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P2 Vatican Blues (Last Saturday Night) Lyrics
Gazed at the ceiling from below
A splendid Michelangelo
Filled my heart with delight
Last Saturday night
Arrived believing from home
Climbed every step inside St. Peter's Dome
Claustrophobic and ex-Catholic
Last Saturday night
Now how come nobody really noticed
Puff of white smoke knocked me out
The truth is hiding, lurking, banking
Things they do at night
It's quite suspicious to say the least
Even mentioned it to my local priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday Night
I wish somebody would tell me
That it's only a show
I'll confess, own up, let's face it
In my concrete tuxedo
It's quite suspicious to say the least
While mentioning it to my priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night
One Our Father three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night
One Our Father three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night
A splendid Michelangelo
Filled my heart with delight
Last Saturday night
Climbed every step inside St. Peter's Dome
Claustrophobic and ex-Catholic
Last Saturday night
Puff of white smoke knocked me out
The truth is hiding, lurking, banking
Things they do at night
Even mentioned it to my local priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday Night
That it's only a show
I'll confess, own up, let's face it
In my concrete tuxedo
While mentioning it to my priest
One Our Father, three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night
Each Saturday night
One Our Father three Hail Marys
Each Saturday night
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What an excellent stab at the Catholic church. I really dig this bluesy tune.
George should have been more clear about his issues with the Church he left, if he's going to mention it at all. Instead, he gives vague hints and leaves it up to the listener to fill-in the blanks: "arrived believing" (really?), "claustrophobic" (why?), "ex-Catholic" (again, why?), "it's just a show" (does he really think Catholics don't believe in their own religion?), "it's quite suspicious to say the least" (please elaborate George!)...Oh, well, love you anyway George. One mantra, three hare Krishna's, each Saturday night!
George should have been more clear about his issues with the Church he left, if he's going to mention it at all. Instead, he gives vague hints and leaves it up to the listener to fill-in the blanks: "arrived believing" (really?), "claustrophobic" (why?), "ex-Catholic" (again, why?), "it's just a show" (does he really think Catholics don't believe in their own religion?), "it's quite suspicious to say the least" (please elaborate George!)...Oh, well, love you anyway George. One mantra, three hare Krishna's, each Saturday night!
George grew up in a Catholic home. His primary memories of the Catholic Church involve the trading of forgiveness for donations. In a background spoken part, George references "put 5 bob in the box, you'll be alright." There is also repeated mention of "One Our Father, Three Hail Mary's" which is an allusion to the Catholic practice of penance for the forgiveness of sins. A Saturday night of sinning, atoned by the assigned penance... a practice repeated week after week.
The greater context of the song, however, is the murder of Roberto Calvi and corruption and scandal at the Vatican Bank. In and earlier spoken part, he mentions the name of Paul Marcinkus (president of Vatican Bank) who was at the center of the scandal. The song is a commentary on corruption in Catholic doctrine as well as in its financial dealings.