This refrain appears three times in the song, from three different perspectives. Initially from the p.o.v. of a despondent person lost in despair, telling someone, "You say your god died for me and that'll be enough to get through all this? You must be kidding, it's hopeless." Then in the middle of the song the same person has moved further through their pain, and is re-examing the claim that "jesus really tried" for him, and he admits, things aren't as bad as they were, there may be some hope yet. Then finally at the end he has completely worked through the darkness of the past, and now he asks others still fighting but not believing they can win, "You say jesus didn't die for you (you say there is no hope?) What are you on? (there absolutely is hope!)"
That Robbie uses the idea of jesus as a metaphor means his final message isn't that everyone should sign up to their local church - though they could if they wanted to - it's that they can deal with their pasts, just like he did, and come out the other side ready for a new life, just as jesus "rose from the dead".
RE: "Jesus didn't die for you. What are you on?"
This refrain appears three times in the song, from three different perspectives. Initially from the p.o.v. of a despondent person lost in despair, telling someone, "You say your god died for me and that'll be enough to get through all this? You must be kidding, it's hopeless." Then in the middle of the song the same person has moved further through their pain, and is re-examing the claim that "jesus really tried" for him, and he admits, things aren't as bad as they were, there may be some hope yet. Then finally at the end he has completely worked through the darkness of the past, and now he asks others still fighting but not believing they can win, "You say jesus didn't die for you (you say there is no hope?) What are you on? (there absolutely is hope!)" That Robbie uses the idea of jesus as a metaphor means his final message isn't that everyone should sign up to their local church - though they could if they wanted to - it's that they can deal with their pasts, just like he did, and come out the other side ready for a new life, just as jesus "rose from the dead".