Devil in a Midnight Mass
Billy Talent Lyrics
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He prayed behind stained glass
A memory of Sunday class
Resurrected from the past
Hold your breath and count to four
Pinky swears don't work no more
Footsteps down the hallway floor
I was alive but now I'm singing
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent knight at the edge of your knife
(Forgive me father)
Won't make it right
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night at the edge of your knife
(You're guilty!)
A devil in a midnight mass
Killed the boy inside the man
The holy water in his hands
Can never wash away his sins
Hold your breath and count to four
Pinky swears don't work no more
Put my trust in god that day
Not the man that got his way
I was alive but now I'm singing
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night at the edge of your knife
(Forgive me father!)
Won't make it right
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent knight at the edge of your knife
(You're guilty!)
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made and it's in the ground
"Devil In A Midnight Mass" by Billy Talent is a song about the corruption and abuse of power within the Catholic Church. The lyrics describe a priest, referred to as the "devil," who preys on young boys. The first verse describes the priest praying in front of stained glass, suggesting that he is hiding behind a facade of piety while committing heinous acts. The second verse describes the singer's fear, as they hear footsteps approaching their door. The repetition of the phrase "Silent night for the rest of my life" highlights the idea that the abuse has stripped away the singer's sense of safety and comfort.
The chorus is directed at the priest, with the singer saying that he is guilty and that "forgive me father" won't make it right. The use of the phrase "edge of your knife" suggests that the priest's actions are cutting and damaging, and cannot be undone. The second verse describes the aftermath of the abuse, with the singer saying that the boy inside of them has been killed. The final repeated lines of the song - "Whisper, whisper don't make a sound / Your bed is made and it's in the ground" - emphasize the sense of hopelessness and despair that can come with the trauma of abuse.
Overall, "Devil In A Midnight Mass" is a powerful and topical song that calls attention to the issue of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. Without being too explicit, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of the pain and long-term consequences of these actions.
Line by Line Meaning
A devil in a midnight mass,
A sinister force present in a church service held at night
He prayed behind stained glass
The devil prayed behind the colored glass windows of the church
A memory of Sunday class
Remembrance of attending religious classes on Sundays
Resurrected from the past
Recollection of past events which seems to have come to life again
Hold your breath and count to four
Suggestion to remain quiet and still for a short while
Pinky swears don't work no more
Promises made in half-truths are now failing to deliver the desired results
Footsteps down the hallway floor
Sounds of somebody coming closer, walking along the corridor
Getting closer to my door
Implies that somebody is nearing their destination
I was alive but now I'm singing
Implies that the person has gone through a life-changing event
Silent night for the rest of my life
Describes the aftermath of their life-changing event, where they will not speak out the truth
Silent knight at the edge of your knife
Describes the situation where a difficult decision is present with serious consequences waiting for them
(Forgive me father)
Repentance to God for their wrongdoing
Won't make it right
Indicates that even if they repent, it will not change their current state or outcome
A devil in a midnight mass
Repetition of the opening line of the song, implying the presence of some wicked force
Killed the boy inside the man
The person's innocence died when the event occurred, leaving only their more mature self
The holy water in his hands
Symbolizes the holy water used for cleansing sins, which the antagonist uses to hide his true intentions
Can never wash away his sins
Realization that the villain's wrongdoings cannot be easily absolved
Put my trust in god that day
Describes the singer's hope in God during the unfortunate event
Not the man that got his way
Implying the act of deceit or some hidden agenda which the person failed to see till the end
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Suggestion to remain silent in the face of danger
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Implying that the consequence of one's action awaits them
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON SOLOWONIUK, BEN KOWALEWICZ, IAN D'SA, JON GALLANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@futureistimeless1545
Lyrics:
A devil in a midnight mass,
He prayed behind stained glass
A memory of Sunday class
Resurrected from the past
Hold your breath and count to four
Pinky swears don't work no more
Footsteps down the hallway floor
Getting closer to my door
I was alive but now I'm singing
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent knight at the edge of your knife
(Forgive me father)
Won't make it right
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night at the edge of your knife
(You're guilty!)
A devil in a midnight mass
Killed the boy inside the man
The holy water in his hands
Can never wash away his sins
Hold your breath and count to four
Pinky swears don't work no more
Put my trust in god that day
Not the man that got his way
I was alive but now I'm singing
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent night at the edge of your knife
(Forgive me father!)
Won't make it right
Silent night for the rest of my life
Silent knight at the edge of your knife
(You're guilty!)
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made it's in the ground
Whisper, whisper don't make a sound
Your bed is made and it's in the ground
@user-jp1hf8qt9t
Back in the days when i was in Canada from South Korea, i was 13 who could barely speak English and had no friends. One day i listened to this song and was so shocked cuz it was the first time that I heard 'this kind of music'. Since then, I listen to rock music all the time. Anyway after I returned to Korea, I tried to find this song really hard and finally after several years, my dream came true. Billy talent ROCKS!!!
@Gigi_Ouija
This is so cute!!! 나는 한국에 사람이에요. I'm teaching myself to speak so I can talk to my family :)
@DutchBass
bro, i love u
@gamewhipess
Sungsoo park?
@user-jp1hf8qt9t
@Devin Parker yep that's my name
@dathunderman4
@Devin Parker sung-oo, not sung-su
@laurafragoso2165
This band is seriously one of the most underrated
@theequalizer2465
Yep they really are
@erik-ln1ht
But why are they not so popular?
@jimdavies9354
I agree. The choruses in Try Honesty and Devil In A Midnight Mass are awesome catchy riffs and drum scores. This Is How It Goes is still my favourite song by them though. Well take care.