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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

James - One Of The Three

I was driving through the Arizona desert listening to James' album "Laid". I liked the songs that had been on the radio- namely "Laid" and "Say Something" but, I hadn't yet been grabbed by the slow aching beauty of the rest of the record. I remember being caught off guard a little by this quiet number with its subtle, understated drumming and atmospheric guitar. Then my mind wrapped itself around what he meant about "you were one of the three" and "you just knew they'd come for you, so it was suicide". I couldn't at that point comprehend how someone could sing a song that indicted Jesus not only for his narcissism but for all of the atrocities that have been committed in his name. It made no sense that someone could blaspheme about the savior of the world. Of course, over time, I finally realized that the odds that the narrator within the song believes that Jesus is real and is really the savior of the world are minuscule at best. Nearly seventeen years on and this song still does it for me. I hope some of you out there enjoy it too.








One Of The Three
by James

You were one, one of the three
One in three must find some peace
You were one, one of the three
I need proof before belief
Oh, well, you just knew they'd come for you
So it was suicide, suicide
Oh, well, now you got just what you want
I hope you're satisfied

One of the three

You were one, one of the three
One in three must find some peace
You were one, one of the three
I need proof before belief
Oh, well, I guess you're not to blame for what they
Done in your name, in your name
Oh, well, it's a shame you got so famous for a sacrifice

One of the three

You were one, one of the three
One in three must find some peace
You were one, one of the three
I need proof before belief

You sent forth your lamb to the slaughter

1 comment:

  1. I was looking for a way to e-mail you ... Don't forget "Tomorrow, Wendy" by Concrete Blonde. It always made my neck feel tingly when I heard it (maybe because I am a recovering fundamentalist Christian cultist--born into it, unfortunately).
    Anyway, the lyrics:

    "... I told the priest, don't count on any second coming.
    God got his ass kicked the first time he came down here slumming.
    He had the balls to come, the gall to die and then forgive us.
    No, I don't wonder why, I wonder what he thought it would get us.
    Hey, hey, good bye.
    Tomorrow Wendy's going to die.

    Hey, hey, good bye.
    Tomorrow Wendy's going to die.
    Tomorrow Wendy's going to die.
    [repeat]

    Only God says jump,
    So I set the time
    'Cause if he ever saw her
    It was through these eyes of mine!
    And if he ever suffered it was me who did his crying ..."

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