A.T.S. is a legendary Pittsburgh band that never quite broke nationally and that's a shame. Their blend of punk, funk, country, pop, and free-form jamming with surreal lyrics and casual humor make many other punk bands seem like dull one-trick ponies.
GOD
A.T.S. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
God sometimes you just don't come through
Do you need a woman to look after you
God sometimes you just don't come through
You make pretty daisies pretty daisies love
I gotta find what you're doing about things here
A few witches burning gets a little toasty here
Tell me you're crazy maybe then I'll understand
You got your nine iron in the back seat just in case
Heard you've gone south well babe you love your new four wheel
I gotta find why you always go when the wind blows
(Give not thy strength unto women nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings)
Will you even tell her if you decide to make the sky fall
Will you even tell her if you decide to make the sky
God sometimes you just don't come through
God sometimes you just don't come through
Do you need a woman to look after you
God sometimes you just don't come through
The lyrics to "God" by A.T.S. seemingly address the feeling of abandonment or disillusionment with a higher power. The repetition of "God sometimes you just don't come through" echoes a sentiment felt by many who have felt let down by a deity they believed in. The line "Do you need a woman to look after you" could be interpreted as a question of why a supposedly omnipotent being would need human assistance, especially from a gender that may have been historically marginalized and oppressed.
The use of natural imagery, such as "pretty daisies" and the wind blowing, could be a nod to the idea of a god existing in nature, as opposed to a divine being in the traditional sense. The reference to a "nine iron in the back seat" and "a few witches burning" may suggest a history of violence or aggression linked to religious belief. The line "Give not thy strength unto women nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings" is a quote from the book of Proverbs in the Bible and adds a layer of complexity to the theme of power dynamics within religion.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the often complicated relationship between humans and the divine, questioning the motives and actions of a higher power and exploring the consequences of religious belief.
Line by Line Meaning
God sometimes you just don't come through
Expressing disappointment in God for not coming through in certain situations
God sometimes you just don't come through
Repeating the previous line for emphasis
Do you need a woman to look after you
Questioning if God needs a woman to take care of Him since He sometimes doesn't come through
God sometimes you just don't come through
Repeating the first line of the chorus for emphasis
You make pretty daisies pretty daisies love
Commenting on the beauty of the world created by God
I gotta find what you're doing about things here
Expressing a desire to understand God's actions and intentions
A few witches burning gets a little toasty here
Suggesting that God's punishment of individuals is too severe
I gotta find why you always go when the wind blows
Desiring an explanation for why God is not constant in His actions
Tell me you're crazy maybe then I'll understand
Humorously suggesting that if God is crazy, His actions would make more sense
You got your nine iron in the back seat just in case
Referencing God's ability to strike down individuals at any time
Heard you've gone south well babe you love your new four wheel
Making a joke about God taking a vacation and traveling in style
I gotta find why you always go when the wind blows
Repeating the desire for an explanation of God's inconsistency
(Give not thy strength unto women nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings)
Quoting a Bible verse that warns against giving power to things that can bring you down
Will you even tell her if you decide to make the sky fall
Questioning if God would even communicate with humanity if a catastrophic event occurred
Will you even tell her if you decide to make the sky
Continuing the previous line for emphasis
God sometimes you just don't come through
Repeating the chorus for emphasis
God sometimes you just don't come through
Repeating the chorus again to drive home the disappointment in God
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARRIE AKRE, DAVID BIRENBAUM, HARRIS THURMOND, RALPH ATKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind