Since the release of ‘The Million Color Revolution’ on the band's own label Pinkerland Records (founded by the band and UK label Outstanding Records) & Latin alternative label Nacional Records, The Pinker Tones have played more than 300 shows in over 40 countries. The group have developed a killer live show with the invaluable help of DJ Niño. Their Pinker Tones DJ Crew combines the intensity of a rock band and the excitement of a DJ set. They have performed in New York, Moscow, Beijing, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Caracas, Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, Johannesburg, Toronto, as well as many other world cities.
When the Saints Go Marching in
The Pinker Tones Lyrics
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Oh Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
And when the sun refuses to shine 2x
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number
When the suns refuses to shine
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number
When the trumpet sounds it's call
We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
Every morning we'll united
On a new & sunlit shore
Oh when the new world is revealed 2x
I only want to be in that number
When the new world is revealed
Oh when the Saints go marching in 2x
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
Every morning we'll united
On a new & sunlit shore
The Pinker Tones’s song, When the Saints Go Marching In, is an interpretation of the well-known Christian hymn. The lyrics allude to the importance of being included among “the saints” at the end of the world. The singer desires to be among the chosen few, those who will join together to be with their god. The repeated phrase of “I want to be in that number” emphasizes this idea and adds to the longing conveyed within the song. The use of the pronoun “we” throughout the verses creates a sense of unity and solidarity between believers, who all strive to be the chosen few.
The use of apocalyptic language in the lyrics of the song further emphasizes the urgency of the singer's desires. The shift from present to future tense in the second verse demonstrates this notion, as the song talks about the hypothetical scenario of the sun refusing to shine or the eventual sound of a trumpet call. The religious symbolism of the trumpet call alludes to the biblical book of Revelation, in which an angel blows a trumpet to announce that the apocalypse has arrived. The song also upholds the tradition of Christianity's “heavenly reward” in which the dead shall all join together with their god in a new world, as illustrated in the last verse.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh when the Saints go marching in 2x
The desire to be among the number of souls that will go to heaven during the final judgment.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
A prayer to be a chosen one to enter heaven.
And when the sun refuses to shine 2x
Even in the most difficult and trying times, the desire to be among the chosen ones who will go to heaven remains.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number
When the suns refuses to shine
A prayer to remain steadfast through tough times in order to secure a place in heaven.
Oh when the trumpet sounds it's call 2x
The anticipation of the trumpet sound that signals the final judgment when the chosen ones will go to heaven.
Oh Lord, I want to be in that number
When the trumpet sounds it's call
A sincere desire to hear the trumpet and be among those selected to enter heaven.
We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
Every morning we'll united
On a new & sunlit shore
Following the examples of those who have lived righteously in the past for the hope of joining them in the eternal reward.
Oh when the new world is revealed 2x
An earnest hope for the day when the world will be renewed and the righteous will live in peace and harmony.
I only want to be in that number
When the new world is revealed
A desire to be among the righteous who will live in the new world in peace and harmony.
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
Although some may believe that the current world is all there is to life, there is a yearning for the eternal world that is yet to be revealed.
Writer(s): James Levine, Brian Kim, John Swihart
Contributed by Hailey J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.