Hewerdine (born Mark Hewerdine) moved to Cambridge as a child, but returned to London in his late teens, and worked in a record shop. Suffering from agoraphobia, it was not a happy time of his life, and he was fired from his job after being wrongly accused of theft. Returning to Cambridge, he teamed up with a friend with similar experiences and started to write songs. They formed the short-lived Placebo Thing, later renamed The Great Divide. They were heard by Mike Scott of The Waterboys, who recommended them to Ensign Records, where they cut two commercially unsuccessful singles. In 1985 Hewerdine, working once again in a record shop in Cambridge, formed The Bible, recruiting jazz drummer Tony Shepherd. They released an album of songs through the independent Norwich label Backs Records called Walking The Ghost Back Home.
The Bible became a fairly successful independent band, with a cult following spread mostly through word of mouth and live performances. Two tracks from the first album, Graceland and Mahalia were released as singles, but did not achieve very significant sales. The album however was very well received by music pundits, and this brought the band to the attention of Chrysalis Records. Signing to Chrysalis, Graceland and another track, Honey Be Good were (re)released as singles, and reached the lower end of the UK singles chart. A new album, Eureka followed, but failed commercially. In 1988, Hewerdine decided to leave the group and pursue solo projects. Calum MacColl and Neill MacColl from the group went on to form Liberty Horses.
At around this time Hewerdine met US "new country" singer Darden Smith, and this set him off in a new direction. Working together, he and Smith released a collaborative album, Evidence. Hewerdine also worked simultaneously on new solo songs, largely based on his earlier traumatic experiences in London. Eventually these were distilled down to produce the Ignorance album, released in 1992. Invited by Tori Amos to play support promoting these songs, Hewerdine managed to find a new audience and Ignorance and a single from the album, History, did relatively well commercially.
As Hewerdine's star rose, he started to write for other artists, among them Eddi Reader, Clive Gregson and Christine Collister. The Bible reformed for a tour in 1994. Further solo album releases followed, such as 1996's Baptist Hospital and 1999's Thanksgiving. Meanwhile Hewerdine was asked by long-time friend Nick Hornby to contribute music to the soundtrack for the movie version of his book High Fidelity, whose subject (working in a record shop) was also very close to Hewerdine's experiences.
Hewerdine continues to write and perform his own songs. Harmonograph, released on MVine/Red Grape Records in February 2006, is a collection of his songs written for other artists such as Eddi Reader and Hepburn, recorded by Hewerdine for the first time. 2008 saw two mini CD releases - Toy Box 1 and Toy Box 2 with art work by Hewerdine's grandmother. Hewerdine continues to tour regularly, playing a set featuring songs from through out his career from The Bible to Toy Box.
An Atheist in a Foxhole
Boo Hewerdine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I am praying now
I am kneelin' by my bed
To know that you are safe
To know that you are ok
There's no one there to hear my call
And if I have a rosary
I would turn it in my hand
And though I know
And though I know
There's no one there to hear my call
There's no such thing at all
There's no one there to hear my call
There's no such thing at all
In Boo Hewerdine's song "An Atheist in a Foxhole," the opening lyrics highlight the singer's unfamiliarity with prayer. Despite their lack of previous engagement with praying, the singer finds themselves kneeling by their bed and praying fervently. This sudden urge to pray stems from a deep desire to ensure the safety and well-being of someone they care about. However, the overarching realization dawns that there is no divine being or higher power to hear these desperate pleas for protection.
The following verses continue to emphasize the singer's skepticism and disbelief in the existence of a higher power. The mention of a rosary, traditionally associated with Catholicism and prayer, further underscores the singer's struggle to reconcile their disbelief with their newly found instinct to pray. It's as if the singer questions whether their actions hold any true significance or if they are merely going through the motions.
Despite their doubts and skepticism, the repeated line "There's no one there to hear my call, there's no such thing at all," serves as a back-and-forth dialogue within the singer's mind. This internal conflict reflects the underlying tension between the singer's rational atheistic beliefs and their instinctive longing for reassurance and safety. Ultimately, the lyrics capture the profound sense of isolation and vulnerability experienced by the singer, who feels alone in their moments of desperation and realizes that the belief in any higher power or divine intervention may be illusory.
Overall, "An Atheist in a Foxhole" delves deeply into the existential struggle of a non-religious individual confronted with a crisis. The lyrics evoke the internal turmoil caused by an unexpected urge to pray and the subsequent realization that there may be no one or nothing to hear those prayers. By unpacking the conflicting emotions and doubts, the song speaks to the universal human experience of seeking solace and protection while grappling with one's beliefs, or lack thereof, in times of distress.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never prayed before
I have never engaged in any religious practices
But I am praying now
However, in this moment, I find myself engaging in prayer
I am kneelin' by my bed
I am physically assuming a position of humility and reverence
To know that you are safe
My desire is to ensure your safety and well-being
To know that you are okay
I long to have the assurance of your unharmed state
There's no one there to hear my call
However, I am aware that there is no divine being who can perceive my pleas
There's no such thing at all
In fact, the concept of a higher power itself appears to be non-existent
And if I have a rosary
In the hypothetical scenario where I possess a string of beads for prayer
I would turn it in my hand
I would manipulate it with my fingers in a repetitive motion
And though I know
Despite being aware
There's no one there to hear my call
That there is no divine entity actively listening to my entreaties
There's no such thing at all
Truly, the notion of a higher power holds no validity
There's no one there to hear my call
Once again, I recognize that my pleas go unheard
There's no such thing at all
Indeed, the existence of any divine being is completely absent
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Mark Nicholas Hewerdine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind