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Which Way Are You Goin'? Lyrics
Which way are you going, which side will you be on
Will you stand and watch while, all the seeds of Cane are sown
Will you stand with those who say, that HIS will be done
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
Which way are you looking, is it hard to see
Do you say what's wrong for him, is not wrong for me
You walk the streets of righteousness but you refuse to understand
You say you love the baby
Then you crucify the man
You say you love the baby
Then you crucify the man
Everyday, things are changing,
words once honored turned to lies
People wondering, can you blame them
Its too far to run, and too late to hide
Now you turn your back on, all the things that you used to preach
Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me
Well your line has changed, confusion reigns, what have you become
Your olive branches turned to spears
when your flowers turned to guns
Your olive branches turned to spears
when your flowers turned to guns
and for guitarplayers the chords :-)
D F#m G D
Which way are you going, which side will you be on
D F#m G D
Will you stand and watch while all the seeds of Cain are sown
Bm G D Bm A
Will you stand with those who say that HIS will be done
D F#m G D
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
D F#m G D
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
D F#m G D
Which way are you looking, is it hard to see
D F#m G D
Do you say what's wrong for him, is not wrong for me
Bm G D Bm A
You walk the streets, righteousness but you re-fuse to under-stand
D F#m G D
You say you love the baby, then you crucify the man
D F#m G D
You say you love the baby, then you crucify the man
Bm
Everyday, things are changing,
F#m G A D
words once honored turned to lies
Bm D
People wondering, can you blame them
Bm D E7 G/A A
Its too far to run, and too late to hide
D F#m G D
Now you turn your back on, all the things that you used to preach
D F#m G D
Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me
Bm G D Bm A
Your line has changed, confusion reigns, what have you become
D F#m G D
your olive branches turned to spears when your flowers turned to guns
D F#m G D
your olive branches turned to spears when your flowers turned to guns
Will you stand and watch while, all the seeds of Cane are sown
Will you stand with those who say, that HIS will be done
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
Do you say what's wrong for him, is not wrong for me
You walk the streets of righteousness but you refuse to understand
You say you love the baby
Then you crucify the man
You say you love the baby
Then you crucify the man
words once honored turned to lies
People wondering, can you blame them
Its too far to run, and too late to hide
Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me
Well your line has changed, confusion reigns, what have you become
Your olive branches turned to spears
when your flowers turned to guns
Your olive branches turned to spears
when your flowers turned to guns
Which way are you going, which side will you be on
D F#m G D
Will you stand and watch while all the seeds of Cain are sown
Bm G D Bm A
Will you stand with those who say that HIS will be done
D F#m G D
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
D F#m G D
One hand on the bible, one hand on the gun
Which way are you looking, is it hard to see
D F#m G D
Do you say what's wrong for him, is not wrong for me
Bm G D Bm A
You walk the streets, righteousness but you re-fuse to under-stand
D F#m G D
You say you love the baby, then you crucify the man
D F#m G D
You say you love the baby, then you crucify the man
Everyday, things are changing,
F#m G A D
words once honored turned to lies
Bm D
People wondering, can you blame them
Bm D E7 G/A A
Its too far to run, and too late to hide
Now you turn your back on, all the things that you used to preach
D F#m G D
Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me
Bm G D Bm A
Your line has changed, confusion reigns, what have you become
D F#m G D
your olive branches turned to spears when your flowers turned to guns
D F#m G D
your olive branches turned to spears when your flowers turned to guns
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I think that this song is about conflicting moral beliefs and actions that people often comit behind the veil of religion. It's such a beautiful, poignant song!
The song is about the arrogance, apathy, hypocrisy, and fundamentalism of religious ideology.
(Apathy) "Will you stand and watch while all the seeds of hate are sown? Will you stand with those who say 'let his will be done'?"
(Hypocrisy) "Do you say what's wrong for him, is not wrong for me?"
(Arrogance) "You walk the streets, righteousness but you refuse to understand"
(Hypocrisy, Anti-Abortion but Pro-Death Penalty) "You say you love the baby"
(Fundamentalism) "Now its let him live in freedom, if he lives like me"
I found these lyrics to be an inspiring source of reflection on the day after the Nazi day of terror in Charlottesville Virginia.
As a Methodist, I first want to say that this song hits me, and makes me reflect upon my actions. To me, it seems to be the story of either someone who is being religious and hypocritical, or has abandoned the genuine Christian Faith. Perhaps reflecting on some more fundamentalist groups in the South, it shows how many "Christians" failed to be, well, Christian. How they were proclaiming violence while (one hand on the gun) while holding to a book that preached love (the Bible). In a practical application of this song, perhaps some sects of the American Church could listen on this song, and ask themselves "How does the world see me? How should they see me? What do I need to do to change that?" I don't think Jim Croce was anti-religious, but simply anti-hypocrisy, which I can happily and proudly stand by.
I come back to this song time and time again. To me it asks us a question: “Will we be guided by love?” “Will we love as Jesus loved, and give to others?” Or is our faith one of fear and hate?
Just as appropriate for Herod who sent gifts to baby Jesus, but sought to kill him. Just as appropriate for those who proclaimed him King then shouted “crucify”. Just as appropriate for us when we say we are a Christian nation, then persecute the down trodden.
Which way are we going??