They are probably best known for their cover of The Monkees hit, Pleasant Valley Sunday. Over the years they have had numerous lineup changes and have played different musical styles including dance, house, techno, pop, and alternative rock.
Beautiful Thing
Code Of Ethics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Praying, take this cup from me
Please don't let it be
There under star filled skys, the yellow glow of fireflies
Was the shadow of a friend
Betrayal would bring the end
For a second did You want to run
Knowing all the shame that was about to come
A mother's son
And how could it be, still so young at thirty three
Without protest without sound
Heavens love came down
The cross, the nails, the Savior's crown
What a beautiful thing to do
The way you laid Your body down
Was so beautiful
And when that soldier pierced Your side
It was a beautiful thing to do
Such an ugly way to die, but so beautiful
Did you feel the evil, in the heart of everyone
As they cursed and they accused
Ah, the court was so amused
I bet it broke Your heart and made You cry
When one by one You heard Your friends deny
They ever knew You, they ever knew You
The cross, the nails, the savior's crown
What a beautiful thing to do
The way You laid your body down, was so beautiful
And when that soldier pierced Your side
It was a beautiful thing to do
Such an ugly way to die, but such a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh
What a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh
What a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh
What a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh...
What was it like, to hear the sound and feel the strike
As the nails pierced flesh and bone
Shamed and all alone
And when You peered through darkened sky, Drew Your last breath
Did You find Your father's eyes
Before You died
The cross, the nails, the savior's crown
What a beautiful thing to do
The way You laid your body down, was so beautiful
And when that soldier pierced Your side
It was a beautiful thing to do
Such an ugly way to die, but such a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh
Was a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh
Was a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh
Was a beautiful thing to do
Oh-ho-ho-ho-oh...
The lyrics of Code of Ethics' song "Beautiful Thing" reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the beauty that was found within it. The first verse describes the moment when Jesus was praying on the night before His death, asking God if there was any way for Him to be spared from the brutal death He was about to endure. The second verse addresses the heartbreak Jesus must have felt as He heard His friends deny knowing Him and witnessed the evil in everyone's hearts.
The chorus repeats the phrase "What a beautiful thing to do," which is a statement that seems paradoxical when applied to the horrific death that Jesus went through. But the beauty in this situation comes from the sacrifice that Jesus made, showing His love for humanity and completing the work that He came to earth to do. The bridge asks what it was like for Jesus to feel the pain and hear the sounds of the crucifixion, and wonders if He felt His father's presence in His final moments.
Overall, the lyrics of "Beautiful Thing" show a profound reflection on the sacrifice of Jesus and the beauty that can be found even in the midst of great suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
What was it like to spend a cold and sleepless night
The singer wonders how it felt to be alone, cold, and without sleep while anticipating the impending events
Praying, take this cup from me
The singer imagines Jesus praying to avoid the crucifixion
Please don't let it be
The singer hopes that Jesus's prayer was answered
There under star filled skys, the yellow glow of fireflies
The singer paints a picture of the surroundings where Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane
Was the shadow of a friend
The singer refers to Judas who betrayed Jesus
Betrayal would bring the end
The singer recognizes that Judas's betrayal was the beginning of the end for Jesus
For a second did You want to run
The singer wonders if Jesus had any doubt or fear during His final moments
Knowing all the shame that was about to come
The singer imagines the shame and humiliation Jesus must have felt during His crucifixion
To the sinless one
The singer acknowledges Jesus's sinlessness
A mother's son
The singer reminds that Jesus was Mary's son too
And how could it be, still so young at thirty three
The singer emphasizes Jesus's youth when He died
Without protest without sound
The singer recognizes Jesus's acceptance of His fate in silence
Heavens love came down
The singer acknowledges Jesus as the embodiment of God's love
The cross, the nails, the Savior's crown
The singer describes the instruments of Jesus's torture and death
What a beautiful thing to do
The singer sees Jesus's sacrifice as a beautiful act of love
The way you laid Your body down
The singer refers to Jesus's position on the cross
And when that soldier pierced Your side
The singer refers to the Roman soldier who pierced Jesus's side with a spear
It was a beautiful thing to do
The singer sees even this ugly act as part of Jesus's beautiful sacrifice
Did you feel the evil, in the heart of everyone
The singer imagines the evil and hatred directed towards Jesus during His crucifixion
As they cursed and they accused
The singer describes the verbal abuse that Jesus endured
The court was so amused
The singer recognizes the mockery and entertainment that Jesus's trial provided for the crowds
I bet it broke Your heart and made You cry
The singer expresses empathy for the likely emotional pain that Jesus felt during His ordeal
When one by one You heard Your friends deny
The singer refers to Peter and other disciples who denied knowing Jesus
They ever knew You, they ever knew You
The singer repeats the denial in anguish
Did you find Your father's eyes
The singer wonders if Jesus was able to find comfort and assurance from God before He died
Before You died
The singer emphasizes the finality of Jesus's death
Contributed by Jake P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.