Andrew Jackson Jihad was formed after its original drummer, Justin James White, approached Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty, who had just left Rodan (not the Rodan of Kentucky fame) and The Sub-Standards. Since then, many significant Arizona musicians have sat in with the remaining duo of Sean and Ben, including John De La Cruz of Fatigo and Asleep In The Sea's Owen Evans. Dylan Cook also plays mandolin regularly with the band.
According to Songfacts, Bonnette, who is also the lyricist of the band (with upright bass player Ben Gallant handling most of the production and some vocals as well) volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline for teenagers for eight years, and worked with homeless men and women in the Phoenix, Arizona area. These experiences gave him a sometimes bleak, but at moments, hopeful outlook on life, often reflected in the band's lyrics.
On Halloween 2005, Andrew Jackson Jihad covered Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea album in its entirety at CounterCulture Cafe.
Their biggest performance to date has been in their hometown with Flogging Molly and Authority Zero on St. Patrick's Day 2006.
On April 15, 2006, the band played as part of the 2006 New Times Music Showcase, nominated for Best Americana Band, and won a 2006 Best of Phoenix later that year.
Besides their local shows, where they have become arguably the most prominent representative in Arizona of the DIY ethic, they have also toured in clubs and basements across the Western United States, appearing at such venues as the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, CA. One show in Kimberly, Idaho saw the band in a cowboy bar and leaving the premises as soon as possible after the show.
Andrew Jackson Jihad also performed at St. Augustine, Florida's second annual Harvest of Hope Festival in 2010. They played a dual set with Bomb the Music Industry!
Children of God
Andrew Jackson Jihad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To take the newly undeceased
I was the softened gaze upon a child of God
And the sky was full of teeth
It was a pain, that sweet release
I was the little engine that could
I was a courtroom bomb sniffing dog
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
They found a weird calling card
In a puddle of body parts
Inside a bowl of angel hearts
That the children were eating
I was a vampire hunter
I was a pregnant mother
I was a tear shed for the ones that died believing
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
Thunder Dome [?], broken home
Everybody dies alone
I wanna give a shout out to the innocent by standing
And at that corner of my eye
Coming out from the teeth filled sky
With eyes as red as a dog’s asshole when you see it shitting
I saw the children of God
As they walked on slovenly by
The USB ports in their arms were bleeding
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
I think I can
I think I can
I think I can
I think I can
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
The lyrics to Andrew Jackson Jihad's song "Children of God" are incredibly complex and multi-layered. At its core, the song is a commentary on the human condition and the many ways we try to make sense of the inexplicable. The opening line, "In came the being-born police to take the newly undeceased," sets the stage for the surreal and otherworldly imagery that dominates the rest of the song.
Throughout the song, the singer takes on a variety of roles and perspectives. They are at once the "softened gaze upon a child of God," a "courtroom bomb sniffing dog," and a "vampire hunter." Each of these roles is a metaphor for how we try to understand the world around us. The vampire hunter represents our desire to vanquish evil and protect the innocent, while the courtroom bomb sniffing dog symbolizes our search for justice and order.
The imagery in the song is often disturbing, showcasing the darker aspects of humanity. The "cannibals" singing "Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang" and the children with USB ports bleeding from their arms are both examples of this. However, the song also offers a message of hope, as evidenced by the lines "I wanna give a shout out to the innocent by standing" and "I was a tear shed for the ones that died believing." These moments remind us that even in the face of darkness and despair, there are always those who will stand up for what's right.
Line by Line Meaning
In came the being-born police
The authorities arrived to take control of the situation.
To take the newly undeceased
The police were there to collect the recently resurrected.
I was the softened gaze upon a child of God
The singer was watching over a person they deemed as pure and holy.
And the sky was full of teeth
The sky was ominous and threatening, like a mouth full of sharp teeth.
It was a pain, that sweet release
The release from pain was both sweet and bitter.
I was the little engine that could
The singer was determined to persevere through difficult situations like the children's storybook character.
I was a courtroom bomb sniffing dog
The singer was vigilant and on guard for any potential danger, like a trained dog in a bomb detection scenario.
