Hozier was born in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. His mother is the visual artist Raine Hozier-Byrne (who also designed his latest album cover). He began a degree in music at Trinity College, Dublin, but dropped out midway through his first year in order to record demos for Universal Music. While at Trinity, he became involved with the Trinity Orchestra. He was a member of Anúna from 2008 to 2012, and appears as a soloist on their 2012 release "Illumination" singing "La Chanson de Mardi Gras". He toured and sang with the group internationally including performances in Norway and the Netherlands.
In 2013, Hozier released the EP "Take Me to Church EP" (also containing "Like Real People Do", "Angel of Small Death and The Codeine Scene" and a live version of "Cherry Wine"), with the title track becoming his breakthrough single after it went viral on YouTube. It reached number one on the Irish iTunes singles chart and number two in the official chart on 25 October 2013.
Hozier followed up Take Me to Church with the new EP "From Eden EP" (also containing "Work Song", "Arsonist's Lullabye" and a live version of "To Be Alone"), and a number of festival tour dates and television appearances in the United States. Hozier released his self-titled album, "Hozier" on 19 September 2014. It had five singles including "Take Me to Church", "Work Song", and "From Eden", which were hits on his earlier EPs. On December 2014, it was announced that "Take Me to Church" was nominated at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year in 2015.
In September 2018, he released an EP titled Nina Cried Power and featured the title track as a single, reaching number one on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart. He released his second album, Wasteland, Baby! in March 2019, which debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart and the Billboard 200, and has since been certified gold in the U.S.
Take Me to c church
Hozier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshiped her sooner
If the Heavens ever did speak
She's the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
My church offers no absolutes
She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom"
The only Heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you
I was born sick, but I love it
Command me to be well
A, Amen, Amen, Amen
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
If I'm a pagan of the good times
My lover's the sunlight
To keep the Goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
Drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
That's a fine looking high horse
What you got in the stable?
We've a lot of starving faithful
That looks tasty
That looks plenty
This is hungry work
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
No masters or kings when the ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness, in the soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am human
Only then I am clean
Oh, oh, Amen, Amen, Amen
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
The lyrics of "Take me to Church" by Hozier are layered with themes and emotions. The song is a critique of organized religion and its harmful effects on society. The opening lines mention the singer's lover, who is the "giggle at a funeral" and knows "everybody's disapproval." This lover is symbolic of the singer's escape from organized religion, which is also looked down upon by society. The vocalist reminisces, regretting not worshipping his lover sooner. The reference to the "last true mouthpiece" suggests that the singer views himself and his partner as the only ones speaking the truth in the dizzying and manipulative arena that is the church.
Hozier delves into the hypocrisy of the church by stating, "My church offers no absolutes." This statement expresses how religion is unpredictable and that constantly changing rules and practices make it a dangerous entity. The singer's lover tells him to "worship in the bedroom" because organized religion offers no hope for them. The line "I was born sick, but I love it," refers to the belief that the church capitalizes on an individual's fear of mortality and persuades them that they need to submit themselves to the corrupt institution to be saved. Hozier's realization that he is powerless in the face of the aforementioned system prompts him to say, "Good God, let me give you my life," which could either be interpreted as a complete surrender to religion or an acceptance of one's fate.
Line by Line Meaning
My lover's got humour
My partner has a great sense of humor
She's the giggle at a funeral
She's the one who can bring joy or humor even on a very serious occasion like a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
She's aware that everyone disapproves of our relationship
I should've worshipped her sooner
I should have appreciated her and our relationship earlier
If the Heavens ever did speak
If a higher power ever showed any signs or gave any direction
She is the last true mouthpiece
She's the only one who can convey that message or direction from the higher power, if it happened
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
Every week, going to church feels more depressing or hopeless
A fresh poison each week
The sermons or messages at church are like a new kind of poison each week
'We were born sick,' you heard them say it
We're all born with flaws or sins, as the church teaches
My church offers no absolutes
The church doesn't provide any definitive answers or solutions
She tells me 'worship in the bedroom'
My partner suggests that we focus on our love and intimacy instead of seeking guidance or answers from the church
The only heaven I'll be sent to
The only place where I feel truly happy and fulfilled is with my partner
Is when I'm alone with you
When we're together, just the two of us
I was born sick, but I love it
I acknowledge that I have flaws, but I accept and even enjoy them
Command me to be well
I'm willing to follow my partner's lead in pursuing healing or change
Amen. Amen. Amen
So be it. I agree.
Take me to church
Bring me to a place of worship
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll attend and participate in whatever kind of worship my partner suggests, even if it's based on falsehoods
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
I'm willing to confess my faults or shortcomings, even if my partner uses that knowledge to hurt me
Offer me that deathless death
Promise me a kind of eternity or transcendence beyond death
Good God, let me give you my life
Dear God, I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you
If I'm a pagan of the good times
If I'm someone who loves pleasure and enjoyment
My lover's the sunlight
My partner is the source of warmth and joy in my life
To keep the Goddess on my side
In order to maintain my sense of pleasure and satisfaction
She demands a sacrifice
My partner requires me to give up or let go of things in order to stay with her
To drain the whole sea
She requires an almost impossible task or sacrifice
Get something shiny
As part of that sacrifice, I should offer something valuable or precious
Something meaty for the main course
Something significant or substantial to offer as a sacrifice
That's a fine looking high horse
That's an impressive or noble pursuit, but maybe not necessary
What you got in the stable?
What else do you have to offer or give up?
