My lover's got humour
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshipped her sooner
If the Heavens ever did speak
She is the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
'We were born sick,' you heard them say it
My church offers no absolutes
She tells me 'worship in the bedroom'
The only heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you
I was born sick, but I love it
Command me to be well
Amen. Amen. Amen

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so 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
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life

If I'm a pagan of the good times
My lover's the sunlight
To keep the Goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
To drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
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

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so 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
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life

No masters or kings when the ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am human
Only then I am clean
Amen. Amen. Amen

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so 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
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good Gosh, let me give you my life


Take Me to Church song meanings
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  • +1
    Song Meaning

    Excited utterance: We've pieced together an interpretation of most of the second verse!

    Melissa pointed out that the sacrifice demanded is to come out of the closet. What a powerful way Hozier has done that with this song and video! With incredible depth and contextual insight in these verses.

    Prodrastin8 recognized that the 'high horse' is the RCC's overinflated moral superiority, and 'what you got in the stable?' asks about all the very ugly skeletons the RCC is hiding in ITS closet.

    My light bulb moment: Hozier is suggesting the RCC's high horse is what should really be sacrificed! ('Something meaty for the main course.') i.e. it's the RCC that needs to change and repent with a huge sacrifice, not individual LGBT folks. I love the subtle yet compelling subversiveness. Think of all the 'starving faithful' such a huge sacrifice could feed.

    david11516on September 07, 2014   Link

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