His awards include seven Tonys, three Grammys including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Requiem, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, two International Emmys, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, a BASCA Fellowship and the Kennedy Center Honor.
He currently owns six London theatres, including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the London Palladium.
The Temple
Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on in Jerusalem,
Sunday here we go again,
Live in me Jerusalem.
Here you live Jerusalem,
Here you breathe Jerusalem,
While your temple still survives,
You at least are still alive.
Name your pleasure I will sell.
I can fix your wildest needs,
I got heaven and I got hell.
Roll on up, for my price is down.
Come on in for the best in town.
Take your pick of the finest wine.
Lay your bets on this bird of mine.
What you see is what you get.
No one's been disappointed yet.
Don't be scared give me a try,
There is nothing you can't buy.
Name your price, I got everything.
Hurry it's going fast.
Borrow cash on the finest terms.
Hurry now while stocks still last.
Roll on up Jerusalem,
Come on in Jerusalem,
Sunday here we go again,
Live in me Jerusalem.
Here you live Jerusalem,
Here you breathe Jerusalem,
While your temple still survives,
You at least are still alive.
I got things you won't believe,
Name your pleasure I will sell.
I can fix your
My temple should be a house of prayer,
But you have made it a den of thieves.
Get out! Get out!
My time is almost through.
Little left to do.
After all, I've tried for three years.
Seems like thirty, seems like thirty.
See my eyes, I can hardly see.
See me stand, I can hardly walk.
I believe you can make me whole.
See my tongue, I can hardly talk.
See my skin, I'm a mass of blood.
See my legs, I can hardly stand.
I believe you can make me well.
See my purse, I'm a poor, poor man.
Will you touch, will you mend me Christ?
Won't you touch, will you heal me Christ?
Will you kiss, you can cure me Christ?
Won't you kiss, won't you pay me Christ?
See my eyes, I can hardly see.
See me stand, I can hardly walk.
I believe you can make me whole.
See my tongue, I can hardly talk.
See my skin, I'm a mass of blood.
See my legs, I can hardly stand.
I believe you can make me well.
See my purse, I'm a poor, poor man.
Will you touch, will you mend me Christ?
Won't you touch, will you heal me Christ?
Will you kiss, you can cure me Christ?
Won't you kiss, won't you pay me Christ?
There's too many of you
Don't push me.
There's too little of me
Don't crowd me.
Heal yourselves!
The lyrics of Andrew Lloyd Webber's song "The Temple" can be interpreted in various ways. On one hand, it appears to be a narrative about the deception and corruption of individuals within the religious system. The phrase "Sunday here we go again" suggests the cyclical nature of religious rituals that have lost their meaning. The temple is depicted as a market where people can buy anything, even heaven or hell. In contrast, the temple should be a place of prayer and spiritual nourishment. This is evident in the lines "My temple should be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves". The persona within the song seems like a prophetic figure, warning people to get out and heal themselves before it's too late.
On the other hand, the song can be interpreted as a plea for healing and redemption. The phrase "See my eyes, I can hardly see" is symbolic of spiritual blindness or uncertainty. The persona is physically weak and needs healing, but also needs emotional and spiritual healing. The repetition of "Will you touch, will you mend me Christ?" and "Won't you kiss, won't you pay me Christ?" suggest a desperate need for a higher power to intervene.
Overall, "The Temple" is a complex song that can be interpreted in many ways. It highlights the dangers of religious hypocrisy and opportunist schemes while also acknowledging the human need for redemption and healing.
Line by Line Meaning
Roll on up Jerusalem,
Come on over, Jerusalem,
Come on in Jerusalem,
Enter, Jerusalem,
Sunday here we go again,
It's Sunday, and we're back at it again,
Live in me Jerusalem.
Exist within me, Jerusalem.
Here you live Jerusalem,
Here is where you reside, Jerusalem,
Here you breathe Jerusalem,
Here is where you find life and air, Jerusalem,
While your temple still survives,
As long as your temple is still standing,
You at least are still alive.
You, at the very least, are still alive.
I got things you won't believe,
I have products and services that will surprise you,
Name your pleasure I will sell.
Tell me what you want, and I can provide it.
I can fix your wildest needs,
I can fulfill your deepest desires,
I got heaven and I got hell.
I offer both paradise and torment.
Roll on up, for my price is down.
Come over and take advantage of my low prices.
Come on in for the best in town.
Welcome inside for the finest goods.
Take your pick of the finest wine.
Choose from our best, most delicious wine.
Lay your bets on this bird of mine.
Place your wagers on this bird I have.
What you see is what you get.
The product you see is exactly what you'll receive.
No one's been disappointed yet.
So far, no one has been let down.
Don't be scared give me a try,
Don't be afraid to try me out,
There is nothing you can't buy.
Everything you could want is for sale.
Name your price, I got everything.
Tell me how much you're willing to pay, and I can provide whatever it is you want.
Hurry it's going fast.
Act quickly, as supplies are dwindling.
Borrow cash on the finest terms.
Take out a loan with the best repayment conditions.
Hurry now while stocks still last.
Move quickly while supplies are still available.
My temple should be a house of prayer,
The temple should be a building used for prayer,
But you have made it a den of thieves.
Instead, it has become a location for criminal activity.
Get out! Get out!
Leave immediately!
My time is almost through.
I am soon to depart.
Little left to do.
There is not much left to accomplish before I'm gone.
After all, I've tried for three years.
I have been working hard for three years with little to show for it.
Seems like thirty, seems like thirty.
It feels like I've been working for thirty years, despite only having labored for three.
See my eyes, I can hardly see.
I am unable to see well.
See me stand, I can hardly walk.
I struggle to walk upright.
I believe you can make me whole.
I think you can heal all of my physical and emotional wounds.
See my tongue, I can hardly talk.
I am barely able to speak.
See my skin, I'm a mass of blood.
My skin is covered in bloodied wounds.
See my legs, I can hardly stand.
My legs can barely support my weight.
See my purse, I'm a poor, poor man.
My financial resources are extremely limited.
Will you touch, will you mend me Christ?
Can you physically touch me and take away my pain, Christ?
Won't you touch, will you heal me Christ?
Why won't you touch me and heal me?
Will you kiss, you can cure me Christ?
Can you cure me with a simple kiss, Christ?
Won't you kiss, won't you pay me Christ?
Please kiss me, or offer me some other solution for my problems.
There's too many of you
There are too many people surrounding me.
Don't push me.
Please don't push me any further.
There's too little of me
I feel like I'm being suffocated due to the lack of space.
Don't crowd me.
Please don't crowd me anymore.
Heal yourselves!
Take responsibility for your own healing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALICIA SERRAT, ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, TIM RICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind