The final song(s) from āHairā are always on my list. Heck, the whole Broadway play/movie was big, though the movie was made about 10 years too late, it still packs a punch for those of us that lived during those years. If you havenāt seen it, the fellow getting sent to Vietnam is not the guy supposed to go, but he is just a placeholder till the real guy gets back from a romantic tryst off the base.
This song came out when I was in the military, during the Vietnam War, and we all could relate.
I think its talking about the hypocrisy of a lot of Christians. Theyāll say God loves you but make that love conditional on you doing this or that or being this way or that way. I think the most upvoted comment in the comment section speaks very clearly to what Ethel Cain means here, as she is also transgendered.
The pain I feel listening to this song is indescribable. Iām not welcome in church because of factors I have no control over. Being trans and being faithful simply deem me unworthy of Gods love or respect from the church. Every time my mom makes me go to church, I sit there praising god and then it always hits me she brings me to try to fix me. That everyone sees me as a confused girl, at the most a homosexual woman. But if Iād been born cis, I would have kept singing on that podium. I could have been a pastor. I could have married my childhood love and raised our kids in the church. Strange how things always turn out. I knew God wouldnāt save me from the hell Iāve always been put through, but he was all I ever had. Now I have my freedom, and with time itās going to make up for it. I am an orphan, navigating the world on my own where I am still miserable, but Iām miserable as ME. As the man Iāve always been, no longer rotting under a cupboard. If itās meant to be then it will be
A line from āAmerican Teenagerā also speaks to this: āJesus if youāre there why do I feel alone in this world with you.ā And also in āSunbleached Fliesā: āBut I always knew in the end that nobody was coming to save me. So I just prayed. And I keep praying.ā Thatās very similar to what the commenter said: āI knew God wouldnāt save me from the hell Iāve always been put through, but he was all I ever had.ā
I think basically sheās talking about how alienating it is to have deep spiritual feelings for God but at the same time be rejected by the church that purports to represent God and Godās will on earth.
I like American Teenager. Itās a great song. I think all three songs are just excellent. My favorite though is probably āSun Bleached Flies.ā
I love the music video for American Teenager. She must of gotten an old camcorder from the 90s and used it to shoot the video. Makes me very nostalgic.
Wow thatās certainly being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Might have been a good time to go to the restroom and go AWOL until the other guy could return and clear everything up.
Oh I think they had the passive-aggressive thing going on . Iām kinda a hippy myself, not original stock of course, but definitely would have been one if I had been young during the 60s. And Iām very passive aggressive .
If you check out the movie version of Aliceās Restaurant I think youāll get a decent set of viewpoints for observing the Urban/Rural American Hippie, circa the 1960s.
I love this band. I bet the music videos were a lot of fun. The instructions to the band members were probably āJust act very stoned and do some shit.ā I get a very Carlos Castaneda vibe from the their music, especially this song and music video in particular.
Reminds me of a cross between the documentary about group of guys in the desert dropping LSD who see a bird overhead and decide to name their group The Eagles, and The Mel Gibson movie Apocalypto.
Yes I think you are spot on with this interpretation. Conditional love I dont think is the love that Christ taught. I love this quote:
" I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.ā
ā Mahatma Gandhi
I think it speaks volumes about how people too often use religion to feed their egos and not their souls.
I got a little atheistic vibe from the American Teenager line, and to a lesser extent a little of that vibe in Sunbleached flies. Almost like her faith was on a weak foundation, or being somewhat questioned. But given the back story it definitely makes sense. I think for people who deeply connect to Christ, the world in a way becomes far less lonely, because you realize with God, you are never really alone.
I think all three songs are just excellent. My favorite though is probably āSun Bleached Flies.ā
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