MMJ Into Jesus? Says Who?

[Chubbs McMammoth]

Not to knock anyone's personal beliefs, but I've seen it stated many times that the Jim Jam sings about Jesus/Christianity a lot in many of the songs. Obviously there is Gideon, and songs like I Think I'm Going To Hell, but why are so many people convinced that they sing about God all the time? I just don't hear it. I've heard people talk about how OBH is about heaven. I'm just not getting that. And what's with calling it Lay Lord instead of Lay Low? Even if they were to sing about religion a lot, that does not make them a religious band necessarily, it just means that they have songs that touch on the subject of religion. Where is this Jesus-centricity coming from?

[SiOuxTribe]

Since Jim James is so weird, people make the connection so they can have at least something in common with him.  ::)

[cmccubbin@work]

b/c Jim James is Jesus...where have you been?

[TheRoof]

I believe some of their lyrics can be straight-forward regarding religion or spirituality while others could be deciphered very differently from person to person.  That's what TRUE ART accomplishes


Golden - 'And on Heaven's golden shore we'll lay our heads'

What a Wonderful Man - 'And like a loving flock we obey - EXCEPT 4 HIM - He went His own way'

Mahgeetah - 'can he see me? does he feel me? does he know me at all?'

Easy Morning Rebel - 'well the easy mornin rebel, well he has come. come down from heaven, all bathed in sun'

Steam Engine - 'to anyone who wondered what old jesus meant to me'

Strangulation - 'but I know there's someone that loves up above  and want to fix you a dream'

[Bangs Brownwood]

I think there is a clear line between being spiritual and being religious that some people just don't get. While I find MMJ to be spiritual band I really don't see much religion in it.

It's comments like this:

(Quote from "Why's It Surreal" Thread)
Why's it surreal when my hands feel they cant roll the dice?

that one always gets me.


This lyric is about Jim James coming into one with the word of Christ (The Way that He Sings) and not being able to masturbate (rolling the dice) due to guilt and faith.  (unquote)


That make me say WTF!!?!?!? ..... maybe he was joking, but I've seen many like this. Oh well, however it moves you I guess.

[BH]

Oh well, however it moves you I guess.

Exactly.

[BH]

By the way, Lay Lord is the way Jim puts it on the setlist now.  That's where that came from.

[ycartrob]

(Quote from "Why's It Surreal" Thread)
Why's it surreal when my hands feel they cant roll the dice?

that one always gets me.

This lyric is about Jim James coming into one with the word of Christ (The Way that He Sings) and not being able to masturbate (rolling the dice) due to guilt and faith.  (unquote)

That make me say WTF!!?!?!? ..... maybe he was joking, but I've seen many like this. Oh well, however it moves you I guess.

That one was mine. And I was totally joking (or was I?).

Point being, does it really matter what the artist is trying to say or isn't it more important what you derive from the lyrics (or music).

There's a couple other threads from the past that talk about the exact place where this thread is going, but I say go for it.

so,

from Z:

Wordless Chorus is about prayer (duhh!)

It Beats For You is about Jesus' heart (WHO COULD SEE AND NOT BELIEVE?)

Gideon is God

What A Wonderful Man = Jesus

Off the Record is about trying to keep sinful secrets from God (as if!)

Into the Woods is about seeking out the Lord through the absurdities of life

Anytime is about when it's right to accept Jesus

Lay Low is really Lay Lord

Knot Comes Loose means the knot of life (fear, haterd, etc...) is coming undone through God

DonDante is about the 2nd coming.


'nuff said

[TheRoof]

(Point being, does it really matter what the artist is trying to say or isn't it more important what you derive from the lyrics (or music).

Right on!!!

In the words of Jim James himself: "Love a song for the way it makes you feel"

[CTdeadhead]

He certainly doesn't wear it on his sleeve and music is so self interpretive that songs can mean different things to different people.  Check out Ed Vedder speaking about Alive on Storytellers from last yr, that pretty much says it all.  

[corey]

Jesus Christ, people.....

"What a Wonderful Man" is NOT about Jesus.

Fuck.

[whothrewthecake]

i talked to jesus about all this and he's cool with whatev.

[corey]

Oh, word?

:)

[mjkoehler]

ehhhh  I do not get the whole religion/Jesus stuff either. It may be because I am not specifically looking for it and I'm not really getting that vibe either. It can be spiritually moving (and yes JJ and the rest of the crew moves us all) and not be religious in the Judeo-Christian vein.

oh and I talk to Satan on a regular basis and he knows WAWM ain't about him. ;)

[Bangs Brownwood]

Well, At least we all know what Mahgeeta is about! .... or do we!?!?  ;)

[ycartrob]

that's not really satan, that's a south park cartoon...

[sweatboard]

Dude, they have special guest apperances, didn't you see when Robet Smith was on there.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

Jesus Christ, people.....

"What a Wonderful Man" is NOT about Jesus.

Fuck.

Um...yeah it is.

[corey]

Maybe it is to you, but that song is about a friend of his that commited suicide.

[ratsprayer]

"They Ran" is a religious song.

i just can't believe the fucking wise men ran away with his lighter...

::)