And the blood collector collected blood
Someone was gathering blood samples.
And the cannibals all sang
A group of cannibals were singing a tune.
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
The lyrics to the cannibals' song.
They found a weird calling card
An unusual or strange message was discovered.
In a puddle of body parts
The message was found among a mess of dismembered corpses.
Inside a bowl of angel hearts
The message was found within a bowl containing the hearts of celestial beings.
That the children were eating
The children were consuming the hearts from the bowl.
I was a vampire hunter
The singer was skilled at hunting and killing vampires.
I was a pregnant mother
The artist fulfilled the role of a pregnant woman.
I was a tear shed for the ones that died believing
The artist mourned for those who have passed on with conviction in their beliefs.
Thunder Dome [?], broken home
The environment was hostile and destructive, like a post-apocalyptic Thunder Dome arena.
Everybody dies alone
Everyone will eventually face death on their own.
I wanna give a shout out to the innocent by standing
The artist wanted to speak up for the innocent and vulnerable.
And at that corner of my eye
The artist noticed something out of the corner of their vision.
Coming out from the teeth filled sky
An entity emerged from the ominous sky.
With eyes as red as a dog’s asshole when you see it shitting
The entity had deep red eyes that evoked a visceral, repulsive reaction.
I saw the children of God
The artist witnessed the presence of divine beings.
As they walked on slovenly by
The divine entities moved sluggishly, without much energy or effort.
The USB ports in their arms were bleeding
The entities' technological components were damaged and causing them to bleed.
I think I can
The singer believed they could persevere through tough situations.
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
The repeated lyrics of the cannibals' song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
enrico malatesta
In came the being-born police
To take the newly undeceased
I was the softened gaze upon a child of God
And the sky was full of teeth
Anticipating that sweet release
I was the little engine that could
I was a courtroom bomb-sniffing dog
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
They found a weird calling card
In a puddle of body parts
Inside a bowl of angel hearts
That the children were eating
I was a vampire hunter
I was a pregnant mother
I was the tears shed for the ones that die believing
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
Thunderdome, broken home
Everybody dies alone
I wanna give a shout-out to the innocent bystanding
And out the corner of my eye
Coming out from the teeth-filled sky
With eyes as red as a dog’s asshole when you see it shitting
I saw the Children of God
As they walked on slovenly by
The USB ports in their arms were bleeding
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
I think I can
I think I can
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
SideOneDummy
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Humbloom Tuh Birb
I'm genuinely confused why this is so underrated. It has a lot of replayability and insanely catchy, how hasn't it caught the public's eye all of these years? Well, one day, it'll eventually surface and more people will come to appreciate it.
Gsuave
very relatable too
yanivp1
"And the blood collector collected blood" may well be my favourite line in music, now.
Lloyd Nix
Ahhh, nofidis rip romani.
R-502
Dead from all the dying is a close 2nd
mooncaster777
"I was a vampire hunter
I was a pregnant mother
I was the tears shed for the ones that die believing"
This part makes me think of my D&D characters. Awesome song!
Zach Miller
Everything AJJ releases is pure gold.
enrico malatesta
In came the being-born police
To take the newly undeceased
I was the softened gaze upon a child of God
And the sky was full of teeth
Anticipating that sweet release
I was the little engine that could
I was a courtroom bomb-sniffing dog
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
They found a weird calling card
In a puddle of body parts
Inside a bowl of angel hearts
That the children were eating
I was a vampire hunter
I was a pregnant mother
I was the tears shed for the ones that die believing
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
Thunderdome, broken home
Everybody dies alone
I wanna give a shout-out to the innocent bystanding
And out the corner of my eye
Coming out from the teeth-filled sky
With eyes as red as a dog’s asshole when you see it shitting
I saw the Children of God
As they walked on slovenly by
The USB ports in their arms were bleeding
And the blood collector collected blood
And the cannibals all sang
I think I can
I think I can
Tra-lala-lala-lala-la-lang
Apollo 24601
enrico malatesta thank