Pray Your Gods

i read this biblical scholars explanation about this song. something about jesus right about the time before he died. it made sense. this song is one of the most romantic songs ever. the end chorus is so beautiful. well done toad. I'll miss you guys! namaste webb

I always found it to be an anti-christianity song. Asking for your blood being all the wars that are fought in God's name. Lest we forget Jesus wasn't exactly preaching a sunny future for the world.

The lyrics to this song seem pretty obvious to me. While I've never been able to tell if Toad was a Christian band (most label them as "folk rock") this song almost certainly is talking about Christianity.

First verse: relating to the sacrifice of Jesus-- don't understand all the details. First chorus: saying you can pray to (false) Gods or you can follow Jesus and believe in "love"

second verse: about the life of Jesus and how even though he performed miracles people still didn't believe him, leading to his eventual demise.
second chorus: same meaning as first chorus, different words

The whole song is kind of asking why people would practice painful and violent things when all they need to do is follow Jesus' word and love each other.

This song always makes me think of the fantasy/medieval novels that I read, specifically one in which an Irish warrior and his Scottish lover are waiting for Romans to come. I picture them laying together, savoring their last moments together before he has to march to war. I think of the gods it refers to as the Celtic gods, and the Roman gods; gods of War, and you know, all the rest. "I fear my time is short, there are armies moving close, be quick my love."

I'm sure I'm way off, but that's what this song always makes me think of!

Tha'ts an interesting interpretation WEBB...I never thought of it that way. This is a hard one for me when I really try to anylize every single raw lyric...but my first impression was a mournful star-crossed lovesong . I see the Gods as the distractions and the demons that come with living a life in the corrupt and wounded modern day world, and I see the armies as the "ranks of the freaks who suspect that they can never love anyone".

But the interesting thing is the ultimatum he gives her...which makes me lean toward your explanation. "OR lay upon my altar now your love".

Now that I finally read the lyircs after years of listening to this song, I realize the beauty of the lyrics. Sometimes i get so caught up with singing along with glen, and into the sound of his voice and the music, i forget the meaning behind the lyrics.

"is it they fear the pain of death or could it be they fear the joy of life"
This reminds me of all the people who cried out against Jesus. The people knew that they might be killed if they did not yell out for Barabas, yet they forfeited the joy of life when they betrayed jesus. Do we forfeit joy in life when we become judgemental, an act reserved for God, rather than man?

On one hand, I could see the protagonist as Jesus, telling people they can hold on to their cruel gods (or old testament eye for an eye type thinking) or they can embrace the new way, by relating to god through love and not fear. On the other hand, it almost feels like a plea for the listener to give up their religion, to follow what is in their heart and just love, as opposed to worrying about what's right or wrong or what the gods think

is it just me or does the acoustic intro sound almost exactly like the opening to Fade to Black by Metallica ?

The OT "eye for an eye" type gods WAS Jesus (at least according to Jesus). I don't know if TtWS is supposed to be a Christian band, but I see the lyrics as a juxtaposition between the God who lays Himself on the altar for His people, and the pagan gods who demand a sacrifice or payment in order to earn their love.

However, I could also see TtWS lumping the Christian God in with all the others and saying that only he, the singer, gives his love freely.

Dona Nobis Pacem is sung by Ellen Turner. I can't find any other opera music by her.