Although Jewel uses religious terminology here I don't think this is necessarially a religious song. I think this song is about our own individual power to be a force for change. This is an anthem to freedom--freedom in the general esoteric sense not only freedom in a political or religeous sense. It asks us to take responsibility for changing the world--and thereby lead a life uncommon. Stand up for your beliefs and avoid followin along like sheep as is more common.
"there are plenty of people who pray for peace
but if praying were enough it would have come to be"
This is almost anti-religious or at least diesim. God won't bring peace to the world, its us who must stand up and make it so. The "unbelievers" are not simply heathens in the religious sense, but those who don't believe that change and goodness is possible.
"let your words enslave no one and the heavens will hush themselves
to hear our voices ring out clear"
If we use our POSITIVE energy of light, love and justice we will bring this change OURSELVES not from god (heavens will hush themselves) and OUR voices will ring out clear.
"and lend our voices only to sounds of freedom
no longer lend our strength to that which we wish to be free from
fill your lives with love and bravery"
When I hear this song I think of the struggles of the great forces for change--Martin Luther King, Ghandi, etc. She's saying don't succumb to the negativity and hate that is so easy. Its almost like buddist philosophy--improve the world through self improvement.
I think this is an AWESOME song. A truely uplifting anthem to each of us to take responsibility for our lives and the human condition. It is one of her best and classic Jewel--the kind of deep folksy and uplifting music that she made on her first 2-3 albums. I yearn for her to recreate that spirit in her new music. I have been pretty depressed at all of the detours she has taken musically. I respect her for the experimentation (I think its healthy to grow) but I think it led to a lot of dead ends.
Although Jewel uses religious terminology here I don't think this is necessarially a religious song. I think this song is about our own individual power to be a force for change. This is an anthem to freedom--freedom in the general esoteric sense not only freedom in a political or religeous sense. It asks us to take responsibility for changing the world--and thereby lead a life uncommon. Stand up for your beliefs and avoid followin along like sheep as is more common.
"there are plenty of people who pray for peace but if praying were enough it would have come to be"
This is almost anti-religious or at least diesim. God won't bring peace to the world, its us who must stand up and make it so. The "unbelievers" are not simply heathens in the religious sense, but those who don't believe that change and goodness is possible.
"let your words enslave no one and the heavens will hush themselves to hear our voices ring out clear"
If we use our POSITIVE energy of light, love and justice we will bring this change OURSELVES not from god (heavens will hush themselves) and OUR voices will ring out clear.
"and lend our voices only to sounds of freedom no longer lend our strength to that which we wish to be free from fill your lives with love and bravery"
When I hear this song I think of the struggles of the great forces for change--Martin Luther King, Ghandi, etc. She's saying don't succumb to the negativity and hate that is so easy. Its almost like buddist philosophy--improve the world through self improvement.
I think this is an AWESOME song. A truely uplifting anthem to each of us to take responsibility for our lives and the human condition. It is one of her best and classic Jewel--the kind of deep folksy and uplifting music that she made on her first 2-3 albums. I yearn for her to recreate that spirit in her new music. I have been pretty depressed at all of the detours she has taken musically. I respect her for the experimentation (I think its healthy to grow) but I think it led to a lot of dead ends.