Do any of you ever really like a song, only to realize at some later time that the lyrics are disagreeable to you? Not just stupid lyrics, but lyrics that actually go against your beliefs. And if so, how does it affect your liking of the song or band?

IMO, you've got problems if it does.

Why does someone have problems if it does?
I used to listen to music and not care what the band/singer had to say because I would just think as long as I don't agree with them I don't care. Now I don't want to hear a band/singer singing about racism or bashing my religious beliefs. They have their right to sing about what they want and I have my right not to listen to them.

Got a specific example? I can't tell what the hell these moderns bands are singing about nowadays...they're pretty unintelligable.

nope.

One of my favorite songs happens to be SLAYER'S "GOD HATES US ALL".

I know God doesn't hate us all and that the guys in Slayer are on crack.

But the rock!

Yeah, it does a little, but I'm used to it. I've pretty much decided that over 50% of the people I know and the bands I listen to are going to bash Christianity. I know that I never will, so I'm not going to let it make me not like the bands.

I have an example of songs lyrics that I'm offended by but the song is incredible.

Judith ---- A Perfect Circle

You're such an inspiration for the ways
That I'll never ever choose to be
Oh so many ways for me to show you
How the savior has abandoned you
Fu%k your God
Your Lord and your Christ
He did this
Took all you had and
Left you this way
Still you pray, you never stray
Never taste of the fruit
You never thought to question why

It's not like you killed someone
It's not like you drove a hateful spear into his side
Praise the one who left you
Broken down and paralyzed
He did it all for you
He did it all for you

Oh so many many ways for me to show you
How your dogma has abandoned you
Pray to your Christ, to your god
Never taste of the fruit
Never stray, never break
Never---choke on a lie
Even though he's the one who did this to you
You never thought to question why

Not like you killed someone
It's Not like you drove a spiteful spear into his side
Talk to Jesus Christ
As if he knows the reasons why
He did it all for you
Did it all for you
He did it all for you..


Just reading this makes my skin crawl but song and the entire album is great.

No. I'm secure enough in my beliefs, principles, and convictions that I don't mind having them challenged.

Being an Atheist, it doesn't bother me at all when bands bash religion. I can certainly relate to a lot of the things in "Judith."

If "beliefs" you mean like organized religion then no, because I don't belong to one. But I know a lot of religious people who after listening to a song once, even admitting they like it, wouldn't listen to it again because it was "against their religion." Then again, there are lots of people who can look past it, or are just hypocrites (IE RAPPERS.)

Judith isn't really about jesus anyway, it's about a woman once in maynards life who tried to change him based on her belief system, most likely though a religious zelot. It is a damned good song though hehe.

In the end, I don't even listen to music that has lyrical content based on any type of standardized (ie organized religion) belief system.

I won't listen to music that outright bashes my religion or my God -- though I'll listen to some bands that have written songs that do, I won't listen to THAT song. I'm sorry, but I can't enjoy a song that blaspheme's my God or bashes my beliefs.

I also don't like songs that I just completely disagree with (i.e. songs about veganism, etc.) -- but I can usually just laugh at them and move on.

Though, generally I won't listen to any song that promotes an activity I disagree with -- like sleepin' wit da ho's.

With me I wouldn't say it's having my beliefs challenged. Believe me, as a graduate student in English I've had my beliefs challenged more than imaginable and stood strong nonetheless. I was talking about just comments here and there. Not intellectual bashings. Lots of little things, you know?

For instance, Ryan Adams says in "Faithless Street" (one of my favorite songs, by the way, and he is my second favorite singer/songwriter):

"Been livin' on Faithless Street
all by myself
Work your whole life for someone else.
Tryin' to find sanction
from Christ above man,
but he never shed his peace on this land..."

Another being a small line from his "Nobody Girl":

"You could follow your God
but how much would it cost..."

Lots of bands I like and respect as musicians say small things that bother me, but I take it as their opinion and try not to let it color my feelings about their music or my beliefs.

IMO, you've got problems if it doesn't


I gage everything that I take in, evaluate it and decide whether it is valid or not. - or at least I try to. If I have a song that is about something that I disagree with, I can't really enjoy it - even if I like the music. I don't understand the people who say that they like something, and then behave in a manor that is antagonistic to that - it seems hypocritical. Liking Tool or A Perfect Circle or RATM or SOAD or alot of other bands (like I do) and professing to be a member of an organized religion (which I don't) seems to be oxy moronic.

I've been an English major for quite awhile, and it doesn't make sense to me how so many people in my classes have been able to sit there and read some of the things that we were reading and not apply it to their own lives...I'm not saying that education mandates atheism, but it should mandate questioning...if it doesn't then your wasting your money.

The same goes with music, unless you only listen to it for background or something, music should mean something, I think - and if it means something that I'm against then I don't listen to it. I really can't imagine doing anything else.

Sure the literature probes questioning, zippy, but why should it make you give up things you feel firmly in your heart? You can completely understand something a person is saying without agreeing with them. I think Byron was a wonderful writer, but that doesn't mean that I agree with the things he wrote. There are plenty of other examples.

no, I don't mean that reading things mandates that you change the way your opinion, but what you read - assuming that it is a valid, realistic line of thought that doesn't have a lot of problems or fallacies involved - should make you realize that there are other perspectives out there than your own, and I think that that should make you question your perspective - see which one is better - (maybe I should say "better") - and adopt that one, or at least modify your own. I don't know if this is making sense, I haven't had my morning pot of coffee yet - maybe I'll try again later.

At any rate, I feel that an educated person should question EVERYTHING; they should never except what they are given without looking at it for what it is and what it represents. That doesn't mean that you have to be an Atheist - but it does mean that you can't just go to church and accept what is being handed to you from the pulpit...you have to question things, and if they sound like B.S., call them on it. I'm not trying to be offensive to the religious, so forgive me if I am. ...and why is this going in the music section....oh, yeah

For me the music has always come first, (on an entertainment level) regardless of the lyrical content. Of course there is going to be things said that I may not agree with , that's the beauty of it. I may not agree with an individual for (my interpretation) of their views, but I will still respect them as an artist and/or musician. It would be difficult for me to literally agree with a lot of SLAYER's lyrics, (murder etc...) but I wouldn't have them any other way, that's what makes them great at what they do. Without knowing their actual literal meaning behind the words, if there are any, getting bent out of shape about it seems pretty pointless.

I don't mind a song that would clash with my beliefs, unless it is forcing it's beliefs on me. I could listen to anything except for those stupid hate bands.

Usually it doesn't, but occasionally it does. Steel Pulse has a song from the "Earth Crisis" album that is very anti-abortion rights. Being pro-choice (although not pro-abortion, there is a distinction), I find the song uncomfortable, and it's hard for me to get past the message.

But usually I don't really pay attention to lyrics (i.e. try to figure out what they mean), so it's not a problem for me...

I wouldn't say it makes me uncomfortable, but I'm not going to listen to the song anymore. I pay pretty close attention to vocals and lyrics, so I can't recall ever liking a song and then noticing something in the lyrics after repeated listening. I definitely wouldn't buy a cd from a band who's lyrics where totally opposite of my beliefs. Why would I want to give money to someone who is espousing viewpoints I disagree with? That would be like someone who hates Bush giving to his campaign fund.

Yes, zippy, I agree with you that educated people should be much more questioning (although I'm not sure skepticism is a good thing). And I also agree that you shouldn't take everything a pastor says in church as the truth. I probably just misunderstood what you said, but I do agree on these points.

While ziggy is off analysing and questioning music, I'll be enjoying it. It's funny how people can take something like a good sounding song and question the hell out and ,therefore, ruin it for themselves. Whatever works for ya though. I just thank my lucky stars I don't think that way.

I do believe the honorable Mr. Walt Whitman spoke of this very subject, FadingSoul.

When I heard the learn'd astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure
them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander'd off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.

I would think that religious folks might have a problem with this one. I myself, being very un-religious, almost anti-religious, have no problem with it.


TOOl - Eulogy, from the album Aenima

He had alot to say.
He had alot of nothing to say.
We'll miss him.

So long.
We wish you well.
You told us how you weren't afraid to die.
Well then, so long.
Don't cry.
Or feel too down.
Not all martyrs see divinity.
But at least you tried.

Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice that was strong and loud.
We'll miss him.
Ranting and pointing his finger
At everything but his heart.
We'll miss him.

No way to recall
What it was that you had said to me,
Like I care at all.

So loud.
You sure could yell.
You took a stand on every little thing
And so loud.

Standing above the crowd,
He had a voice so strong and loud and I
Swallowed his facade cuz I'm so
Eager to identify with
Someone above the ground,
Someone who seemed to feel the same,
Someone prepared to lead the way, with
Someone who would die for me.

Will you? Will you now?
Would you die for me?
Don't you ****in lie.

Don't you step out of line.
Don't you ****in lie.

You've claimed all this time that you would die for me.
Why then are you so surprised to hear your own eulogy?

You had alot to say.
You had alot of nothing to say.

Come down.
Get off your ****in cross.
We need the ****in space to nail the next fool martyr.

To ascend you must die.
You must be crucified
For your sins and your lies. [sic]
Goodbye...

I'm not sure how bashing religion and atheism are completely differnt? Explain.