Jesus Etc.
Wilco Lyrics
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You can rely on me, honey
You can combine anything you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun
Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
Don't cry
You can rely on me, honey
You can come by any time you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun
Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
Our love
Our love
Our love is all we have
Our love
Our love is all of God's money
Everyone is a burning sun
Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around
The opening lines of the song Jesus Etc. by Wilco begin with a comforting voice telling Jesus that he doesn’t need to cry because he can rely on the singer. The next two lines imply a sense of freedom that comes with being able to combine anything you want, perhaps talking about Jesus’ ability to create his own destiny in a world that’s out to get him. This is further expressed in the chorus, where the singer continues his offer to be there for Jesus whenever he needs him.
The song moves on to describe how every star in the sky is a “setting sun”, reiterating the idea that our time in this world is finite. The next verse describes how “tall buildings shake” and “voices escape singing sad, sad songs,” emphasizing on the grimness of the world we live in. The third verse talks about how voices “whine” and “skyscrapers are scraping together”, adding to an image of a gritty and hostile city. The last verse talks about how despite this world’s harshness, love is the only thing that humans have that can transcend above everything else.
Overall, the song is a representation of the sense of existential dread that comes with living in our world. It speaks about the fragility of human existence and the power of resilience that comes with finding comfort in loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesus, don't cry
The singer is reassuring someone named Jesus not to worry or cry.
You can rely on me, honey
The singer is offering support and comfort to Jesus.
You can combine anything you want
The singer is telling Jesus that he has the freedom to mix and match different things.
I'll be around
The singer promises to be available for Jesus whenever he needs him.
You were right about the stars
The singer acknowledges that Jesus was correct about the nature of stars.
Each one is a setting sun
The singer notes that stars are like setting suns.
Tall buildings shake
The singer describes tall buildings as shaking.
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
The singer hears voices singing sad songs and escaping into the air.
Tuned to chords strung down your cheeks
The sad songs are tuned to the chords of the person's tears.
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
The sad songs are affecting the person's emotional state and causing chaos in their life.
Voices whine
The singer hears voices that are complaining.
Skyscrapers are scraping together
The singer hears the sound of tall buildings rubbing against each other.
Your voice is smoking
The person's voice sounds strained or damaged.
Last cigarettes are all you can get
The person is at the end of their rope and has nothing left.
Turning your orbit around
The person's life is in turmoil and being pulled in different directions.
Our love
The singer references the idea of love.
Our love
The singer repeats the idea of love for emphasis.
Our love is all we have
The singer believes that love is the only worthwhile thing in life.
Our love is all of God's money
The singer sees love as something of infinite value, like God's wealth.
Everyone is a burning sun
The singer suggests that everyone has an inner light, like a sun.
Last cigarettes are all you can get
The person is desperately clinging to their last bit of comfort or pleasure.
Turning your orbit around
The person is in such a state of chaos that their life feels like it's spinning out of control.
Last cigarettes are all you can get
The singer repeats the idea of the person having nothing left.
Turning your orbit around
The singer repeats the idea of the person's life being in turmoil and confusion.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jeff Tweedy, Jay Bennett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind