Alleluia
Dar Williams Lyrics


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Ron and Nancy got the house but Sid and Nancy rule
I died eight years ago; I'm still a legend at my high school
I stole a Chevy and I wrapped it round a tree
But that's OK 'cause no one's gonna make the next century
I'm up in heaven now they say I'm here to stay
Where the clouds are really puffy and the angels sing every day
Alleluia
The cafeteria's got everything, it's gonna drive me mad
Cause it looks just like a big Hawaiian party that my mother had
It's like the worst Elvis film I've ever seen
Technicolor luau all on technicolor green
There's camping trips and donkey rides and singing round the fire
And they signed me up for surfing
But they can't get me in the choir
Alleluia

But there she was this morning getting fitted for her wings
Leather boots, magenta hair, and saying nasty things
I'd say she was an angel but it's stupid and it's obvious
I said you'll hate it here 'cause we're the only ones like us
It's crypto-fascist mania, it's silicon deliria
Yeah, she said, you're right, but I like the cafeteria
Alleluia

Hey God, we're the bad kids, we're so nasty, mean and vile
God looks like a guidance counselor, God's got that smile
God says, how could this be, that's really odd
I guess I'll have to check my records, silly me, you know, I'm only God
Alleluia

The waves are perfect and the sun will always shine
But there's got to be more to death than surfing all the time
I know the signs of self-destruction so I try to stop each new kid
Don't be like me, forever young, forever stupid
Yeah, I found love here, but I'll bet you'll find it there
Where they don't always make the same joke,




"Gee, you make a heavenly pair."
Alleluia

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dar Williams's song Alleluia present a story of heaven seen through the eyes of a teenage delinquent who has died eight years ago and now resides in heaven, narrating his experiences. The opening line, "Ron and Nancy got the house, but Sid and Nancy rule," is a nod to the Ramones' song "My Way," which references Sid and Nancy, and attributes them with more power than the President of the United States. The reference is used to establish the point of view of the singer: the outsider, the rebel, the one who demands to be noticed. The singer talks about the life that he used to lead on earth, including stealing a Chevy and wrapping it around a tree. He also mentions that he is not concerned about the future of the planet, as he won't be around to see it. The song's chorus, "Alleluia," is sung in response to the joyousness of heaven.


In the second verse, the singer describes the cafeteria in heaven as a "big Hawaiian party." This line is interpreted as a reference to the Beach Boys' album "Pet Sounds," which was released in 1966 and covered topics such as youth, love, and the beach. The singer talks about the irony of the heavenly cafeteria experience and mentions that he was signed up for surfing, which he doesn't like. In the third verse, the singer meets a girl who wears leather boots and magenta hair, and talks about the cliquishness of heaven. He reveals that he has found love in heaven and advises the girl to look for it too.


Overall, the song celebrates the rebelliousness of youth, while also implying that it leads to self-destruction. The singer's message to the girl about finding love is meant to be taken seriously. The chorus, "Alleluia," is a call to rejoice and be grateful for what one has. The underlying message of the song is to inspire people to live their lives to the fullest but also to be responsible for their actions.


Line by Line Meaning

Ron and Nancy got the house but Sid and Nancy rule
Even when life seems unfair, there are always people in control that shouldn't be. The people who you would expect to have power might not be the ones who actually do.


I died eight years ago; I'm still a legend at my high school
Sometimes our past defines us more than we'd like to admit. The people we were and the things we did become a part of us, and that past can affect how we are remembered.


I stole a Chevy and I wrapped it round a tree But that's OK 'cause no one's gonna make the next century
When life seems like it's not worth living, it can be easy to do something reckless. But even if we don't believe we'll make it to the next century, it doesn't mean that it's okay to waste the time that we do have.


I'm up in heaven now they say I'm here to stay Where the clouds are really puffy and the angels sing every day Alleluia
Death can be a mysterious and unknown thing, but sometimes it can be a comfort to think of it as a peaceful place, where everything is perfect and people are always happy.


The cafeteria's got everything, it's gonna drive me mad Cause it looks just like a big Hawaiian party that my mother had It's like the worst Elvis film I've ever seen Technicolor luau all on technicolor green
The afterlife might seem like an endless party, but sometimes it can be overwhelming or even annoying. Even in paradise, there can be bad elements that make it less enjoyable.


There's camping trips and donkey rides and singing round the fire And they signed me up for surfing But they can't get me in the choir Alleluia
Just because everything seems perfect doesn't mean that it is. Even in paradise, there are still disagreements and differing opinions. And sometimes, we aren't good at everything, no matter how perfect the world seems.


But there she was this morning getting fitted for her wings Leather boots, magenta hair, and saying nasty things I'd say she was an angel but it's stupid and it's obvious I said you'll hate it here 'cause we're the only ones like us It's crypto-fascist mania, it's silicon deliria Yeah, she said, you're right, but I like the cafeteria Alleluia
Even in paradise, there can be those who don't fit in or who seem out of place. But sometimes, it's those who are different who can bring a new perspective and make things more interesting. And even if not everyone fits in, there can be something enjoyable about the experience.


Hey God, we're the bad kids, we're so nasty, mean and vile God looks like a guidance counselor, God's got that smile God says, how could this be, that's really odd I guess I'll have to check my records, silly me, you know, I'm only God Alleluia
Even the worst of us can find some kind of redemption in the end. And sometimes, even God doesn't have all the answers or know how to make everything right. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't keep trying to be our best selves.


The waves are perfect and the sun will always shine But there's got to be more to death than surfing all the time I know the signs of self-destruction so I try to stop each new kid Don't be like me, forever young, forever stupid Yeah, I found love here, but I'll bet you'll find it there Where they don't always make the same joke, 'Gee, you make a heavenly pair.' Alleluia
Even paradise can become boring or monotonous if that's all we do with our time. And sometimes, our past struggles can help us identify when others might be heading down a bad path. But even in the afterlife, we should still strive to grow and become better versions of ourselves.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAR WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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