The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser

Tag: The Wonder Years

  • Songs of Sacrilege: Cigarettes & Saints by The Wonder Years

    the wonder years

    Warning! Lyrics may contain offensive, vulgar language.

    This is the one hundred and fifty-ninth installment in the Songs of Sacrilege series. This is a series that I would like readers to help me with. If you know of a song that is irreverent towards religion, makes fun of religion, pokes fun at sincerely held religious beliefs, or challenges the firmly held religious beliefs of others, please send me an email.

    Today’s Songs of Sacrilege is Cigarettes & Saints by The Wonder Years.

    Video Link

    Lyrics

    Twice a week I pass by the church that held your funeral
    And the pastor’s words come pouring down like rain
    How he called you a sinner and said now you walk with Jesus
    So the drugs that took your life aren’t gonna cause you any pain
    I don’t think he even knew your name
    And I refuse to kneel and pray
    I won’t remember you that way

    I lit you a candle in every cathedral across Europe
    And I hope you know you’re still my patron saint
    I tried to forgive, but I can’t forget the cigar in his fist
    I know that they were heartsick, but I need someone to blame
    And I know how they blamed me
    I know what you’d say
    You’d tell me it was your fault
    I should put all my arrows away

    I’m sure there ain’t a heaven
    But that don’t mean I don’t like to picture you there
    I’ll bet you’re bumming cigarettes off saints
    And I’m sure you’re still singing
    But I’ll bet that you’re still just a bit out of key
    That crooked smile pushing words across your teeth

    Cause you were heat lightning
    Yeah, you were a storm that never rolled in
    You were the northern lights in a southern town
    A caustic fleeting thing
    I’ll bury your memories in the garden
    And watch them grow with the flowers in spring
    I’ll keep you with me

    These wolves in their suits and ties
    Saying, “Kid, you can trust me”
    Charming southern drawl, sunken eyes
    Buying good will in hotel lobbies
    Buy fistfuls of pills to make sure you don’t hurt no more
    You don’t gotta feel anything
    Got their fangs in our veins
    Got their voice in our head
    Got our arms in their grips
    No, we can’t shake free

    This goddamn machine, hungry and heartless
    My whole generation got lost in the margin
    We put our faith in you and you turned a profit
    Now we’re drowning here under the waves
    (We’re no saviors if we can’t save our brothers)
    Drowning out under the waves
    (We’re no saviors if we can’t save our brothers)
    Drowning out, drowning out

    You can’t have my friends
    You can’t have my brothers
    You can’t have my friends
    You can’t have my brothers
    You can’t have my friends
    You can’t have my brothers
    You can’t have me
    No, you can’t have me

  • Songs of Sacrilege: I Won’t Say the Lord’s Prayer by The Wonder Years

    the wonder years

    Warning! Lyrics may contain offensive, vulgar language.

    This is the one hundred and fifty-eighth installment in the Songs of Sacrilege series. This is a series that I would like readers to help me with. If you know of a song that is irreverent towards religion, makes fun of religion, pokes fun at sincerely held religious beliefs, or challenges the firmly held religious beliefs of others, please send me an email.

    Today’s Songs of Sacrilege is I Won’t Say the Lord’s Prayer by The Wonder Years.

    Video Link

    Lyrics

    [Verse 1]
    It’s a series of bars, thrift stores and churches lining the streets
    While women with gold crosses push kids into half-formed beliefs
    If Lot was righteous, I think I’d rather not be
    We lean on fences built from out-dated morality
    It’s a gang mentality
    It’s a dangerous thing
    They don’t ask you to think
    Just to repeat after me
    And assume you’re too careless to look at it critically
    You’ll stop progress if it contradicts what you’re told to believe

    [Refrain]
    I refuse to spend life on my knees

    [Verse 2]
    These billboards that flaunt these scare tactics
    Make me think you’re only good if you’re afraid of being punished
    Every single Sunday, church bells wake me up
    But it’s never enough to pull me out of bed

    [Verse 3]
    The church on Main Street has got its doors painted red
    And I guess it’s so the Angel of Death passes over it
    On its way to get gas
    The church over on Broad Street has got a neon sign that says Jesus Save Me
    And I guess it’s so God can see from where he is in the cheap seats

    [Refrain]
    I refuse to spend life on my knees

    [Chorus]
    And I won’t let somebody else make my decisions for me
    If we’re all just Christians or Lions
    Then I think I’d rather be on the side with sharper teeth
    I don’t need saving