I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stop up my ears when you're singing 'em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you're praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There's blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don't fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There's blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let's argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let's argue this out
You'll be one of the clouds
Let's argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can't love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all, all
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show


Lyrics submitted by Loona3, edited by BKErrant

Instead Of A Show song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

10 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is based on Amos 5:21-24

    biblegateway.com/passage/;

    cirrusfiveon June 19, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is based on Amos 5:21-24

    biblegateway.com/passage/;

    cirrusfiveon June 19, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Check out Isaiah 1:11-17ish. It combines well with Amos

    SeeHadon July 07, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Lol Hansliz he's not talking abour performers as in musicians, or shows as in concerts. He's saying people who do things from selfish motives, who perform for the attention with no heart behind it.

    torchestogether408on November 24, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    He is a great songwriter...

    Great songwriters do not cast blame on others... they expose a problem or feeling through their eyes and emotions... they sing from the one place they can truly be seen... the one place they are truly invisible... their hearts.

    I believe Jon is singing about himself... a bittersweet depiction of how he feels...

    This is songwriting at its' best...

    Jon Foreman is a songwriter in the best way... truth

    dmedinaon April 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Beautiful song. Favourite on the EP hands down. Gives me chills. I think the meaning is fairly clear: cut out pale worshipping and instead let actions follow your beliefs.

    Loona3on May 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i like how he quotes scripture that was aimed at the Israelites and their worship habits and then turns it around and questions OUR worship habits. very challenging and convicting.

    dothedew08on June 23, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    jon is very contradicting in this song considering he himself is a performer. i'm not sure what to think because it is so hypocritical. he plays shows all the time so maybe he's referring to himself? just my view.

    hanslizon November 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song speaks very strongly to me because it sums up everything I have learned in the last year. This song is just amazing. This song is pretty self explanatory to me. It proclaims one of the greatest problems with the christian faith. This is that so many people go through the routine of going to church and singing the songs but that is where it stops. Christians need to stand up they need to act Godly in church and out of church. They must represent God. Most importantly Jesus must be the center of their actions.

    happygizmo11on January 04, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    christians can be hypocritical, this song is so true.

    rainaattackon April 02, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
When We Were Young
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.