# Songs for Atheists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 10, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778 "2003-09-10T15:50:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/41 "2003-09-11T00:29:25Z")
Nick Cave has a lovely little agnostic love song called “Into My Arms” on his album, _The Boatman’s Call_. _I don’t believe in an interventionist God. But I know, darling, that you do. But if I did, I would kneel down and ask him Not to intervene when it came to you. Not to touch a hair on your head To leave you as you are And if He felt He had to direct you Then direct you into my arms._ Actually a rather sweet song, although the first line is a bit of a mouthful. ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/42 "2003-09-11T00:35:11Z")
Why I don’t believe in God by Everclear. More of a story than an explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/43 "2003-09-11T01:12:08Z")
The The has a great song from _Mind Bomb_ called “Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)” that maybe isn’t so much about there being no god as a slam on formalized religion: But God didn’t build himself that throne God doesn’t live in Israel or Rome God belong to the yankee dollar God doesn’t plant the bombs for Hezbollah God doesn’t even go to church And God won’t send us down to Allah to burn Acutally the whole album (from 1989) is prophetic in its social commentary. Check out the song if you can; it’s one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/44 "2003-09-11T01:19:19Z")
_Cathedral_ by Crosby, Stills & Nash \*"I’m flying in Winchester cathedral. All religion has to have its day Expressions on the face of the Saviour Made me say I can’t stay. Open up the gates of the church and let me out of here… So many people have died in the name of Christ That I can’t believe it all."\* ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/45 "2003-09-11T01:27:44Z")
\*\*Daniel[/n]'s link is interesting, although Soundgarden’s _Jesus Christ Pose_ isn’t about religion, it’s apparently about pretentious rockers, especially Perry Farell. Bad Religion, as their name implies (the link leads to several of their songs) is a good choice, and so are the Dead Kennedys. There’s also a band out there called Agnostic Front. I don’t know their stuff, but I bet someone who does could find some words that fit here. Since John Lennon’s name has been mentioned, as it always is, there’s his song _God_, which begins “god is a concept/by which we measure our pain.” ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/46 "2003-09-11T01:36:45Z")
_Jesus He Knows Me_ by Genesis is a peppy little indictment of televangelists. The video is entertaining too. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/47 "2003-09-11T02:08:52Z")
My two favorites are “Fuck You God” by the awesome Leaving Trains, and “If there’s God” by the legendary Canadian band DOA from their late 90s Lp A Festaval of Athiests. Marley23, Its been awhile since I listened to Agnostic Front, but IIRC they were more of a right wing (NOT far right) hardcore band. I don’t really remember them having much of an anti-religion slant. I haven’t seen Frank Zappa mentioned. He made TONS of songs that pointed out the absurdity of God and Religion. “He’s got 20 million dollars in his heavenly bank account/all from those chumps who was born again…” Jon ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/48 "2003-09-11T02:34:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bluecanary \* > \*\*Fight Song by _Marilyn Manson_ is the first that comes to mind (well, actually the first was ‘Forgiven’, but we’ve already had that). > > _“I’m not afraid of a God that doesn’t exist”_ \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/49 "2003-09-11T02:40:15Z")
> [@](#): > > [\*Oiginally posted by bluecanary \* > \*\*Fight Song by _Marilyn Manson_ is the first that comes to mind (well, actually the first was ‘Forgiven’, but we’ve already had that). > > _“I’m not afraid of a God that doesn’t exist”_ \*\* Actually, that’s “I’m not _a slave_ to a god that doesn’t exist.” More powerful wording, I think. Also, I’d like to suggest Lit’s song _[Dozer](http://www.lyricsdepot.com/lit/dozer.html)_. It’s more about grief than anything else, but it does include the line “My faith is scarred…God damn you God.” So it _sorta_ counts. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/50 "2003-09-11T03:28:18Z")
D’oh…I forgot “Sorrow” by Bad Religion :smack: ---
