When the President Talks to God
Bright Eyes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to to rape our women's rights?
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike?
When the President talks to God?
When the President talks to God,
Is he resolute on down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God say ever change his mind?
When the President talks to God?
When the President talks to God,
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed?
When the President talks to God?
When the President talks to God,
I wonder which one plays the better cop?
"We should find some jobs the ghetto's broke",
"No they're lazy George I say we don't,
Just give em' more liquor stores and dirty coke",
That's what God recommends.
When the President talks to God,
Do they drink near beer and go play golf?
While they pick which countries to invade,
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
I guess God just calls a spade a spade,
When the President talks to God?
When the President talks to God,
Does he ever think that maybe He's not?
That that voice is just inside his head?
When he kneels next to the Presidential bed,
Does he ever smell his own bullshit?
When the President talks to God?
I doubt it.
Bright Eyes's song When the President Talks to God is a satirical take on the relationship between politics and religion in the United States. The song questions the morality and justification behind some of the President's decisions by suggesting that they might be influenced by divine guidance. By asking whether the conversations with God are brief or long, the lyrics suggest that it is unlikely that God would condone all of the President's actions or that the President would listen to everything God has to say. Additionally, throughout the song are a series of questions that point to the possibility that the President might be using God as a means of legitimizing his own beliefs or to further his political agenda.
The lyrics are critical of the President's decisions in several areas, including women's rights, the draft, oil prices, and voter fraud. By implying that the President's decisions might be influenced by God, the song encourages listeners to question the morality behind certain policies and to consider the role of religion in politics. The final lines of the song ("I guess God just calls a spade a spade, When the President talks to God?...I doubt it.") suggest that the President is likely not receiving divine guidance and is instead using religion to justify his actions.
Line by Line Meaning
When the President talks to God,
When the President speaks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Do they talk for a long or short duration?
Does he ask to to rape our women's rights?
Does he request to violate women's rights?
And send poor farm kids off to die?
And compel poor farm kids to go to war and die?
Does God suggest an oil hike?
Does God advise to raise oil prices?
Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Are the sounds firm or gentle?
Is he resolute on down the line?
Is he consistently committed to his decisions?
Is every issue black or white?
Does he see everything as either good or bad?
Does what God say ever change his mind?
Does he alter his opinion based on God's words?
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Does he feign that accent or just agree?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Do they concur on which prisoners should be executed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Do they decide where to construct and populate jails?
Which voter fraud must be concealed?
Do they discuss which election deception should be hidden?
I wonder which one plays the better cop?
I wonder which one is better at impersonating a police officer?
"We should find some jobs the ghetto's broke",
"We should create employment opportunities in impoverished areas"
"No they're lazy George I say we don't,
"No, they're indolent George, I suggest we don't"
Just give em' more liquor stores and dirty coke",
"But instead, provide them with more liquor shops and contaminated cocaine"
That's what God recommends.
That's what the singer believes God's advice is.
Do they drink near beer and go play golf?
Do they consume low-alcohol beer and golf together?
While they pick which countries to invade,
While they choose which nations to attack
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
Which Muslim people are still redeemable?
I guess God just calls a spade a spade,
I suppose God speaks bluntly
When the President talks to God?
When the President speaks to God.
Does he ever think that maybe He's not?
Does he ever question whether he is actually talking to God or not?
That that voice is just inside his head?
That the voice is just a figment of his imagination?
When he kneels next to the Presidential bed,
When he takes a knee beside the Presidential bed,
Does he ever smell his own bullshit?
Does he ever sense his own lies?
When the President talks to God?
When the President speaks to God.
I doubt it.
The artist does not believe he does
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OBERST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind