Religiously Skeptical Gems 2.0 | Playlist

There are numerous songs written about religion that aren’t gospel or CCM songs.  Here are 16 religiously skeptical gems by secular artists.

Religion is very important to a number of folks, even as secular as society is as a whole.  For many, a relationship with God supersedes everything else, including loved ones.  That said, not everyone likes religion.  Some dislike the institution, yet still maintain a relationship with God – the whole spiritual but not religious thing.  Some oppose religion and don’t believe in God either.  Everyone has their own opinions about religion, spirituality, and God.

Interestingly, there have been a number of songs written about religion, many of which aren’t gospel or contemporary Christian music songs.  Rock, pop, and R&B artists have all tackled their spiritual walks or lack thereof.  An ever-growing catalogue of religiously skeptical music is building.  Some of these songs denounce religion, but some merely question the stock society puts into it, as well as the negative and adverse effects.  This list analyzes 16 religiously skeptical gems. This playlist serves as an update of 11 Religiously Skeptical Gems, published August 29, 2017.

 1. Marilyn Manson, “SAY10”

Album: Heaven Upside Down, 2017

The left-hand path is empowered on “SAY10,” clearly a play on Satan.  Making “SAY10” even more enigmatic and frightening is the music.  Initially, on the first verse, “SAY10” sounds completely foreboding, with Manson singing in a whisper.  On the chorus, the deck of cards is completely revealed with a catchy, yet incredibly blasphemous hook. Chocked full of religious references, “SAY10” transcends its beastly title.

2. Sam Smith, “Pray”

Album: The Thrill of It All, 2017 | Previous Playlist Appearance: Ballads From 2017 That’ll Give You Those Feels, Vol. 1

“You won’t find me in church (no) reading the Bible (no) / I am still here and I’m still your disciple / I’m down on my knees, I’m beggin’ you, please / I’m broken, alone and afraid.”

As aforementioned, Sam Smith excels at balladry.  On “Too Good at Goodbyes,” he focuses on the plight of love.  On “Pray,” the second single from his sophomore album, The Thrill of it All, he shifts to religion.  He expresses his skepticism towards religion, yet feels he needs to pray and try to believe in something.

“I’m young and I’m foolish, I’ve made bad decisions / I block out the news, turn my back on religion… / Lately, that shit ain’t been gettin’ me higher / I lift up my head and the world is on fire / There’s dread in my heart and fear in my bones / And I just don’t know what to say / Maybe I’ll pray…/ I have never believed in You, no / But I’m gonna pray.”

3. Macklemore, “Church”

Ft. Xperience

Album: Gemini, 2017

When it comes to religion, musicians are ‘all over the map.’ Some are outspokenly religious, some are quietly/moderately religious or spiritual, and others are indifferent.  On “Church,” Macklemore speaks on his religious background, but after listening, one doesn’t get the impression he’s religious per se. Ultimately, his faith seems complicated.

“Mom and pops, they used to take us to church / Saying ‘if you don’t believe, then the prayin’ don’t work’ / With the beatbox I got free on the pavement, I’m first / Music brought me to my knees, I found faith in a verse / So dear spirit, I know I gotta take a chance / And my mistakes and shortcomings finally made a man / I got some issues, I got problems, gotta make amends…”

It seems that Macklemore is thankful for the blessings bestowed upon him – his daughter, his career, etc.  But, how religious or spiritual is he? Examining “Miracle” that precedes “Church,” if we take him literally, he’s not.  Yet, the way he ends the featured lyric below is a common Christian confirmation of agreement or truth.

“…The praise won’t save me, and neither will the fan mail / I’d be a sinner, but thank God I’m not religious / And I’m addicted, drugs and women, there’s no difference / I know the right, but the wrong is just so tempting / I got a phobia, fear of what I’m missing, amen.”

 4. Declan McKenna, “Bethlehem”

Album: What Do You Think About the Car?, 2017 

Religious skepticism plays a large role on “Bethlehem,” evidenced by the lyrical references.  The connotation is negative here, something McKenna addressed in an interview with Teen Vogue. That negative stuff he refers to are Christians who are “holier than thou,” yet sinful in their own right. On the chorus, he sings:

“Because I’m in Bethlehem / I got a seat in heaven/ And though I’m heaven sent / I can do as I want and you don’t have the right to choose.”

“Bethlehem” is another example of the genius of Declan McKenna.  His messaging is pitch perfect here, even if it will upset some.

5. Kesha, “Hymn”

Album: Rainbow, 2017

On “Hymn,” Kesha recorded a “hymn for the hymn-less.” As illustrated above, “Hymn” fits right into the uplifting, empowering, and all-inclusive nature of Rainbow. The chorus is among the selling points.

“This is a hymn for the hymn-less, kids with no religion / Yeah, we keep on sinning, yeah, we keep on singing / Flying down the highway, backseat of the Hyundai / Pull it to the front, let it run, we don’t valet / Sorry if you’re star struck, blame it on the stardust / I know that I’m perfect, even though I’m fucked up / Hymn for the hymn-less, don’t need forgiveness / ‘Cause if there’s a heaven, don’t care if we get in.”

Kesha doesn’t explicitly denounce church or God in the least.  But, she makes it clear that this song is for a group of the underrepresented.

6. Brand New, “Could Never Be Heaven”

Album: Science Fiction, 2017

Brand New made a comeback in 2017, self-releasing their new album, Science Fiction.  It worked out well for them, as the band scored its first no. 1 album.  You know what else they scored? A spot on this religiously skeptical song list!  Perhaps “Could Never Be Heaven” isn’t a bold denouncement of religion or God like other songs, but there’s clear skepticism.  Most of it due to clever mentions of God, but they aren’t necessarily petitions or praise contextually.

“I have no heart, I have no brain / Lord I have no courage / Can you get me home again?”

There’s more. On the second verse, frontman Jesse Lacey sings, “I was drowning in the lake, damned…/ The deeper I sank, the less I died…” Telling, but the big one comes later:

“The whale is well-rehearsed / Swimming in circles in the church / A cardinalfish says, ‘God is dead’ / The whale sales, ‘Get out of my head / Get out of my head / Get out of my head.’”

7. Marilyn Manson, “Tattooed in Reverse”

Album: Heaven Upside Down, 2017 

“So, fuck your bible and your Babel / I made this psalm into my dirty bomb.”  This opening lyric sets the unapologetic tone of “Tattooed in Reverse,” the second song from Heaven Upside Down.  Clearly, Marilyn Manson paints the picture of a deviant, who is deranged and seemingly ‘built all wrong from the start.’ This ‘loose cannon’ doesn’t care about religion or God in the least, essentially reversing things into utter hellishness and evil.  The chorus is thrilling, capturing the suspect state of mind of this psycho:

“I’m un-stabled, I’m not a show horse / I can’t be bridled, of course / I’m un-scabbed and un-regretted / I got tattooed in reverse.”

The groove of “Tattooed in Reverse” should sound relatively familiar – it’s similar to “Killing Strangers,” the opener from The Pale Emperor.  The guitars are distorted, while the use of electronics provides an additional lift.  Manson is on autopilot, which is something that the religious folk don’t particularly care to hear.

8. Tyler Glenn, “Devil”

Album: Excommunication, 2016 | Previous Playlist Appearance: 26 Notable LGBTQ Songs Since 2010

“Sunday mornings make me nervous / They don’t feel like they used to feel / My religion feels wrong, but I can’t tell my mom / I’m afraid that my words would kill.”

Cutting to the chase, Tyler Glenn, frontman of Neon Trees, was pretty pissed off on his debut solo album, Excommunication.  The album focused on his break with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka the Mormon Church.  The main reason for this break was Glenn’s homosexuality.  Disappointed by being unaccepted by the church as a gay man, naturally, he left.  One of the biggest instances of his newfound skepticism towards religion comes at the end of Excommunication, “Devil.”

