5 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Litmus Lyrics
Disturbed by the words
And the message that they sent.
There's a hundred other uses
For breath better spent.
Forming the template,
For how the band should be,
Devising and scheming
Someone else's ministry.
What were the words?
Did he say Jesus Christ?
Again and again
Until his name became trite?
What is the extent of all your tests?
What is the measure of their success?
Not acid or base to test in a beaker,
Hold your divining rod up to the speaker.
Litmus test a piece of paper.
You'll never formulate your maker.
With pocketfuls
Of quips and gurgles,
Words that fluff
Like a handful of gerbils.
I heard your yelling
Above the crowd,
Standing in the back
With the arrogant and proud.
You say preach,
They say rock.
You put my God inside a box.
What is the extent of all your tests?
What is the measure of their success?
Not acid or base to test in a beaker,
Hold your divining rod up to the speaker.
Litmus test a piece of paper.
You'll never formulate your maker.
The time has come,
The night to end,
So speak your piece
To your circle of friends.
They ripped you off,
They entertained,
[They did not try to ease your pain.]
You thought you knew
Where God belonged,
But songs were sung
And the band played on.
Litmus test a piece of paper.
You'll never formulate your maker.
And the message that they sent.
There's a hundred other uses
For breath better spent.
Forming the template,
For how the band should be,
Devising and scheming
Someone else's ministry.
What were the words?
Did he say Jesus Christ?
Again and again
Until his name became trite?
What is the measure of their success?
Hold your divining rod up to the speaker.
Litmus test a piece of paper.
You'll never formulate your maker.
Of quips and gurgles,
Words that fluff
Like a handful of gerbils.
I heard your yelling
Above the crowd,
Standing in the back
With the arrogant and proud.
You say preach,
They say rock.
You put my God inside a box.
What is the measure of their success?
Hold your divining rod up to the speaker.
Litmus test a piece of paper.
You'll never formulate your maker.
The night to end,
So speak your piece
To your circle of friends.
They ripped you off,
They entertained,
[They did not try to ease your pain.]
You thought you knew
Where God belonged,
But songs were sung
And the band played on.
You'll never formulate your maker.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
this is about how people test Christian bands to see if their ministry is true. Almost using a scientific method to descern if a band is really christian or not. Christian bands can be Christian and still have fun, traditional people don't tent to accept that.
This is probably my favorite song on this album next to Banner Year. The horn breaks before the last verse are incredible.
"They ripped you off, they entertained, [They did not try to ease your pain.]" I definitly agree with J35U5_ownz_M3. It seems to talk about how people may respect them as a really good ska band but not as a Christian band, which is stupid.
Oh, I always thought it was how people were trying to take God out of their band and discerage them from useing His name in their music.
'You say preach, they say rock. You put my God inside a box.'
I like this line a lot. People need to wake up and realize that even if it's not gospel or worship music, it's still a Christian message.
"Hold your diving rod up to the speaker." should be: "Hold your divining rod up to the speaker."
Anyway, yeah I agree that this is about people who judge bands and decide that you're not Christian enough if your music isn't blatantly Christian, even if it has underlying Christian themes or ideas ("You say preach, they say rock"... why not have some of each, or even a mix of the two?).
I also like the line: "You'll never formulate your maker." People think there's a specific formula to how God wants us to worship him and they reject any other type of worship. However, people don't all worship the same way.