"St. Augustine" as written by and Rob Derhak Chuck Garvey....
God is light
Light is good
God is good
There's a bag lady siften through trash in my neighborhood
Asked for a light, ya know I understood
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
Have you heard about the infant born with a handgun
Shot his twin brother coming out now he's an only son
He's a good boy, wait and see
We'll rehabilitate him one-two-three
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
They'll hear you playing your guitar
Hey Saint Augustine
There's a flaw you see
You've reasoned quite
Illogically
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
They'll hear you playing your guitar
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
Light is good
God is good
There's a bag lady siften through trash in my neighborhood
Asked for a light, ya know I understood
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
Have you heard about the infant born with a handgun
Shot his twin brother coming out now he's an only son
He's a good boy, wait and see
We'll rehabilitate him one-two-three
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
They'll hear you playing your guitar
Hey Saint Augustine
There's a flaw you see
You've reasoned quite
Illogically
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
They'll hear you playing your guitar
God is light
Light is good
God is good
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
Where you gonna run when they come for you?
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mollyc
mollyc
Perhaps Rob is questioning the good attributes of light. By bringing light to the bag lady, he is allowing us to see the ugly state she is. Perhaps the bag lady is asking for god when she asks for a light.
I'm not too knowledgeable of St. Augustine's works, but I think he held strong beliefs in the new life that arises upon converting to Christianity. This relates to verse about the infant born with a handgun.
I'm not sure exactly how critical of St. Augustine's doctrine Rob actually is in this song. Enjoy it.
Mathematically, if a=b and b=c then a=c.
At first glance, the lyrics of this song would suggest that either God isn't light or that light isn't good, and therefore God isn't good.
But both are relative because "good" is a relative term. Light is good for sunflowers but bad for cave-dwelling salamanders. To argue whether or not God is light is much more abstract, but it remains relative. Thus, one cannot conclude that either statement is positively false.
The first two verses describe evil: poverty and murder. They also present glib solutions (smoking and rehabilitation.) I agree with the previous poster that on a deeper level, the bag-lady asking for a light could be a double-entre, her asking for God.
"Where are you gonna run when they come for you?" is a rather ominous and perplexing refrain. Since Saint Augustine was not a martyr, I believe this is more of a first-person type of question. The first-person perspective is reinforced by the musician himself singing, "They'll hear you playing your guitar."
But who are they, and why are they coming for you?
I see this coming back to logic. The possibilities remaining are that God is good for other reasons (i.e., not because light is good), God is not good, or that God doesn't exist. I don't read anything in the lyrics that suggest that God is good for other reasons.
So, to me, basically this song is saying that you're screwed because God is either not good or doesn't exist.
If you don't pay attention to the lyrics, it's an otherwise upbeat and catchy tune.
God is light.
Light is good.
Therefore, God is good.
but its about making irrational connections with irrational ideas.
clearly the woman is asking for a light. not for god. shes hungry for food, money etc. god is the last thing on her mind. the point is, do not make a connection between someone digging through the trash looking for food and someone looking for god. there isnt one. so stoppit.
the dead giveaway....
"Hey Saint Augustine
There's a flaw you see
You've reasoned quite
Illogically"
illogical ideas. illogical connections.
some other food for thought. st augustine the man was a theologian who created the framework for just war. he stated that a war could be just if 1) it is ordered by a prince with the proper authority, 2) there is just cause and 3) the intention is right (for good or against evil). i am reminded of this notion of just war when i hear the following lyrics:
Hey Saint Augustine
There's a flaw you see
You've reasoned quite
Illogically
st augustine is also known for his contributions on the idea of original sin. basically that we are all guilty, we all suffer and we all feel a tendency towards sinning. one purpose of this theory is to justify the need to baptize babies soon after birth. hence the moe bit about the baby murdering his brother while "coming out". and this could also be tied to the previous lyric about illogical reasoning.
...a little bit about st augustine...