Kiss Me, Son Of God

I really don't think this song is about religion. It seems to me to be more about a person in power either in a totalitarian or facist government, or possibly a corporation. The "son of god"reference is simply to show the ego and narcissism of the subject.

It's a critique of corporatism and greed. I just saw a TMBG show and John Flansburgh said he was a bit of communist, and that makes sense here. The speaker of this song dismisses the "exploited working class" which Communists are wont to dwell on. It's not about a religious figure per se, but it is a satire about society's religious-like devotion to successful corporations.

I think this song is about Communism. Or maybe the old Monarchies where the kings and queens claimed they were ordained by God. Anyways...

"built a little empire out of some crazy garbage Called the blood of the exploited working class" - The leader built the empire by using the working class at their disposal through war, labor, whatever.

"But they've overcome their shyness Now they're calling me Your Highness And a world screams, "Kiss me, Son of God"" - The people revere the leader as royalty or divinity.

"I destroyed a bond of friendship and respect Between the only people left who'd even look me in the eye Now I laugh and make a fortune Off the same ones that I tortured And a world screams, "Kiss me, Son of God"" - The leader becomes corrupt and cares only about their own comfortable lifestyle and their power. Everyone else in the government fears the leader. The leader now uses the poeple only for money and wealth.

"I look like Jesus, so they say But Mr. Jesus is very far away" - The leader uses "divine right" to rule but secretly admits it's not true. "Now you're the only one here who can tell me if it's true That you love me and I love me" - The vanity of the leader thinking everyone loves him and how he only loves himself.

Anyways this song is way cool!

While I'm all in favour of intelligent debates talking about the problem with mainstream religions, I think this song is more specifically about an individual with power, whether it be religious or political (JFK was revered as a "man of God", but was not a priest). This person is loving the power he has, and is building his empire (possibly profits) from the hard work of those beneath him.

By the way, the song was written years before GWB was in office. It was on the album Lincoln, which was released in 1989, which I think was shortly before Dubya's Daddy took office, so the song was likely written when Regan (RIP) was in charge.

i love this song! okgo does an awesome cover of it, also.

Awesome observation LucklessPedestrian. I feel exactly the same way. When I first heard this song I thought of Wal-Mart. It'd be cool to see some sort of parody/documentary style music vid of the creator of Wal-Mart.

This song is a perfect descriptor of Ronald Reagan.

Read "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad.... If you have read the book, you will realize that this song has no other explanation than a reflection from the point of view of the book's mysterious Mr. Kurtz.

I can't believe I didn't pick this up immediately, but it just clicked after a few days: I just realized the song this song had to have gotten it's melody (which sounded super familiar) from, is that one that goes "I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, and the only explanation I can find..." and the next bit works so well with the last part of this song's chorus...

It couldn't have been more appropriate.

It's a good description of the latent leanings within republics of pre-republican sentiment.

As such, the song rises, in my mind, to the level of prophesy. Not in the hokey, Jean-Dixonian, sense of the word, but in the sense that WE HAVE NOW OFFICIALLY BEEN WARNED.

But the warning has pretty much gone unheeded... And that's only natural, as Jesus pointed out: It's the greatest irony there is... that folks who "get" messages like this got those messages long ago. It's the very folks whom messages like this might aid who are constitutionally inured to them.

What do I mean? I would say that it's not going terribly far out on a limb to suggest you read this lyric while reflecting on the legacy of Trump. Every point hits home!