“I think I still believe in Jesus / He’s a friend when I choose to pray / But my demons get me high, ‘til I’m burning all the time / Yeah, they never wash my sins away.”

One never gets the impression that Glenn is an atheist now – there’s still something there. But, he has clearly lost faith.

“I swear I still believe in something / But I couldn’t pray the gay away.”

9. The 1975, “If I Believe You”

Album: I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It, 2016

“I’ve got a God-shaped hole that’s infected / And I’m petrified of being alone now / It’s pathetic, I know.”

It’s no secret that The 1975 frontman Matthew Healy isn’t a believer.  Healy appeared 12^th on one of my final evergreen articles penned for StarPulse, 15 Musicians Who Oppose Religion.  Healy is both an atheist and a humanist.  In this particular article, the focus was the song “Antichrist,” which appeared on the band’s EP, Facedown.  After publication, The 1975 would release another skeptical gem, “If I Believe You.” “If I Believe You” features gospel music cues, yet questions putting faith and stock in God.  In my review of the album, also penned for StarPulse, I called “If I Believe You” a “humanist’s skeptical petition to God/a higher power.”

“And if I believe you / Will that make it stop? / If I told you I need you / Is that what you want? / And I’m broken and bleeding / And begging for help / And I’m asking you Jesus, show yourself.”

10. Accept, “Koolaid”

Album: Rise of Chaos, 2017 | Previous Playlist Appearance: 10 Songs About Cult Leader Jim Jones & Jonestown

Veteran metal band Accept lands on this updated edition of religiously skeptical gems by way of a previous playlist, 10 Songs About Cult Leader Jim Jones & Jonestown. On the song “Koolaid,” Mike Tornillo and company focus on the horrid happenings at The People’s Temple in Jonestown, the infamous cult led by Jim Jones. Tornillo takes on the character of an ex-member to portray the horrors.  He highlights the infamous mass suicide that occurred in 1978, singing:

“He [Jim Jones] said / We’re gonna mix it up / Add the cyanide / Then we’ll drink it up / You’re gonna feel so fine.”

Naturally the band discourages partaking of this communion, while in the same token, seem to be making an argument about church and religion in general. In the context of Jim Jones and Jonestown, they definitely have a point.

“Don’t drink the Koolaid / Don’t taste the holy water / Don’t drink the Koolaid / No matter what the preacher says.”

11. Hozier, “Take Me to Church”

Album: Hozier, 2014 | Previous Playlist Appearance: 26 Notable LGBTQ Songs Since 2010

There is really no need to beat a dead horse in the water.  If anyone believed that Hozier was singing about God on “Take Me to Church,” they weren’t paying close attention.  This is not a praise joint – Hozier wasn’t trying to get his praise on by any means! That said, “Take Me to Church” isn’t necessarily a middle finger to the church.  Still, we all know that sex seems rarely fits into the order of service traditionally.

“My church offers no absolutes / She tells me ‘worship in the bedroom’ / The only heaven I’ll be sent to / Is when I’m alone with you / I was born sick, but I love it / Command me to be well.”

Plenty has been written about “Take Me to Church.” The Pop Song Professor spends an entire video and article on one of the best songs of 2014.  The Reflector clearly states the song ‘conveys deeper meaning.’

12. Black Sabbath, “God is Dead?”

Album: 13, 2013

Black Sabbath are no strangers to religious skepticism within their music. The Satanist rumors have been going around for years.  They only reignited the skepticism on their 2013 comeback album, 13, which featured five skeptical songs.  The chief amongst sinners is “God is Dead?” which toys with the idea of the God’s existence or not, thanks to the question mark.

“The blood runs free / The rain turns red / Give me the wine / You keep the bread / The voices echo in my head / Is God alive or is God dead? / Is God dead?”