On January 31st 2012, he released the first single, 'Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings', for his debut album under the Father John Misty moniker, "Fear Fun". The Phil Ek mixed and Jonathan Wilson produced LP was released on May 1st 2012 through Sub Pop (U.S.) and Bella Union (U.K.)
To date, Father John Misty has released 5 studio albums: Fear Fun (2012), I Love You, Honeybear (2015), Pure Comedy (2017), God's Favorite Customer (2018) and Chloë and the Next 20th Century (2022).
When The God Of Love Returns There'll Be Hell To Pay
Father John Misty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There'll be hell to pay
Though the world may be out of excuses
I know just what I would say
Let the seven trumpets sound
As a locust sky grows dark
But first let's take you on a quick tour of your creation's handiwork
And the pale horse looks a little sick
Says, "Jesus, you didn't leave a whole lot for me
If this isn't hell already then tell me what the hell is?"
And we say it's just human, human nature
This is place is savage and unjust
We crawled out of the darkness
And endured your impatience
We're more than willing to adjust
And now you've got the gall to judge us
The spider spins his web
The tiger stalks his prey
And we steal fire from the heavens to try to keep the night at bay
Every monster has a code
One that steadies the shaking hand
And he's determined to accrue more capital by whatever means he can
Oh, it's just human, human nature
We've got these appetites to serve
You must not know the first thing about human beings
We're the earth's most soulful predator
Try something less ambitious the next time you get bored
Oh, my Lord
We just want light in the dark
Some warmth in the cold
And to make something out of nothing sounds like someone else I know
In "When The God of Love Returns There'll Be Hell to Pay," Father John Misty explores the flawed nature of humanity and the audacity of a higher power to judge us. Through vivid imagery and clever lyrics, Misty expresses his perspective on human nature and our constant struggle to find meaning in a chaotic world.
The song opens with the anticipation of the god of love returning, symbolizing the arrival of divine judgment. Misty suggests that despite our world lacking excuses for its shortcomings, he knows exactly what he would say in defense. This highlights the irony of a flawed creator passing judgment on flawed creation. The mention of the seven trumpets and the locust sky alludes to biblical references and the impending doom associated with divine retribution.
Misty then contrasts the god of love's judgment with the realities of our world. He sarcastically remarks that even the pale horse, a symbol of death, looks sickened by the state of humanity. Misty questions the notion of whether our world is already hell and challenges the higher power to define what hell truly means.
The song continues with Misty questioning the god of love's understanding of human nature. He asserts that human beings are products of their environment, shaped by a savage and unjust world. Misty compares us to spiders spinning webs and tigers stalking prey, highlighting our primal instincts. He suggests that our actions are a response to an impatience that the higher power has inflicted upon us. Misty also criticizes the god's judgment, arguing that we are driven by our inherent appetites and are the earth's "most soulful predator," capable of great beauty and creation.
Ultimately, Misty expresses the longing for basic human desires - light in the dark, warmth in the cold, and the ability to create something meaningful. He concludes by implying that the god's attempt to create something out of nothing is reminiscent of another entity he knows, possibly referring to the god of love's own creative endeavors.
Line by Line Meaning
When the god of love returns
When love and compassion resurface
There'll be hell to pay
There will be consequences for the wrongdoing
Though the world may be out of excuses
Even though there are no justifications left
I know just what I would say
I know exactly how I would express myself
Let the seven trumpets sound
Let there be a grand revelation
As a locust sky grows dark
While darkness surrounds us like a swarm of locusts
But first let's take you on a quick tour of your creation's handiwork
But before that, let's show you the consequences of your creation
Barely got through the prisons and stores
Having just survived the oppressions and materialistic distractions
And the pale horse looks a little sick
And the symbol of death appears weakened
Says, "Jesus, you didn't leave a whole lot for me
Implies that there isn't much left to inflict upon humanity
If this isn't hell already then tell me what the hell is?"
Questioning if the current state isn't already a living hell
And we say it's just human, human nature
We claim that it's simply inherent human behavior
This place is savage and unjust
This world is brutal and unfair
We crawled out of the darkness
We emerged from a place of ignorance and suffering
And endured your impatience
While enduring your lack of understanding
We're more than willing to adjust
We are willing to adapt and change
And now you've got the gall to judge us
Yet, you have the audacity to pass judgment on us
The spider spins his web
The spider weaves its intricate trap
The tiger stalks his prey
The tiger hunts its target silently
And we steal fire from the heavens to try to keep the night at bay
And we strive to find inspiration and warmth to defy darkness
Every monster has a code
Every villain has their own set of principles
One that steadies the shaking hand
One that provides stability to their uncertain actions
And he's determined to accrue more capital by whatever means he can
And they are determined to gather wealth using any possible method
Oh, it's just human, human nature
Oh, it is simply the inherent nature of humanity
We've got these appetites to serve
We have desires and needs to fulfill
You must not know the first thing about human beings
You lack a basic understanding of human nature
We're the earth's most soulful predator
We, as humans, possess a unique blend of passion and instinct
Try something less ambitious the next time you get bored
Next time you are bored, attempt a less challenging task
Oh, my Lord
Oh, my God
We just want light in the dark
We simply desire illumination amidst the darkness
Some warmth in the cold
Some comfort in the harshness of life
And to make something out of nothing sounds like someone else I know
And to create something meaningful from nothing reminds me of another individual
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Joshua Michael Tillman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Max Jandreau
A friend of mine recently passed away in a car crash.
This was one of her favorite artists.
Coming back to this album for me was hard. It's inherently a sad depressing album, but it made me think of my friend, which for me, were happy memories. Now, it's just sad and depressing for me.
I played this song the night I found out she passed.
I'll miss her dearly.
The Germanic Language Branch
Lyrics since they haven't been posted yet:
When the god of love returns
There'll be hell to pay
Though the world may be out of excuses
I know just what I would say
Let the seven trumpets sound
As a locust sky grows dark
But first let's take you on a quick tour of your creation's handiwork
Barely got through the prisons and stores
And the pale horse looks a little sick
Says, "Jesus, you didn't leave a whole lot for me
If this isn't hell already then tell me what the hell is?"
And we say it's just human, human nature
This is place is savage and unjust
We crawled out of the darkness
And endured your impatience
We're more than willing to adjust
And now you've got the gall to judge us
The spider spins his web
The tiger stalks his prey
And we steal fire from the heavens to try to keep the night at bay
Every monster has a code
One that steadies the shaking hand
And he's determined to accrue more capital by whatever means he can
Oh, it's just human, human nature
We've got these appetites to serve
You must not know the first thing about human beings
We're the earth's most soulful predator
Try something less ambitious the next time you get bored
Oh, my Lord
We just want light in the dark
Some warmth in the cold
And to make something out of nothing sounds like someone else I know
Skipper1010
When the god of love returns
There'll be hell to pay
Though the world may be out of excuse
I know just what I would say
That the seven trumpets sound
As a locust sky grows dark
But first let's take you on a quick tour of your creation's handiwork
Billy got through the prisons and stores
And the pale horse looks a little sick
Says, "Jesus, you didn't leave a whole lot for me
If this isn't hell already then tell me what the hell is?"
And we say it's just human, human nature
This is place is savage and unjust
We crawled out of the darkness
And endured your impatience
We're more than willing to adjust
And now you've got the gall to judge us
The spider spins his web
The tiger stalks his prey
And we steal fire from the heavens to try to keep the night at bay
Every monster has a code
One that steadies the shaking hand
And he's determined to accrue more capital by whatever means he can
Oh, it's just human, human nature
We've got these appetites to serve
You must not know the first thing about human beings
We're the earth's most soulful predator
Try something less ambitious the next time you get bored
Oh, my Lord
We just want light in the dark
Some warmth in the cold
And to make something out of nothing sounds like someone else I know
Stephen Enders
If a God came back and interacted with us ..regardless..
Even if body less and energy being.
It would still be a type if alien misunderstood and one of many that we likely worshipped during the bronze age.
Treat beings the way you wish.
That is the important take away from the bible 🤷♀️✴🛸
MightyMitoMaria
While this whole album captures not just "the now" and the horrors we inflict on others while remain as detached as possible from human relationship; it's also an impressive look back and sadly forward. There is something worse at bay. Much worse.
MrKneller
How prophetic.
Max Jandreau
A friend of mine recently passed away in a car crash.
This was one of her favorite artists.
Coming back to this album for me was hard. It's inherently a sad depressing album, but it made me think of my friend, which for me, were happy memories. Now, it's just sad and depressing for me.
I played this song the night I found out she passed.
I'll miss her dearly.
Lucy Morgan
I am so sorry...💙💜💙
Seth Mayle
I'm just seeing this now. I've been turned on to listening to him last year. My brother died in 2018. This amplified my depression for the worst in my life but later I finally came out of it truly for the first time in my life as an adult in his 30s. I don't want to sound cultsy and overkill, but FJM is like the second coming in disguise. I'm sorry for the pain you had to endure with this loss, but I thank you for being brave enough to share your experience.
blahblah blahblahb la
Sorry to hear that. My friend died in a car wreck as well. Her name was Heather.
The Germanic Language Branch
Lyrics since they haven't been posted yet:
When the god of love returns
There'll be hell to pay
Though the world may be out of excuses
I know just what I would say
Let the seven trumpets sound
As a locust sky grows dark
But first let's take you on a quick tour of your creation's handiwork
Barely got through the prisons and stores
And the pale horse looks a little sick
Says, "Jesus, you didn't leave a whole lot for me
If this isn't hell already then tell me what the hell is?"
And we say it's just human, human nature
This is place is savage and unjust
We crawled out of the darkness
And endured your impatience
We're more than willing to adjust
And now you've got the gall to judge us
The spider spins his web
The tiger stalks his prey
And we steal fire from the heavens to try to keep the night at bay
Every monster has a code
One that steadies the shaking hand
And he's determined to accrue more capital by whatever means he can
Oh, it's just human, human nature
We've got these appetites to serve
You must not know the first thing about human beings
We're the earth's most soulful predator
Try something less ambitious the next time you get bored
Oh, my Lord
We just want light in the dark
Some warmth in the cold
And to make something out of nothing sounds like someone else I know
Trash King
Josh should be proud of this album, it's a masterpiece. <3 for sticking with Sub Pop too.
I LOST THE GAME
Also, Sub pop are 49% owned by Warner music group....
Trash King
Come on, you know what I mean.