stand on God, but I don't want ALL of their songs to be about religion, so I invented my own meaning for this (smile)

    gymclassheroon October 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Well from the viewpoint I see it. It seems that they mean that if you follow who gives you a reason, they will end up making you blind to you're original cause.

    ihoodzon May 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'm late to reply, but it should be said it's a wonder not ALL their songs are about religion, given that band's name :P

    Dan Da Manon February 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its about people who concede

    pinkfadeon May 04, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think that "spirit shine" is Greg's term for people that always seem to be motivated by their religious beliefs. Like someone who is "on fire" for Jesus; everything they do is dictated by their beliefs.

    some qualities of someone who has the "spirit shine":

    1. will turn the other cheek
    2. will give away any excess money
    3. lives unselfishly (I think that in Graffin's view, some selfishness is a good thing)
    4. Lives by faith.

    I think what BR was trying to say is that this behavior suggests an underlying problem. (tortured mind) and that ultimately it's effect is bad (render you blind)

    Convergenceon December 07, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with convergence's interpretation, but I don't think the song is exclusively talking about religious people, but people who almost compulsively take the moral high-ground or are carebears (ie, go to candle-light vigils for dead prisoners they never met, join peace corps, complain about what an injustice it is that the live=action Akira film isn't casting jap actors, etc.) People who want everything to be 'right' or 'fair' or safe, but can't stomach reality, and only get depressed and give up when they have to deal with harsh situations first-hand.

    Holzwegeon September 23, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    Here's my interpretation:

    -- You, one with the "spirit shine", are nice to everyone regardless: you don't raise your voice neither for downtrodden nor tyrant, consealing your true feelings. But as you suppress your true feelings (true feelings), and try hard to be virtuous, ever-forgiving; you wound yourself mentally (closed wounds) and only becoming obsessed in chastity, so in lifes of other people.

    in sum, i think it's all about suppressed emotions and their destructiveness on human mind. And of course, religious people who try hard to look always 'kind' and virtuous, have much more suppressed emotions than anyone, so they're not that sane at all.

    Hope you like it:)

    zamsalakon May 28, 2015   Link

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