Alive, Only for those who have actually listened to it please! Options

[PurdueSteve]

Oh yeah I've always got the symbolisim and what those lines represent, I just didn't think it was too overall damning of the religion in an outright way like Operation Spirit was. It's ambiguous I think to the point where an argument could be built for and against why it is/isn't damning Christianity. Operation Spirit, there's no debate.

I think there is no other way to interpret it other than negative. At least from a catholic point of view.

The idea of holy water coming from the toilet, as he "blessed her feet", is a mockery of "holy water". Yeah, you could say that in a dire situation requiring faith when one didn't have access to proper "holy water" that it could be used, however I think such a situational inference in a song interpretation requires significant reading between the lines. Every catholic church I've been to puts the holy water near the front door, usually in some sort of expensive fountain like container. The idea of it being in a toilet would be sacrilegious.

Then they lyric "Peace is such a dirty habit". In a catholic mass, "Peace be with you" is often uttered as attendees shake hands with nearby attendees. It's a dirty habit because it's empty, it's repetition, it's void of thought in practice.

Then of course the "Wine/Skin, cuz I got to have/eat it". lyric. It sounds as if it's another mockery, as if Ed is referring to these people as mindless zombies taking solace in another empty but "holy" gesture.

Yes, alot of what I wrote is interpretation but I think when you consider the whole song, it's nearly undeniable that it's casting the religion in a negative light. Would any catholic church members here pass this song off to the congregation as being catholic-positive?

[OutToDry]

Lakini's Juice is a total mockery of the Catholic religion, yet i love the song forever!!!

[PurdueSteve]

I just listened to the two bonus tracks "A new world" and "Eat your love".

"A new world" is kinda OK. Lyrically the jury is out, but the instruments and music is probably one of the best songs on Alive. It should've been included as one of the standard tracks.

"Eat your love" isn't as good as "a new world" but IMO, it is better than many of the standard Alive tracks.

With these two added to the track list, the album becomes more palatable, still not good from the man that made such great music in the 90s but tolerable for his happy-eyed 2010 solo christian album.

[Nobody Knows]

I found a review of Alive on a Dutch site (like the Dutch Amazon sort of); here is the translation:

WARNING: I cannot be held responsible for any pulled out hairs, broken furniture or any other damage done, due to the utter retardness nature of the review.

Ed Kowalczyk's first solo record is a good one to begin with! It's a shame that his band Live broke up, but for the people who will miss them badly, this record definitely is a must-have!
His voice sounds the same as in his 'Live-time', and the songs remind one of Throwing Copper and The Distance to Here. So, for the Live fan, this surely is a must. I hope that this will be the first of many solo records Ed will release!

Plus: Great songs, moving music, good singing, good lyrics, typically Kowalczyk.

[+Ed+]

His voice sounds the same as in his 'Live-time', and the songs remind one of Throwing Copper and The Distance to Here. So, for the Live fan, this surely is a must. I hope that this will be the first of many solo records Ed will release!

I would like to demolish this man's body for writing such a pile of bs

[Nobody Knows]

It's probably a middle-aged bitch.

[VoodooLady]

It's probably a middle-aged bitch.

why is this always the default? especially when the most delusional of EK fans here breaks the stereotype with every single one of his post?

[Nobody Knows]

Hey, just kidding! You have to fuck up my rep for that!?!

Have some back! aHAHAHAh!

[OutToDry]

Sounds as if that was a 'paid for by' da EK endorsement review.

[Pokey]

why is this always the default? especially when the most delusional of EK fans here breaks the stereotype with every single one of his post?

Have you see most of the EK's fans on facebook? The stereotype definitely comes from somewhere! You can just be one of the exceptions to the rule

[LivesMeltdown]

why is this always the default? especially when the most delusional of EK fans here breaks the stereotype with every single one of his post?

I know. I take personal offense to this. I only play the role of a middle aged woman on weekends. Geez, no respect

[FishOutaWater]

I have. Operation Spirit lyrics stated that Jesus meant nothing to Ed today. When that was no longer the case, Ed changed the lyrics. Lakini's Juice's lyrics are much more ambigious.

I have to disagree with your statement here. I don't think that the Operation Spirit lyrics state that Jesus means nothing to Ed today.

