The Flaming Lips are known for their lush, multi-layered arrangements, spacey lyrics and bizarre song titles. They are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows, which typically feature animal suits, puppets, streamers, video projections and complex stage light configurations.
In 2002, Q magazine named The Flaming Lips one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die". In 2006, Oklahoma City named a street Flaming Lips Alley in their honor.
The group recorded several albums and EPs for Restless Records in the 1980s and early 1990s. After signing to Warner Brothers, they scored a #9 hit on the Billboard Alternative charts (and #55 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart) in 1994 with "She Don't Use Jelly". Although it would be their only hit single, the band has maintained critical respect and, to a lesser extent, commercial viability with sonically majestic albums such as 1995's Clouds Taste Metallic, 1999's The Soft Bulletin, 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and 2006's At War with the Mystics. The Flaming Lips' 12th studio album, Embryonic, was released in October of 2009. A complete cover of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was released in May 2010. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, their collaborative album which features artists like Ke$ha, Bon Iver, Nick Cave and Erykah Badu, was released on Record Store Day, April 2012.
Their next studio album, tentatively titled The Terror, will be released in January 2013.
Their song "Do You Realize??" is the official State Rock Song of Oklahoma.
www.flaminglips.com
Jesus Shootin' Heroin
The Flaming Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Except it seems a good reason to kill.
Everybody's got their own conceptions,
And you know, they always will.
These days are needles under my skin.
Jesus shootin' heroin.
If there are priests at your party,
And you got no reason to think it,
Until your chances are uncovered.
Tell me that I got to believe in,
Jesus shootin' heroin.
The police in New York city,
Chased a boy, right through the park.
In a case of mistaken identities,
They put a bullet through his heart.
I met Mary, on the corner with the streetlights.
She asked me if I'd come up to her room.
I told her that I didn't have no money.
She said she had to leave pretty soon.
I decided that I would go in.
Jesus shootin' heroin.
The Flaming Lips's song "Jesus Shootin' Heroin" is a thought-provoking and intense commentary on religion, addiction, and society. The lyrics are a commentary on the destructive and hypocritical nature of religion, with Wayne Coyne, the lead vocalist, singing about how he never truly understood religions and how they often seem to be a good reason for killing. But despite this, people always have their own conceptions, and it seems they always will. The line "These days are needles under my skin" refers to how addiction seeps into every part of one's life and becomes an inescapable part of their reality. The song's lyrics are a portrayal of how drug addiction is a religion of sorts, with those who follow it as devoutly as those who follow organized religion.
In the second verse, Coyne sings about how if there are priests at your party and you're playing numbered cards, you have no reason to think anything's wrong until your chances are uncovered. This verse pokes fun at the hypocrisy of religion, how it can be present in the most unexpected places. The chorus "Tell me that I got to believe in, Jesus shootin' heroin" serves as a rallying cry for those who have been failed by religion and society, who turn to addiction for solace and meaning.
The third verse tells the story of a real-life incident where police in New York shot an innocent boy in a case of mistaken identity. This verse highlights the violence and prejudice that is present in society and how it can lead to tragic and unnecessary deaths. The final verse tells the story of a chance encounter with a woman named Mary on a street corner, who offers Coyne the escape of drug addiction. The line "I decided that I would go in" shows how easy it is to be lured into the destructive world of addiction.
Overall, "Jesus Shootin' Heroin" is a song that critiques the flaws of organized religion, and how addiction can provide a sense of meaning and devotion to those who lack it in other aspects of their lives. The song is a reminder that everyone has their own way of finding purpose, and that those who are failed by traditional institutions will carve out their own path.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I never really understood religions,
I have never truly comprehended the beliefs and practices of religions.
Except it seems a good reason to kill.
Although I don't understand religions, it seems like sometimes they are used as justification for war and violence.
Everybody's got their own conceptions,
All individuals have their own ideas and interpretations of what religion means to them personally.
And you know, they always will.
These individual beliefs and interpretations will always exist and vary greatly.
These days are needles under my skin.
I am feeling restless or anxious, possibly due to drug addiction.
Jesus shootin' heroin.
This line seems to be a metaphor, possibly suggesting that the singer is finding some sort of relief or escape in religion or in drugs.
If there are priests at your party,
If religious figures are present in the social gathering you are attending,
And you're playing cards that are numbered,
If you are playing a game where success or failure is predetermined,
And you got no reason to think it,
And you have no reason to suspect that anything is wrong,
Until your chances are uncovered.
Until it is revealed that your fate is not in your own hands.
Tell me that I got to believe in,
This suggests that in uncertain or perilous times, faith may be necessary for comfort or hope.
Jesus shootin' heroin.
This line still remains a mystery, potentially still meaning that the artist is seeking solace or escape either in religion or drugs.
The police in New York city,
Refers to law enforcement officials in New York City.
Chased a boy, right through the park.
Pursued a boy on foot, likely in an aggressive manner, in a public park.
In a case of mistaken identities,
The chase was initiated due to an incorrect assumption about the boy's identity.
They put a bullet through his heart.
The police killed the boy, likely meaning to use lethal force as a means of apprehension.
I met Mary, on the corner with the streetlights.
The artist encountered Mary at an intersection where streetlights were present.
She asked me if I'd come up to her room.
Mary solicited the singer for sex or companionship, suggesting a transactional encounter.
I told her that I didn't have no money.
The singer declined Mary's invitation, potentially indicating a lack of financial resources.
She said she had to leave pretty soon.
Mary indicated that she had other obligations or priorities that required her attention.
I decided that I would go in.
Despite not having money, the artist decided to accept Mary's invitation anyway.
Jesus shootin' heroin.
The repeated use of this line still leaves its intended meaning up for interpretation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: FLAMING LIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheTinychainsaw
I can't believe this album was made in the 80s! They were way ahead of their time. I love the flaming lips. ♥
TheEDZEPPELINBAND
they go from a frail acoustic sound to a tidal wave of epic proportions-beautifully dynamic-and i like how they stuck the Stones lyric in there-that seems important-
logansworth
Wow, I'll buy this album the next time I see it. This band has had a great career!
AlyssaQ420
The Flaming Lips never fail to amaze me. This song sort of has a 90's alternative/grunge sound (which is a genre I love), but they successfully pulled it off. :)
AlyssaQ420
@Gustav or maybe you are, given you took the time to insult a decade old comment for no reason whatsoever.
Robert Sekula
One of my all time favorites
zax the reds
Lovely song. Singin it for decades now
paul wright
Oh Shit.51 years old,recently discovered so many great bands,mmj fleet foxes, explosions in the sky,geographer,broken social scene,arcade fire and these guys and many more.All those wasted years listening to radio.
Darth Anddedeu
At least you found things
Hella Shott
Alt J check them