We've a lot of starving faithful
There are many loyal or dedicated followers who are still struggling or suffering
That looks tasty
That looks appealing or desirable
That looks plenty
That seems like enough or sufficient
This is hungry work
This sacrifice or devotion requires a lot of effort and energy
No masters or kings when the ritual begins
Once we're engaged in this act of devotion or worship, there are no other authorities or figures to answer to
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
Our sense of pleasure or enjoyment is innocent and pure, even if others might see it as sinful
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Despite all the chaos and challenges of life on earth
Only then I am human
Only in moments like this, when I'm devoted to my partner and our pleasure, do I feel fully alive and human
Only then I am clean
Only then do I feel purified or absolved of my sins or shortcomings
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andrew Hozier Byrne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@UnderTheMillkyWay
It's not even about sexuality. Here is a direct quote so stop saying what you think it's about without researching.
Lyrically the song is one large metaphor comparing a lover to religion.
"Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life."
Speaking with The Irish Times, Hozier said about matters of the heart: "I found the experience of falling in love or being in love was a death, a death of everything. You kind of watch yourself die in a wonderful way, and you experience for the briefest moment – if you see yourself for a moment through their eyes – everything you believed about yourself gone. In a death-and-rebirth sense."
@sannehol5694
My lover's got humor
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshiped her sooner
If the Heavens ever did speak
She's the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
"We were born sick", you heard them say it
My church offers no absolutes
She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom"
The only Heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you
I was born sick, but I love it
Command me to be well
A-, Amen, Amen, Amen
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
If I'm a pagan of the good times
My lover's the sunlight
To keep the Goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
Drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
That's a fine looking high horse
What you got in the stable?
We've a lot of starving faithful
That looks tasty
That looks plenty
This is hungry work
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
No masters or kings when the ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am human
Only then I am clean
Oh, oh, Amen, Amen, Amen
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
@laurentprzybylski3401
lyrics:
My lover's got humor
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshiped her sooner
If the Heavens ever did speak
She's the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
"We were born sick", you heard them say it
My church offers no absolutes
She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom"
The only Heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you
I was born sick, but I love it
Command me to be well
A-, Amen, Amen, Amen
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
If I'm a pagan of the good times
My lover's the sunlight
To keep the Goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
Drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
That's a fine looking high horse
What you got in the stable?
We've a lot of starving faithful
That looks tasty
That looks plenty
This is hungry work
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
No masters or kings when the ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am human
Only then I am clean
Oh, oh, Amen, Amen, Amen
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
@Stevenxa389
Lyrics:
My lover's got humor
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshipped her sooner
If the heavens ever did speak
She's the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
"We were born sick"
You heard them say it
My church offers no absolutes
She tells me "Worship in the bedroom"
The only Heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you
I was born sick, but I love it
Command me to be well
[Pre-Chorus]
Aaa, Amen, Amen, Amen
[Chorus]
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
[Verse 2]
If I'm a pagan of the good times
My lover's the sunlight
To keep the goddess on my side
She demands a sacrifice
Drain the whole sea
Get something shiny
Something meaty for the main course
That's a fine looking high horse
What you got in the stable?
We've a lot of starving faithful
That looks tasty
That looks plenty
This is hungry work
[Chorus]
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife
Offer me my deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
[Bridge]
No masters or kings when the ritual begins
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin
In the madness and soil of that sad earthly scene
Only then I am human
Only then I am clean
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, oh Amen, Amen, Amen
[Chorus]
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
@AutumnFreeman
This song touches my heart and makes me cry.
But the comment section makes me ever more sad.
Two sides, one saying being gay is bad and the other saying that Christians are bad.
Let me get this off.
I'm gay.
But I'm not against Christianity or any other sort of religion.
What I'm against is people being completely rude to someone simply because of something they are.
And that's what both sides are doing.
There's nothing wrong with being gay.
There's nothing wrong with being religious.
There's something wrong when you shun someone for being something.
@Aya_Raad405
I go to a catholic school and in religion we had to pick a song that had a deep meaning (other then love songs) one of the girls picked this song and you should’ve seen how triggered the teacher got
@dylanoliver4861
Aya’s Piano damn you should find a different catholic school lol, i went to one for one year and everyone was so gay and all the nuns knew it and loved everyone
@skaterboi_0542
That girl is literally me
@MomijiHyuga804
How did they react?
@Aya_Raad405
MomijiHyuga804 she airplanes the lyrics on the screen and once it got to the chorus she was like “hang on, I don’t understand this part.” Then the girl was like, it’s ok we’ll explain it at the end.” She told us to stop air playing before the song ended and then we had this whole debate about it putting out the wrong ideas on Catholics. And some girl was like “yeah, but half the people don’t even care about what the song is about, if it’s a good song then it doesn’t really matter.” Then the bell went.
@suisaip
Girl GamerX5 but not "literally".
@kanyewest4029
It’s literally so sad that people get killed for race, religion, sexuality and more, they aren’t hurting you so why do you hate them?
Edit: ain’t no way y’all fighting over this…
@henrikledin4166
Geronimo Cad they don’t lmao
@TennebrumReloaded
It's because every human has a hard coded, genetic primordial fear in their DNA. That is the fear of the unknown. This applies to EVERYTHING that is different from what YOU KNOW based on your perception of reality, and how your unique experiences. This is why I fucking hated highschool. It's litearlly one big circle jerk of jugement. Every one has their group of frinds that are somewhat like them, and if you don't fit in to their "click" you are outcasted by that group and most of the people in it. This even applies to the adult world, which is fucking sad as fuck. You would think most in highschool would grow up, and be like "THAT EXPERIENCE WAS FUCKING AWFUL! Let's be more open to our fellow homosapian." But no, we judge what we don't understand, even if it is subconcious, and not conciously. Looking at this issue down to it's absolute raw, unfiltered core is horribly depressing.
@miriczs23
@Geronimo Cad oh shutup man