semi-stupid question

[EC]

What a Wonderful Man is about Jesus. It doesn't say "Jesus was a wonderful man" but listen to the lyrics.. It ends with "Till The Day I Found Out His Cause, Was To Do It For All Of Us" which seems like a Jesus reference to me. Also, I signed up for the buddy system and the welcome email talks about "spreading the gospel." I wouldn't call them a "christian rock group" but they are definately religious.. or spiritual, however you want to look at it.

banjohead, if you do a little research, you'll find that jim has said in many interviews that what a wonderful man was a song about a friend of his who died.  he said something about trying to make a song that would piss his friend off a little by bein' cheesy or something.  and by "friend", i do not mean "jesus".

"spreading the gospel" is like, a well-known rock term for letting others know about your music.  ;)  they don't literally want you to spread the gospel of the lord.

[primushead]

 they don't literally want you to spread the gospel of the lord.

Creed might have... ;)

[tomEisenbraun]

Creed might have... ;)

well look where that got em...

 ;D


I would say Easy Morning Rebel is the closest Jim gets to talkin about Jesus. WAWM is most definitely about a friend of theirs. They said they just wanted to make him laugh by writing a song that he'd just shake his head and call 'em idiots for.

looking at i needed it most, it's very beautiful. wow, i'd never read it really before, but it's a beautiful appeal to God, I think. with surrender, too, which makes it all the more beautiful. that, Lord, I can't fix or change this, and it's up to you, but can't you do something for her?

So I say lord, all the heavens you've made,
cant hold back the ghosts that haunt my baby and me.
Oh cant ye hold em back, form comin on in,
to a lovely woman, that jus wans her mind back again.
I cannot crumble, what you want this to be.
Or bring peace of mind, if it aint there to see.
Aw if you don't know yourself, how could you ever know me.
But to have and to hold you, yeah that's the way its gotta be.

God, that's beautiful. saying, I know I can't fix this for you (which takes a hell of a lot for a man to do, to step back and not try and be the "fixer") but that he won't leave. what he cannot fix, he's surrendered, but what he can do, "to have and to hold" no matter how painful and how hard that may be ("if you don't know yourself, how can you ever know me?"). and that's excrutiating pain but also the truest form of love right there.

c.s. lewis said that "Love is not an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained." and that is that kind of love, i think.

i wouldn't call the guys a christian band, and i'm not too sure if they would label themselves christian, though maybe, i'd love to hear where they stand.

sorry for the ramble, but yeah.

[wholovesthesun]

goddd what a controversial topic! it's all speculation anyway. who's to say how he feels or what drugs he uses?
the music is still killer.

[banjohead]

I was reading an old interview (2002) and came across a question aimed at Jim in reference to religion. Check it!

"Pitchfork: Is some religion at work in MMJ? Or in the background?

James: I believe there is a force that controls and guides everything I do. I totally believe in it and pray to it though I don't know what it is. I am grateful for what it has given me. Every night I tell it this prayer which I learned as a child."

I guess that settles the debate about it being "religious music" I think it is safe to say now my initial thoughts were incorrect! It is a really cool interview.. here is a link for anyone who hasn't seen it! http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/interviews/m/my-morning-jacket-02/

[blainesanders]

as far as the drugs thing goes....
the band said in rolling stone magazine that they were doing "a decent amount of psychadelic drugs" while making the Z album.  was it a joke... i dunno, but i doubt it.  personally i have no problem with drugs, especially psychadelics.  and as far as a mind that i think could come up with great ideas while tripping, well jim james would be tops on my list to go for it.  hell i wish i could come up w. what he does.  that being said, does it really matter if the guy does drugs or not???  he's obviously not a junkie, he obviously has his shit straight, and obviously a lotta people on here look up to a guy.  if jim does do drugs, maybe there's something to be learned about seeing a genuinely smart person USE and NOT ABUSE psychadelics or weed.  not all drugs are bad... hell the legal ones are the worst IMO.
just my 4 cents  :)

[ManNamedTruth]

Some people do drugs just to party (cocaine). Some people do them because they expand our minds in a creative way (marijunua, lsd, mushrooms etc...). Being an artist myself I relate to that. I reccomend it.

[ycartrob]

the key is to expand your mind without using drugs.

That's the trick.

[EC]

the key is to expand your mind without using drugs.

That's the trick.

word.  

trick.  trick is a nice sounding word.

[MMJ_fanatic]

These guys are a drug and a religion all rolled into one--what a money saver! 8)

[Foxtrot76]

 yeah, isn't it wonderful that a band nowadays can initiate such lively conversation?  
 
speaking of what a wonderful man....what does Jim sing at the very end? you know, over the last three chords? it's not in the lyrics and i'm always guessing what he's singing....

[sweatboard]

yeah, isn't it wonderful that a band nowadays can initiate such lively conversation?  

speaking of what a wonderful man....what does Jim sing at the very end? you know, over the last three chords? it's not in the lyrics and i'm always guessing what he's singing....

Isn't it beutiful.........."Always guessing", join the crowd.  I'm guessing that it's probalby something that makes no sense to anyone at all besides Jim and whoever the songs about, but I guess we could MAKE it make sense to us......and then it will.  Man I'm so lame sometimes.  Sorry. ::)

[chunt983]

the second a musician tells you what a song is about is when i lose interest in that song (90% of the time). I love the fact that things are secretive and the best part about music is listening to it and having your own spin on it, or art in general. a good portion of MMJ songs i have no fucking clue what jim is talking about, but there's always a line or two that i relate to and i kinda put my own spin on it.

[orbison]

the responses in this thread a pretty painful to read. like in a fingernail scratching on chalkboard kinda way.