I get frustrated when people show only a superficial understanding of the lyrics on the early Live albums. The lyrics on those albums are much deeper than what many people understand.

Again, I think that the Operation Spirit lyrics did NOT state that Jesus meanth nothing to Ed today. What they stated was that what Jesus was 2,000 years ago means nothing to Ed today. The Jesus that is presented in mainstream religion is a Jesus that only lives inside a prayer. What he was all about 2,000 years ago may have been beautiful 2,000 years ago, but the pain and suffering in life is here and now.

This is a condemnation of the belief and adoration approach of mainstream Christianity. The whole album is an indictment of so-called teachers who tell you what to believe and so-called leaders who leave followers chained to fate. This limiting belief in Jesus that is forced on people does not reflect a concept of Jesus that is a meaningful spiritual inspiration for us today. That Jesus is only stuck in a prayer doesn't help us with our pain and suffering. I don't think that Ed necessarily said that Jesus meant nothing to him. It is the Jesus that only lives in a prayer and only relates to events that happened 2,000 years ago that means nothing to him today, in a present state of suffering. That does not necessarily forclose the possibility of finding a Jesus that is present, inspriational and transformative today, to help us with our suffering. So let go of the beliefs that were hoisted upon you by "leaders" - let it all go and let's get it back together again - from a place of pure, unconditioned consciousness, free from bias and belief and "teachings".



heard alot of talk about this Jesus
a man of love, a man of strength
but what a man was two thousand years ago
means nothing at all to me today

he could have been telling me about my higher self
but he only lives inside my prayer
so what he was may have been beautiful
but the pain is right now and right here


let it go!
let it go!
let it go, my friend
and let's get it back
let's get it back together

This post has been edited by FishOutaWater: Jul 6 2010, 10:41 am

[Pokey]

I have to disagree with your statement here. I don't think that the Operation Spirit lyrics state that Jesus means nothing to Ed today.

I get frustrated when people show only a superficial understanding of the lyrics on the early Live albums. The lyrics on those albums are much deeper than what many people understand.

Again, I think that the Operation Spirit lyrics did NOT state that Jesus meanth nothing to Ed today. What they stated was that what Jesus was 2,000 years ago means nothing to Ed today. The Jesus that is presented in mainstream religion is a Jesus that only lives inside a prayer. What he was all about 2,000 years ago may have been beautiful 2,000 years ago, but the pain and suffering in life is here and now.

This is a condemnation of the belief and adoration approach of mainstream Christianity. The whole album is an indictment of so-called teachers who tell you what to believe and so-called leaders who leave followers chained to fate. This limiting belief in Jesus that is forced on people does not reflect a concept of Jesus that is a meaningful spiritual inspiration for us today. That Jesus is only stuck in a prayer doesn't help us with our pain and suffering. I don't think that Ed necessarily said that Jesus meant nothing to him. It is the Jesus that only lives in a prayer and only relates to events that happened 2,000 years ago that means nothing to him today, in a present state of suffering. That does not necessarily forclose the possibility of finding a Jesus that is present, inspriational and transformative today, to help us with our suffering. So let go of the beliefs that were hoisted upon you by "leaders" - let it all go and let's get it back together again - from a place of pure, unconditioned consciousness, free from bias and belief and "teachings".
heard alot of talk about this Jesus
a man of love, a man of strength
but what a man was two thousand years ago
means nothing at all to me today

he could have been telling me about my higher self
but he only lives inside my prayer
so what he was may have been beautiful
but the pain is right now and right here
let it go!
let it go!
let it go, my friend
and let's get it back
let's get it back together

I do get what you're saying and I think that is definitely one interprutation of the song but not the only one.

So taking the above though as the real meaning, Ed then changes the lyrics to say that Jesus means a hell of a lot to him today. He's is not then saying that Jesus himself now means something to him today, but the idea of what Jesus is and the prayer in his head.

It still would totally change the meaning of the song.

[Sonic Tonic]

I know. I take personal offense to this. I only play the role of a middle aged woman on weekends. Geez, no respect

Stop acting like ticked off middle aged women. I kid, I kid,

[+Ed+]

Damn, Fish is either 60 or one of the best narrators around. I love his posts


On the topic: don't you find it ridiculous for Ed to be using words about God and the word Hell in one line?