Revival
Mark Lanegan & The Soulsavers Lyrics
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I wanna see a revival, yeah
Gonna be a revival tonight
Lord, let there be a revival, yeah
Forgive what I have done
It means my soul's survival, oh
I need You so, it's sin
Why am I so blind
With my eyes wide open, oh?
Trying to get my hands
Clean in dirty water
Wanna see a revival tonight
Lord, let there be a revival, yeah
I need to see a revival tonight, oh
Wanna see a revival, oh
Why am I so blind
With my eyes wide open, yeah?
Now I need someone
Let this dark night be done, oh
I need You so, it's sin
Put an end to my suffering
I wanna see a revival tonight
Lord, there needs to be a revival
The meaning behind “Revival” by Mark Lanegan & The Soulsavers is centered around the desire for spiritual rejuvenation. The lyrics are essentially a plea from the singer to God for a revival of his faith. He asks for forgiveness for his past mistakes and sins and begs for a renewal of his soul. The repetition of the phrase “Gonna be a revival tonight” is a sign of the singer's unwavering determination to find salvation and to have his faith reborn again. The singer is expressing his desire to escape his suffering and to find a new sense of meaning in his life.
The song is also about the struggle of faith in modern times. The lines “Why am I so blind, with my eyes wide open?” suggest that the singer feels lost despite the fact that he is actively seeking redemption. The idea of trying to wash his hands clean in dirty water is a metaphor for his struggle to be released from his past mistakes. The song ends with the singer asking for a revival, not just for himself but for everyone who is struggling with their faith.
Line by Line Meaning
Said, "Gonna be a revival tonight, oh"
Expressing the desire for a spiritual awakening.
I wanna see a revival, yeah
A plea to witness a rebirth of faith.
Gonna be a revival tonight
An affirmation that a spiritual awakening will occur.
Lord, let there be a revival, yeah
An appeal to a higher power for a renewal of faith.
Forgive what I have done
Acknowledgment of sins and pleading for forgiveness.
It means my soul's survival, oh
Recognition that salvation is key to everlasting life.
I need You so, it's sin
Admitting dependence on a higher power and the fallen nature of humanity.
Put an end to my suffering, oh
A call for relief from spiritual pain and torment.
Why am I so blind
Pondering the reasons for spiritual blindness and ignorance.
With my eyes wide open, oh?
Irony of being able to see physically, but unable to perceive spiritual truths.
Trying to get my hands
Attempting to cleanse oneself through physical acts of piety.
Clean in dirty water
Recognizing the inadequacy of human efforts to achieve righteousness.
I need to see a revival tonight, oh
An urgent plea to witness a spiritual rebirth.
Wanna see a revival, oh
Reaffirming the desire to experience spiritual renewal.
Now I need someone
Realizing the need for a higher power to intervene in one's life.
Let this dark night be done, oh
Pleading for an end to the spiritual darkness and turmoil.
Lord, there needs to be a revival
Acknowledging the necessity of a spiritual awakening for all.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IAN GLOVER, MARK LANEGAN, RICHARD BLAISE MACHIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind