The Temple
The Afghan Whigs Lyrics
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Roll on up, for my price is down
Come on in, for the best in town
Take your pick of the finest wine
Lay your bets on this bird of mine
Roll on up, for the price is down
Come on in, for the best in town
Take your pick of the finest wine
Name your price I got everything
Come and buy it's going fast
Borrow cash on the finest terms
Hurry now while stock still lasts
[????]
Roll on up, for my price is down
Come on in, for the best in town
Take your pick of the finest wine
Lay your bets on this bird of mine
My temple should be a house of prayer
But you have made it a den of thieves
Get out! Get out!
Mine time is almost through
Little left to do
See my eyes I can hardly see
See me stand I can hardly walk
I believe you can make me whole
See my tongue I can hardly talk
See my skin it's a mass of blood
See my legs I can hardly stand
I believe you can make me well
See my purse I'm a poor poor man
Will you touch will you mend me Christ
Won't you touch will you heal me Christ
Will you kiss you can cure me Christ
Won't you kiss won't you pay me Christ
The first set of lyrics in The Afghan Whigs' "The Temple" depict a shady, fast-talking salesman using all sorts of techniques to convince people to come inside and buy his wares. He promises the best wine, finest goods, and unbeatable prices. He even claims he has everything and suggests customers should hurry now while stocks last. However, the entire scene changes in the next set of lyrics, where it becomes clear that this is a religious reference portraying God's temple as a den of thieves. The language is taken from the Bible, where Jesus is alleged to have referred to the temple being corrupted by moneylenders and sellers. The tone then changes again, and the singer becomes vulnerable, presenting himself as a sick and poor man looking for healing and hoping that Christ will touch him.
Considering the song as a whole, it appears to be a criticism of a larger societal system that has lost its way, where religious institutions have become more about profit than worship, and people have become more concerned with material things than compassion and faith. The incessant sales pitch of the song's first part is contrasted with the singer's desperate plea for spiritual healing in the second half. He is the antithesis of the "den of thieves" characterization of the prior lyrics, a helpless figure seeking solace and guidance, offering himself up for healing. The song's perfectly crafted lyrics and tonal switch, from commercial to spiritual, illustrate a world where everything is designed to be bought and sold, even spirituality.
Line by Line Meaning
Roll on up, for my price is down
Come over here because my prices have gone down
Come on in, for the best in town
Enter and get the best in town
Take your pick of the finest wine
Choose the best wine here
Lay your bets on this bird of mine
Believe in me and trust me
Name your price I got everything
I have everything, just tell me how much you want to pay
Come and buy it's going fast
Come and buy because it's going out of stock fast
Borrow cash on the finest terms
Borrow money from me on the best terms possible
Hurry now while stock still lasts
Hurry up before the stock runs out
My temple should be a house of prayer
My place of worship should be peaceful
But you have made it a den of thieves
But you have turned it into a place of dishonesty
Get out! Get out!
Leave immediately
Mine time is almost through
My time is almost up
Little left to do
I have little left to accomplish
See my eyes I can hardly see
I am having trouble seeing
See me stand I can hardly walk
I am struggling to walk
I believe you can make me whole
I think you have the power to heal me completely
See my tongue I can hardly talk
I am having difficulty speaking
See my skin it's a mass of blood
My skin is covered in blood
See my legs I can hardly stand
I am having trouble standing
I believe you can make me well
I believe you can heal me
See my purse I'm a poor poor man
I am very poor
Will you touch will you mend me Christ
Can you please touch me and heal me, Christ?
Won't you touch will you heal me Christ
Please touch me and heal me, Christ
Will you kiss you can cure me Christ
Can you heal me with a kiss, Christ?
Won't you kiss won't you pay me Christ
Please give me a kiss or pay attention to me, Christ
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALICIA SERRAT, ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, TIM RICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chris Collins
song kills, as does much of this unknown band! love them so much. Black love and gentlemen, the number of rockers who don't even know those albums exists, just isn't even fair.
m3dicalman76
God I miss seeing them live in Cincinnati!
Salvatore Arcadipane
Jesus Christ Superstars cover !