Friday, December 22, 2006

On a song

I heard this song on the radio te other day. I enjoyed it. Something about it seems true to Christmas.

There are a few things I like:
First it doesn't stop with the birth of Christ. It encompasses Christ's time on Earth. To me the Christmas story is not just about a birth, but about the incarnation, death and resurrection or Christ. I like the nativity reading for Christmas day in the Anglican prayer book: John 1:1-18.

Second, I like the emphasis on the fact that Jesus associated with less than holy people. I think we often ignore that even though it is often proclaimed. Certainly the actions of the church today don't reflect the interests of Jesus in this regard.

Third, I like the line " Why in all this hatred do you fill me up with love?" This is a feeling I have often struggled with (not to equate myself with Christ).

One thing troubles me:
The line "the blood of all the children all around." I don't understand this and I have the unsettling feeling that it is a veiled attack on Christianity.

That said, I like the song. Perhaps it is Mr. Matthews voice. I have long thought that his voice is his primary attraction, though most tend to gravitate to his guitar playing. So here it is.

"A Christmas song"
Dave Matthews

She was his girl; he was her boyfriend
She'd be his wife and make him her husband
A surprise on the way, any day, any day
One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy
The wise men came, three made their way
To shower him with love
While he lay in the hay
Shower him with love love love
Love love love
Love love was all around

Not very much of his childhood was known
Kept his mother Mary worried
Always out on his own
He met another Mary who for a reasonable fee,
less than reputable was known to be.

His heart full of love love love
Love love love
Love love was all around

When Jesus Christ was nailed to his tree
Said "oh, Daddy-o, I can see how it all soon will be
I came to shed a little light on this darkening scene
Instead I fear I've spilled the blood of my children all around"

The blood of my children all around
The blood of my children's all around

So I'm told, so the story goes
The people he knew were
Less than golden hearted
Gamblers and Robbers
Drinkers and Jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me
Like you and me

Rumors insisted he soon would be
For his deviations
Taken into custody
By the authorities less informed than he.
Drinkers and Jokers all soul searchers
Searching for love love love
Love love love
Love love was all around

Preparations were made
For his celebration day
He said "eat this bread and think of it as me
Drink this wine and dream it will be
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children's all around
The blood of our children all around

Father up above, why in all this hatred do you fill
Me up with love, love, love
Love love love
Love love was all around
Father up above, why in all this hatred do you fill
Me up with love, fill me love love love
Love love love
all you need is love
you can't buy me love
Love love love
Love love
And the blood of our children's all around
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must add to the experience we had. So David and I are driving to school when this song came on 92.9 The Mountain. A few days prior, I mentioned that I hadn't heard any Christmas songs on this station because it must be too "hippy". So we heard this song and David and I just looked at each other because it isn't the standard, "All I want for Christmas" type song. It is truly a lyrical song about Christ's love. So when the song ends the DJ continues on and on about how she loves this song because it truly shows how Christ loves us and sacrificed for us. She talks about how Christmas isn't about receiving and gift giving, but about Jesus who came to save the sins of the world and offer himself to the broken and far from holy. She then says, it's funny for me to say these things because I am Jewish! What??? It's like she was speaking, but it wasn't from her... a direct result of God using her publicity of radio to share His truth. I can't tell you how amazing it was. It gave me goosebumps. My dad was sharing with me that the new wave is that people are connected to something greater than them and we are spiritual people, but the link between us and God is missing. People often fill out questionaires, spiritual, but not religious, not Christian. Yet, God still uses us when we least expect. He takes our words and makes them His to bring glory to Himself. I think if this woman heard what she said she may be awed by the beauty of her words. I listen to her frequently and I have to say that what she said was so in left field compared to her usual comments. So yeah, this song has a beautiful experience linked to it. And I too, love the song!

6:16 AM
Steven said...

Dave Matthews hates Christians, or at least, he has expressed a great deal of hatred for the church in many of his songs. I am sure that is what the blood of the little children means.

But perhaps he has encountered Christ, and is moving towards him. I would hate to see him feted in Christian culture and made much of. But it would be exciting to hear about Christ from that broken man's perspective.

3:46 PM
Anonymous said...

Nice song. I'd like to hear it.
I am reminded of a book I copyedited a couple of months ago. I didn't really like the book, but I was struck by the author's continued assertions that oftentimes in the church today we are more like the Pharisees than the people that Jesus actually spent time with. The author was commenting on we revile the Pharisees, but the point was that they ignored Jesus for religiosity. Their rituals and programs were more important than true holiness, and a true relationship with God. Which could probably be said of many Christians today.

5:15 PM

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