The intro to the song (found at the end of the preceding track) uses clips from southern religious radio stations to indicate to the listener that this song is supposed to represent Christian rock music in the concept album that is Songs for the Deaf. Accordingly, "God is in the Radio" is a sort of secular hymn- but a very dark one.
It was very popular in the '60s and '70s for fundamentalists to claim that "the devil is in the radio" (or something along those lines). They would also falsely accuse musicians of hiding backmasked messages in their music. This song reverses that, saying that God is in the radio, not the devil, and it has a legitimate backmasked message in it during the bridge.
"The devil is paranoid" - the people who think rock has a satanic message are paranoid. Again, it's reversed- /they/'re the devil in this song. The music is 'God.'
"A trance is keeping him under... just repeating the slogan." The true message of God/Music is suppressed and censored by various people who have something to gain from misleading people. This can refer to both televangelists and greedy record labels, for whom Money is God. Look at a pop star like, say, Kesha, who claims to speak for the outcasts and weirdos but was obviously just manufactured by her label... it's that sort of thing this line is talking about, I think. She has power over thousands of people, but uses it to keep repeating the meaningless slogan.
"Come back another day and do no wrong." This basically means, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Another Biblical reference.
"I know you hear it, I hear it too, it's everywhere that I go." Once you realize just how much power the general media have over us- and how they could easily just feed us lies if they wanted to- you can't stop noticing it everywhere. It's like how, when you first here a song on the radio that's been autotuned very subtlely and identify it as autotuned, you start hearing it in other songs that have tried to hide it. Once you've started you can't stop.
This song has layers.
The intro to the song (found at the end of the preceding track) uses clips from southern religious radio stations to indicate to the listener that this song is supposed to represent Christian rock music in the concept album that is Songs for the Deaf. Accordingly, "God is in the Radio" is a sort of secular hymn- but a very dark one.
It was very popular in the '60s and '70s for fundamentalists to claim that "the devil is in the radio" (or something along those lines). They would also falsely accuse musicians of hiding backmasked messages in their music. This song reverses that, saying that God is in the radio, not the devil, and it has a legitimate backmasked message in it during the bridge.
"The devil is paranoid" - the people who think rock has a satanic message are paranoid. Again, it's reversed- /they/'re the devil in this song. The music is 'God.'
"A trance is keeping him under... just repeating the slogan." The true message of God/Music is suppressed and censored by various people who have something to gain from misleading people. This can refer to both televangelists and greedy record labels, for whom Money is God. Look at a pop star like, say, Kesha, who claims to speak for the outcasts and weirdos but was obviously just manufactured by her label... it's that sort of thing this line is talking about, I think. She has power over thousands of people, but uses it to keep repeating the meaningless slogan.
"Come back another day and do no wrong." This basically means, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Another Biblical reference.
"I know you hear it, I hear it too, it's everywhere that I go." Once you realize just how much power the general media have over us- and how they could easily just feed us lies if they wanted to- you can't stop noticing it everywhere. It's like how, when you first here a song on the radio that's been autotuned very subtlely and identify it as autotuned, you start hearing it in other songs that have tried to hide it. Once you've started you can't stop.
This also can be interpreted as your individual self talking to your spiritual self.
This also can be interpreted as your individual self talking to your spiritual self.
Maybe Josh Homme worships the devil.
Maybe Josh Homme worships the devil.
At one point in the album the radio says "God told me so to my face...though cannot be saved."
At one point in the album the radio says "God told me so to my face...though cannot be saved."
What's he trying to say?
What's he trying to say?
correction: THOU
correction: THOU
@Crane42 I feel the video and radio are metaphors for your conscience(radio, voice in ur head) and our manipulated reality(video, in ur face).
@Crane42 I feel the video and radio are metaphors for your conscience(radio, voice in ur head) and our manipulated reality(video, in ur face).
@Crane42 #6 is something I don\'t see enough!!! You are 100% correct.
@Crane42 #6 is something I don\'t see enough!!! You are 100% correct.