She received much critical acclaim for her 2005 release, Paradise Hotel, which contains songs that strike a chord with listeners in light of recent events. "Requiem" honors Hurricane Katrina and tsunami victims with hopeful pleas to the Virgin Mary, while "Man of God" is a bitter, unapologetic denouncement of President George W. Bush and his administration.
"The actions of this regime do not follow the teachings of Christ, what I call real Christianity," Gilkyson said in August 2005. "I just don't appreciate the religious right acting like I don't love God and my country just because I'm not in their corner. I'm mad and I want other people to be mad about this too."
In 2008, her album Beautiful World came out, again on Red House Records. The songs vary from pop to folk and points in-between, with songs ranging from intimate ballads to rallying cries against the imperialist machine. She recently collaborated on a new album entitled Red Horse with two of her Red House Records label-mates John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky.
In 2011, she came out with Roses at the End of Time. Recorded at her home with the help of her son and co-producer Cisco Ryder, Gilkyson took a longer time in the studio and came out with a more eclectic and personal album. She continues to tour about 150 dates per year in the United States and overseas.
www.elizagilkyson.com
Man of God
Eliza Gilkyson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With his snakeskin boots and his bulletproof vest
Gang of goons and his big war chest
Fortunate son he was doubly blessed
Corporate cronies and the chiefs of staff
Bowing to the image of the golden calf
Startin up wars in the name of god's son
Gonna blow us all the way to kingdom come
Man of god, man of god
That ain't the teachings of a man of god
Man of god, man of god
That ain't the preachings of a man of god
Coalition of the fearcul and the judgemental
Patricians, politicians, and the fundamentalistas
You never have to tell them how the money's spent
You never have to tell them where their freedom went
Homophobes in the high command
Waitin for the rapture like it's disneyland
Hide all the bodies from out of view
Channel all the treasure to the chosen few
Man of god, man of god...
If I could I surely would
Stand on the rock where moses stood
Look out people now we're gonna get fleeced
By a wolf masquerading as a man of peace
Jesus said blessed are the meek
Jesus said you gotta turn the other cheek
Jesus said help the poor and the weak
If he lived today he'd be a liberal freak
All the money changers would be out on the street
Weepin and wailin and gnashin their teeth
Me I'm waitin on the reckoning day
When the whole world gonna rise up and say
Man of god, man of god...
The lyrics to Eliza Gilkyson's song Man of God can be interpreted as a commentary on the hypocrisy and corruption within institutions of power that claim to be rooted in religious values. The cowboy symbolizes the political and corporate elites who exploit power for greed and imperialism, exploiting religion as a cover for their self-interest. The line "startin' up wars in the name of god's son" references the wars that were launched by the US after 9/11 which were justified by President George W. Bush's Christian fundamentalist beliefs.
Gilkyson critiques the religious right as well, with lines like "homophobes in the high command waitin for the rapture like it's disneyland." The reference to "the rapture" alludes to the belief among some Christians that there will be a moment of divine intervention in which true believers will be saved and ascend to heaven, while the rest of the world will face judgment and devastation. The phrase "man of peace" in the final verse seems to be a direct reference to the Nobel Peace Prize which was awarded to President Barack Obama in 2009, a move that many people criticized as too hasty given that the US was still engaged in major conflicts overseas.
Overall, the song seems to be a plea for moral clarity and a rejection of hypocritical use of religion to justify greed and violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the cowboy came from out of the west
The man in power originates from the western part of the country.
With his snakeskin boots and his bulletproof vest
He adorns himself with expensive, flashy attire and possesses protection from any harm.
Gang of goons and his big war chest
He commands a group of violent followers and a vast amount of resources for war.
Fortunate son he was doubly blessed
As the child of privilege, he received an unfair advantage in life and also appears to have received blessings for his actions.
Corporate cronies and the chiefs of staff
He associates himself with wealthy business partners and important members of government.
Bowing to the image of the golden calf
He prioritizes material wealth and power over the moral values of his religion.
Startin up wars in the name of god's son
He initiates wars under the guise of religious authority.
Gonna blow us all the way to kingdom come
His actions will lead to a catastrophic end for all of us.
Man of god, man of god
This man claims to be a religious authority.
That ain't the teachings of a man of god
His actions contradict what is expected of a religious leader.
Coalition of the fearcul and the judgemental
He has an alliance with those who promote fear and negativity.
Patricians, politicians, and the fundamentalistas
He associates himself with wealthy and powerful people who advise him on religious principles.
You never have to tell them how the money's spent
He and his allies can spend money however they please, without justification or transparency.
You never have to tell them where their freedom went
He takes away the freedom of the people he leads, without explanation or remorse.
Homophobes in the high command
Important members of his team hold homophobic beliefs.
Waitin for the rapture like it's disneyland
He and his allies are eager for the end of the world as prophesied in the Bible.
Hide all the bodies from out of view
He and his allies cover up their immoral actions and hide them from the public.
Channel all the treasure to the chosen few
He and his allies keep all the wealth and resources for themselves, rather than spreading them equally among the population.
If I could I surely would
The singer expresses desire to take action against this man and his colleagues.
Stand on the rock where moses stood
The artist refers to a story in the Bible where Moses took a stand against oppression.
Look out people now we're gonna get fleeced
The public will soon be cheated and taken advantage of.
By a wolf masquerading as a man of peace
This man pretends to be a symbol of peace, but is really a predator.
Jesus said blessed are the meek
Jesus encouraged compassion for those who are humble and powerless.
Jesus said you gotta turn the other cheek
Jesus urged forgiveness and non-violence.
Jesus said help the poor and the weak
Jesus advocated for generosity and care towards those in need.
If he lived today he'd be a liberal freak
If Jesus was alive today, his beliefs would be considered radical and liberal.
All the money changers would be out on the street
Jesus would not allow the greedy money changers to function in society.
Weepin and wailin and gnashin their teeth
These money changers would suffer the consequences of their immoral actions.
Me I'm waitin on the reckoning day
The artist is waiting for a day of judgment when wrongs will be righted.
When the whole world gonna rise up and say
The public will unite in opposition to this man and his allies.
Contributed by Landon W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.