Holy Water

General Commenthey guys, this is from "New Metal Crown" a biography about soundgarden. Chris talked about how this song is so often construed as anti-religion or anti-anything in particular, quite the contrary. ironically enough the song is about pressing any belief on any person in particular too fiercely, "'Holy Water' is just more of a poetic way of saying i don't appreciate having anybody's ideas thrust upon me like their baggage... [it] is going to be taken, literally as religion. But it isn't; it's anything. Vegetarianism or political ideas, or any kind of idea. new age-ism, anything. I think when people offer you these things, especially if they offer it to you aggressively, then they're assuming that you're confused and unhappy. But to me, that's insulting. And that's what the song is based on. ism-ism"

perfect. thought i was all alone for thinking that no matter your stance, it's always rude to treat the other person as ignorant or unhappy just because they don't necessarily "believe" your side of the argument. thanks Chris

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General CommentYeah, I really love Cornell's sarcastic attitude towards all religion.
He was brought up with strictly religious parents and schooling, and in his music, he seems to be rebelling from this. That is a recurring theme in his music.

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General CommentOkay, this is an opinion from someone who has been baptized a Catholic, gotten his first communion and has been confirmed and is still angry at religion at the same time. The bible is full of stupid things if you read it all the way through. Honestly, I won't ever kill anyone and sure, metallic spiders crawl down my spine whenever I lie but I don't give up anything for lent and I eat meat every fucking Friday of the year. You can believe in God and be indignant towards religion. God is your conscience and it knows when its done something wrong and religion is what says that you're not supposed to have sex unless you undergo some ceremony that you have to pay a priest or the state for. I think that what's rusting Chris is all of the inconsistencies, not the concept itself.

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General CommentYeah i agree, the song is about religion and how much he grew tired of it and of the attempts of the preachers to try to brain wash him and make him believe in something he doesn't want to:
"As you're raped by another monkey circus freak
It's the big lies that are more likely to be believed "

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General CommentWow, nice analysis. Yeah, I think it's about religion now. I love this song. It has a funky vibe to it. One of the gems on an album full of gems, the perfect Badmotorfinger.

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General CommentOnly 4 comments? The riff is sick. As for the meaning, it's gotta be about religion confusing him and stopping him from living his life. Best song on Badmotorfinger imo.

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General Commentseems to be that the church teachings a growing old and stopping him from living his life

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General CommentNo need to be an ass SupahDoof. I interpret this song as an address of distaste for religous brainwash and the principles that keep us from living our lives.

"damn the water if it's life you want to drink"

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General CommentSupah Dude, stop being ignorant. Not one person said chris did not believe in god, and even if they did learn to live with it. Believing in god has nothing to do with christianity or any other religion, get over yourself.

Back on topic, I think this song is to do with his hate of how organized relgions tend to brainwash and mentally imprison their followers, and how he wants to be free of it to live his own life.

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General Commenti agree. the badmoterfinger album is a masterpeice that should be regarded up there with the likes of sabbath and zeplin.

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