**Author:** ![joshmaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a587f6/32.png) [@joshmaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joshmaker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/51 "2003-09-11T04:04:22Z")
How about John Lennon’s song “God” > [@](#): > > God is a concept, > By which we measure, > Our pain, > > … > > I don’t believe in Jesus, > I don’t believe in Kennedy, > I don’t believe in Buddha, > I don’t believe in mantra, > I don’t believe in Gita, > I don’t believe in yoga, > > … > > I just believe in me, > Yoko and me, > And that’s reality. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/52 "2003-09-11T05:58:54Z")
Here’s one you wouldn’t think of unless you’d picked up the **Guess Who** ’s pre=“American Woman” album called “Wheatfield Soul.” It carries a track called “Friends of Mine,” a long polemic with singer Burton Cummings channeling Jim Morrison circa “The End” over some spooky Randy Bachman guitar: > [@](#): > > The gallows was made from a tree created by God > The man’s blood dripped into the ground which was created by God > Even the giant cloaked figure which was the man’s own end was created by God > Even the man’s soul which went down was created by God > Even the black birds which picked the man’s corpse apart were created by God > AND WHERE WAS GOD? Interestingly enough, when Guess Who broke up years later, Burton Cummings’ first song on the first side of his first solo album was a little ditty called “I’m Scared” > [@](#): > > I’m scared Lord I’m scared I’m terrified > Never been much on religion > But I sure enough would like to hear the call > I’m scared Lordy Lord I’m shakin’ I’m petrified > Never been much on religion > But I sure enough just fell down on my knees Ah, those spiritual 180s, how fascinating… ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/53 "2003-09-11T06:30:33Z")
Ani DiFranco: “What if no one’s watching” ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/54 "2003-09-11T07:14:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nitroglycerine \* > I haven’t seen Frank Zappa mentioned. He made TONS of songs that pointed out the absurdity of God and Religion. “He’s got 20 million dollars in his heavenly bank account/all from those chumps who was born again…” “Tons” might be overstating it, but he did write a bunch of them. The most to-the-point was on the same album as _Heavenly Bank Account_: [Dumb All Over](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank-zappa/57039.html) > [@](#): > > _Originally written by Frank Zappa_ > Hey, we can’t really be dumb > If we’re just following god’s orders > Hey, let’s get serious… > God knows what he’s doin’ > He wrote this book here > An’ the book says: > He made us all to be just like him," > So… > If we’re dumb… > Then God is dumb… > (an’ maybe even a little ugly on the side) ---
**Author:** ![Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Live_Better_Electrically)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/55 "2003-09-12T04:02:51Z")
**John Lee Hooker** ’s “Burning Hell”: “_Ain’t no heaven, ain’t no burning hell…_” **Felt** ’s “All the People I Like Are Those That Are Dead”: “_I don’t believe in Him you know…_” **Robyn Hitchcock** ’s “Ye Sleeping Knights of Jesus”: “_2,000 years and He ain’t been back yet…_” ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/56 "2003-09-12T06:05:47Z")
Bob Dylan - With God On Our Side > [@](#): > > Oh the history books tell it > They tell it so well > The cavalries charged > The Indians fell > The cavalries charged > The Indians died > Oh the country was young > With God on its side. [http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/withgod.html](http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/withgod.html) ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/57 "2003-09-12T06:09:26Z")
**Walloon** - I wonder if you have a cite that shows Lennon was not an atheist. I had always assumed he was. I just googled for a bit and found lots of blather and pontification but no evidence either way. Genuinely interested, not just doubting you for the sake of it. ---
**Author:** ![Fatwater\_Fewl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4491bb/32.png) [@Fatwater\_Fewl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fatwater_Fewl)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/58 "2003-09-12T06:51:08Z")
How about [Jerusalem](http://www.danbern.com/dogboyvanlyrics.html#jerusalem), by Dan Bern. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778/59 "2003-09-12T14:06:15Z")
Well, Les McCann’s “Compared to What” is pretty straightforward: _Church on Sunday, sleep and nod Tryin’ to duck The wrath of God Preachers fillin’ us with fight They all tryin’ to teach us what they think is right They really got to be some kind of NUT! I can’t use it! Tryin’ to make it real, compared to what._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-for-atheists/200778.md?page=2)