Resurrection Band, also known as Rez Band or REZ, is one of the best-known … Read Full Bio ↴Resurrection Band, also known as Rez Band or REZ, is one of the best-known and respected Christian rock bands in the history of Contemporary Christian music. It was based out of the Jesus People USA Christian community in Chicago, Illinois, and most of its members continue to be part of that community to this day.

Led by the husband-and-wife team of Glenn and Wendi Kaiser, the band has been the preeminent example of how to evangelize using Christian rock, but the quality musicianship of Resurrection Band has also been a driving force in the development of the Christian music industry at large. Glenn Kaiser also has an established solo career as a blues musican and is also a well-known speaker on various spiritual issues to youth and adults.

Official website: http://www.resurrectionband.com/

Fiend Or Foul
Resurrection Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I beat the dead; they don't fight back,
They have no need, they have no lack,
They bear the marks of my attack,
I beat the dead; they don't react.

Call me fiend, or call me foul,
Throw me to the dogs that bite and howl,
Before you point a finger or cry an empty tear, buy yourself a alibi, get yourself a mirror.

I rob the poor; they don't mind,
I take whatever I happen to find; it's never much at any one time,
I rob the poor; it's not a crime.

Call me fiend, or call me foul,
Throw me to the dogs that bite and howl,
Before you point a finger or cry an empty tear, better get yourself a alibi, buy yourself a mirror.

I beat the dead,
I beat the dead.

I kill the children before they're born, as their little feet begin to form,
Don't buy them shoes; they won't get worn,
I kill the children; I am not scorned.

Call me fiend, or call me foul,
Throw me to the dogs that bite and howl,
Before you point a finger or cry an empty tear, buy yourself a alibi, get yourself a mirror.

I beat the dead,
I beat the dead.

Overall Meaning

The Resurrection Band's song "Fiend or Foul" is a powerful commentary on the evils of society and the hypocrisy that enables them. The opening lines of the song, "I beat the dead, they don't fight back" set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer is beating on people who cannot defend themselves, people who have already been beaten down by life. The repetition of the phrase "I beat the dead" emphasizes the singer's callousness, and the line "They bear the marks of my attack" underscores the lasting damage he is causing. The singer seems to be lamenting that the people he hurts don't fight back, yet he continues to beat them anyway.

The second verse shows the singer's disregard for the poor. He steals from them without remorse, justifying his actions by claiming that it's "not a crime." His lack of empathy for those less fortunate is further emphasized by the line, "It's never much at any one time." The singer's greed is consuming him, and he doesn't seem to care who he hurts along the way.

The final verse is perhaps the most disturbing. The singer admits to killing children before they are even born, justifying his actions by saying that they won't get to wear shoes anyway. The line, "I am not scorned" shows how society has normalized this kind of violence, and the fact that the singer is not even considered a criminal for his actions is a condemnation of the entire system.

Overall, "Fiend or Foul" is a powerful indictment of the injustices that exist in society, and the hypocrisy that allows them to continue.

Line by Line Meaning

I beat the dead; they don't fight back,
I harm those who can't defend themselves, they don't resist me.

They have no need, they have no lack,
They don't require anything, they don't have any deficiency.

They bear the marks of my attack,
I leave physical evidence of my violence on them.

I beat the dead; they don't react.
They don't respond to my brutality in any way, they can't feel anything.

Call me fiend, or call me foul,
Refer to me as evil, hateful, or abhorrent.

Throw me to the dogs that bite and howl,
Toss me to those who'll harm me with pleasure and make a commotion about it.

Before you point a finger or cry an empty tear, buy yourself a alibi, get yourself a mirror.
Before you accuse me, make sure you have proof of your own innocence, and examine yourself for the same bad behavior that you judge me for.

I rob the poor; they don't mind,
I steal from those who don't have much, they're too oppressed to object.

I take whatever I happen to find; it's never much at any one time,
I grab whatever small valuables I come across, but it's never a significant amount per seizure.

I rob the poor; it's not a crime.
It's not legally punishable to steal from them, no one will intervene on their behalf.

I kill the children before they're born, as their little feet begin to form,
I abort the fetuses before they have a chance to develop or grow any further, at a very early stage.

Don't buy them shoes; they won't get worn,
There's no need to purchase anything for them, as they will never get a chance to use it.

I kill the children; I am not scorned.
It's not socially unacceptable or shamed to terminate a pregnancy in this way, no one rebukes me for my actions.

I beat the dead,
I enjoy assaulting those who are already lifeless, it gives me a sense of power.

I beat the dead.
I continue to attack them, even though it serves no purpose and won't result in any response.

Contributed by Tristan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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