22 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A

Hymn 43 Lyrics

Our father high in heaven, smile down upon your son
Who's busy with his money games, his women and his guns
Oh Jesus save me

And the unsung Western hero, killed an Indian or three,
And then he made his name in Hollywood
To set the white man free
Oh Jesus save me

If Jesus saves, well He'd better save Himself
From the gory glory seekers who use His name in death
Oh Jesus save me

If Jesus saves, well He'd better save Himself
From the gory glory seekers who use His name in death
Oh Jesus save me

Well, I saw Him in the city and on the mountains of the moon
His cross was rather bloody
He could hardly roll His stone
Oh Jesus save me
22 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Add your thoughts...
Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

The song is not a prayer. It is an attack against certain religeons(Namely, Christianity) who use their religeon as an excuse to do bad things.

Line 1:"Oh father high in heaven -- smile down upon your son whose busy with his money games -- his women and his gun." People ask god to help them with things like business, relationships, and war. People shouldn't be asking god for these things. They should be asking him to help them live an honest, spiritual life.

Line 2:" And the unsung Western hero killed an Indian or three and made his name in Hollywood to set the white man free. Oh Jesus save me!" Manifest destiny. We said that it was our god given right to own the entire continent. Do you really think god wanted us to kill natives just so we could set up casinos and bars and movie studios. White christians make themselves feel superior because of their race and religeon.

Line 3:"If Jesus saves -- well, He'd better save Himself from the gory glory seekers who use His name in death. Oh Jesus save me!" Ian Doesn't believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but if he was, the only person who needs saving is himself. He needs to be saved from all the people who use His name to do horrible things. After all, Jesus didm't want us to kill each other and gamble and fuck. Those were the things he was against.

Line 4:"I saw him in the city and on the mountains of the moon -- His cross was rather bloody -- He could hardly roll His stone. Oh Jesus save me! "

This line depicts Jesus as a man who is worn out from all the horrible things that people have done and blamed Him for.

The song IS a prayer.
Like the comment Gandhi made: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
The prayer is to that God the Christians profess to worship to protect us from the followers of "Christianity."

@WYWH That was a really good analogy of this song. I tend to agree with almost everything you wrote. And to anyone (yes you @idriveaprius) who has an issue with a word you misspelled....well...I don\'t suppose any of us are perfect, are we?\r\nEveryone has a spelling error here and there. Thank you for taking the time to address the three sections of the song. Seems like he writes songs in sections, many times, such as Aqualung, which also has three sections.\r\n

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

i love this song! great combination of the guitar and flute

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

The song is a prayer

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

Is this the song that is really long and has a really beautiful melody?

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

Oh, um...just kidding, but I still love this song

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

Nice line-by-line, WYWH.

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

Be sure to see the difference between the religion, and the people doing evil in it's name.

Huh? What difference? Religion is the people doing evil in it's name.

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

WYWH has got it right line for line. Great song.

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

love this song...totally badass

Cover art for Hymn 43 lyrics by Jethro Tull

although i agree with your interpretation WYWH, i hope you arent saying that all of christianity is to blame for those ill-informed people who used it for things such as material gains, manifest destiny, and terrorism.

 
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

Ask a question...